The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-05
A MOCK
ELOPEMENT
BY MARTHA BILLINGS

Jim Dunlap was Woodworking
farmer boy. His father died when
Jim was very young, and the boy was
obliged to scratch early for a living.
He worked hard and studied nights,
for there was ambition in Jim, though
no one would have suspected it. New.
ertheless he seemed content with hard
work and not inclined to take a stand
above mediocrity.
| May Stanley was the belle of the
village. The moment Jim Dunlap saw
her he fell in love with her.
Now, while Jim Dunlap was plod.
der, with nothing brilliant whatever
about him, May was little witch. She
was witty, droll and much inclined to
mischief Her face was mirror for
her thoughts. Nevertheless If she had
a preference for any Of the young men
of the village-there were no newcom-
ers-none of her friends could discover
it. But a girl, be she ever so commu-
NEGATIVE on other subjects, may keep
that one secret deep hidden In her
breast AS has been said, there was
one young man with whom she was
never associated In the minds of her
friends. That was Jim Dunlap. In
deed, she had been heard to very I'M
feeIingly apply TO him the name of
''sorrel top"
While Jim was blowing by day and
student by night, gangling, awk-
ward man of twenty. Walter Swift,
the son of neighboring well to do
farmer, was getting ready to leave
college with degree. He came home
with good deal Of eclat, with fra
ternity badge on his chest and repu
tation for scholarship. The girls look
ed for him to take an interest in May
Stanley as the only one of their num-
Der capable of attracting one who had
a university cut about him and more
citified manners than any of the rest |
But some of them declared that he
wouldn't look at May even. These lat |
ter he disappointed by not only look
ing at her, but looking at her with
longing eyes. There was that in her
that attracted both sexes-a reckless,
heller SHELTER, devil-may-care way she
had, which is always fascinating in
young persons. especially to young per
sons.
Swifts appearance fresh from col
lege tended to put Jim Dunlap by com.
parison only further in the background.
His joints seemed larger, his hair red
der, while his freckles seemed like
brown autumn leaves that some one
had tramped all over his face. Not
that he appeared to feel any inferior,
ity, for he plodded on in the same awk-
ward way as before. n was rather
feeling in those who saw the two
young men in contrast
That winter after Swift's coming
home was gay one among the young
er set of the village. II isn't every
small town that can number a full
fledged college graduate among its so
cial attractions. and Swift, who had
played his share Of FRANKS while at the
university, originated good many
methods Of amusement When the
winter was drawing TO a close and Lent
was coming on the boys and girls were
NIdb lhEs Nbhid wv ~ va |
Of carnival One of their number
suggested that they have fancy dress
ball, but they had had one the year
before and wanted something newer
Swift came to the rescue by proposing
an elopement
IAN elopement!" all exclaimed at
once what do you mean by that?"
In colonial times" he said, when
couple were married 1t was the custom
for the bride and groom TO race with
the guests for a tavern, the party
reaching the goal last to pay for sup
per. | propose that we select couple
to elope (for fun, of course) and run
for the Beaver inn, the rest to follow,
the supper to be paid for as In colonial
times"
The idea was accepted with enthu
siasm. May Stanley was just the girl
TO play the part of the bride, and the
proposer of the scheme was the man
for the groom. May was chosen, but
Swift was not While he was the ad.
of the girls, the boys We're in '