The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-11-06
A HAsTY
MARRIAGE
.'
Shortly Before the Wedding the
Groom Had Not Seen =
the Bride
By F. A. mitchell

margin of lake I'm the heart of Yer
mont His costume was pair of
soiled trousers and flannel shirt
What occupied him ON the roof was
replacing rotted shingles. A woman In
an auto. which she was driving herself,
saw him from the road. which ran
hundred feet from the house. She
stopped her machine and calledto him.
II say-you thereon the roOf!'
The shingler looked up.
Are you married?'
mo"
III give you thousand dollars II
you'll marry me right Off"
The man was about to drive a nail,
but suspended his work and looked at
the woman for moment. then said:
wait a bit. I'll come down and have
look at you. If you're not Gorgon
don't know but I'll take you up
He slid down to a ladder, descended
by it to the ground and walked leisure
ly toward the woman who was so
anxious for husband.
Hurry up" she called.
The man FASTENED his steps and soon
stood beside the auto. In 1t was young
woman between twenty and twenty
five years old and comedy.
What have to say must be said In
a hurry. l have property which was
left me in care of those who will in
herit. it in case I don't comply with
condition Of the will, which is that
shall be married by the time I am
twenty-five. shall be twenty-five In
three days. Those who will inherit If
don't are after me to shut me up on
the ground Of lunacy. Oh, heavensw
She paused, listened, then went on.
II thought l heard them coming.
have only half an hours start
"l'll get in and you can tell me the
rest on the way"
''Oh, dor
He got in beside her, and she start.
ed on.
81 understand your case" he said.
"You wish me to marry you to comply
with the provision in the will"
81 DO"
"And as your husband will have o
prior right to those who are after you
to your carc?"
IL didn't think Of that"
Turn to thu left here. DO you see
that spirc over there? Tho parson lives
In that little white house with green
blinds beside it."
She turned as directed. and the
man continues:
lyon wish me to agree beforehand
not to claim any marital rights, the
marriage being one of form solely. ex
cept as shall aid you in your legal
contest, and to consent to an annul-
ment when you desire one"
How nice to have you say It all in
stead of having to do it myself! !
have always considered you country
people stupid. You surprise me-
"Tha agreement must be verbal and
n secret between us or 1t might defeat
its purpose. You'll have to trust me.
If l go back on my pledge you can't
hold me since there is neither a writ
ten contract nor witnesses to verbal
one"
The only reply to this was gasp.
D.. Suddenly there was a sound coming
from behind which both knew to be
from an. autocar whose driver was
gaining power for his machine by cut
ting off the muller.
The woman. yielding unconsciously
to the instinct of relying on a man
fn, ,ie.I,
her grasp on the wheel to throw her
arms around her companion when. see
ing her design and not being in posi-
ton to steer the car himself, he adj
monished her sharply.
Hold on for your life!'
This steudicd her. and she kept the
machine In the road while the man,
reaching over to the wheel. turned on
all the speed OF which the car was ca
pable.
The road was tortuous: the machine
rocked and skidded. But fortune ia
yored the f,igitives. and. although sew
eral times they came near going over.
they kept right side up till they struck
a straight level. at the end of which
was the church and beside 1t their goal
Here we are" he continued as they
dashed up to the white house with
green blinds. There was honk be-
hind them, and, looking back, they saw
a cloud Of dust. "All depends on our
finding the parson at home" He jump
ed from the car, ran to the house
and hammered on the door. The sum-
mons was answered by the parsOn
himself.
"win you marry usT' asked the lady.
who had come up.
"Got a license?''
"Oh. heavens! Must we have thatw
The groom expectant explained In
few words the situation. and the
clergyman consented. The pair went
inside. gave their names and were
married.
"Got n gun In the hcuseT" asked the
groom.
"a fowling piece I shoot birds with"
"I.et me have It,"
The, clergyman brought his gun and
gave II TO the man who had asked for
n. There was no reason why he
sboujd not do so, Cor II was not load