The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1913-06-26
A MOCK
ELOPEMENT
BY MARTHA BILLINGS
By MARTHA BILLINGS

Jim Dunlap was a hardworkine
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 net 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 a plod-
der. with nothing brilliant whatever
about him, May was little witch. She
was witty, droll and much inclined to
mischief. Her face was q mirror for
her thoughts. Nevertheless If she had
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-
nicative on other subjects. may keep
that one secret deep hidden in her
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 un-
feelingly apply to him the name Of
"sorrel top"
While Jim was plowing by day and
a student by night, a gangling, awk-
ward man of twenty, Walter Swift.
the son of neighboring we'll to do
farmer, was getting ready to leave
college with degree. He came home
with a good deal of eclat, with a fra
ternity badge on his chest and a 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
q university cut about him and more
citifed 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,
helter skelter, devil-may-care way she
had, which is always fascinating in
young persons, especially to young per-
sons.
Swift'c 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. 1t was rather
feeling in those who saw the two
young men in contrast.
That winter after Swifts coming
home was a gay one among the young
er set Of the village. 1t isn't every
small town that can number a full
f1edged college graduate among its So
cial attractions, and Swift, who had
played his share Of pranks while at the
university, originated a good many
methods of amusement. When the
winter was drawing to close and Lent
was coming on the boys and girls were
wondering what they would do by way
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.
"An elopement!" all exclaimed at
once. What do you mean by that?'
I'm colonial tines" he said, when a
couple were married it was the custom
for the bride and groom to race with
the guests for tavern, the party
reaching the goal last to pay for sup
per. 1 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-
miration Of the girls, the boys were in
clined to be jealous OF him. But the
boys couldn't settle upon one of their
own number-each desiring to be the
eloper-till some one in jest nominated
Dunlap All laughingly assented, and
it was considered that there would be
more fun with him for groom than any
of the others. He would make the az
fair more ridiculous.
Tuesday night before the opening OF
Lent Jim saddlcd two horses, one with
a woman's saddle, and at 10 o'clock
pulled up under May Stanley's win
dow. She jumped down into his arms.
he nut her on one of the horses. and
away they galloped.
At the same hour and minute the
rest Of the party started from an equi-
distant point, both making for the
Beaver inn. Jim and May stopped for
twelve minutes by the way; but. hav-
ing been given the advantage OF the
best road and Jim making cut across
fields, the elopers arrived first.
"My friends" said Jim, "1'll pay Tor
the supper. for this is the happiest
night Of my life. May and l stopped
by the way at a parsons Just long
enough to be married"
No one considered his words in ear
nest, and all set up a shout. but May
produced a certificate that was passed
around among the girls, and at last it
began to be understood that the pair
wore married