The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-03

ErVm oouiuo to9 uIUt mass OF PACK
ages came brisk military answer:
You black hound! About face
forward march! Section number one.
The porter retreated down the aisle
apologixihg glibly. "'Ecuse me for
questioning you. but you-all's baggage
looked kind o. eccentric at first"
The two young men dumped their
parcels on the seats and began to un-
wrap them hastily.
II Mallory catches as. he'll kill us."
oaid Lieutenant Shaw. Lieutenant
Hudson only laughed and drew out q
long strssmer Of white satin ribbon.
In simmer. and the glimmering eyes
of the young man excited Mrs. Whit.
comb 20 much that after q little hest
eAncS she moved forward. followed By
the jealous Ashton-
-oh. what's upf" she ventured. ~It
looks IKE something bridal"
Talk about womanly intuitioni"
said Lieutenant Hudson, with an In
gratiating salaam-
And then they explained 10 her that
their classmate at West Point. being
ordered suddenly to the Philippines,
had arranged to slope with his beloved
uar5orio Newton: he'd asked them to
get The tickets and check the baggage
While he stopped at . ministers to
~ost splioed and hike for Manila by
this train"
Having recounted this plan In the
fuu belief that Il was even at that ruo-
ment being carried out successfully,
Lieutenant Hudson. with q ghoulish
SMILE. explained:
Being old friends Of tho bride and
groom. We want to az their section up
n style and make them truly comfort.
able"
~Deliciousl" gushed Mrs. whitcomb.
hut you ought to have some rice and
old shoea"
Here's the rice." said Hudson.
Here's the old shoes" said Shaw.
Lovslyl" cried Mrs. whitcomb, but
0eu abe grew soberer. II should think.
though. that they--the young couple
would have preferred Q statsroom."
~Of course" said Hudson. almost
blushins. but II was taken. This was
the best We could do for them"
That's why We want To make Il
nice and bride-like." said Shaw. per
haps you could help us-a woman's
touch"
Oh I'd love to-" she glowed, has
tening into the section among the
young men and the bundles. The un-
usual stir attracted the porter's sus-
picions. He came forward with q look
OF authority:
Scuse me. but wha-what's all
thisr
'vanish-set out" said Hudson,
poking coin at him. As he turned
TO obey. Mrs. whitcomb checked him
with: "Oh. Porter. could you get us
hammer and some nails."
The porter almost hlanched: Good
LAwd. Miss. you amt allowin' to drive
nails In that woodwork. is you" That
woodwork was TO him what the altar
II to the priest
but hudson. resorting TO heroic
measures. hypnotized him with q two
dollar bill: Here. take this and soc
nothing. hear nothing. say nothing" :"
The porter caressed II and chuckled:
I'm blind. deaf and speechless." He
turned away. only to come back at
once with q timid "'Scuse mel"
You here yet?" growled Hudson.
Anxiously the porter pleaded: "I
Just want TO asst one question. Is you
au nxin' up for a bridal coupler"
Foolish question, number eight
million. forty-three," said Shaw. "An-
sver. no, We are"
= The porter's face glistened like
frssh stove polish as he gloated over
the prospect Il tell you. itIl be mahty
refreshin' To have a bridal couple on
bode! This dogon Reno train don't
carry nothin' much but Divorces. I'm
Just nachally hongry for bridal cou-
pie"
"Brile coup-hic-br' came a voice,
Ike an echo that had somehow be-
como intoxicated In transit II was
Little Jimmie Wellington looking for
moro sympathy. "whass xis about
brile coupler
Why. here's Little Buttercup!"
sang out young Hudson. looking at
him In amazed amusement.
Did 1 un'stan' somebody say you're
preparing for brile coupr?"
Lieutenant Shaw grinned. II don't
know what you understood. but that's
what we're doing"
Immediately Wellington's great face
began to churn and work like a big
eddy In q river. Suddenly he was
weeping. Excuse these tears. zhent.
tlemen. but I once-I was once a
b-b-bride myself"
He looks like a whole wedding par.
ty." was Ashtons only comment on
the copious grief. II was poor yelling.
tons fate to hunt as vainly for sym
pathy as Diogenes for honesty. The
decorators either ignored him or