The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-12-25
A Practical
Joke
3, MARJORIE cLOUCH

were evidently very happy and chatte,'
Sleefully.
] If there isn't Dave Spooner In tina,
<eat ahead On the right and he's with
Gwen HOrbeson.'
4 "What do you suppose they're d"
ing on the train togetherY'
' "Give II up Dave has been sweet Oh
her for some time. ! suppose she u
kOing to visit somebody. and he has
made an xr,>r to do the journey With
her.
] "Mayte the! mrt clipping
] "HOw would II do after some
Thought ITO give out to the passengers
That they are n RUNWAY coupler"
! 1T would i'- u bang up good joke"
! When the conductor came through
khe train for tickets the young men
ehaffed him n hit to get him In q good
1umor. then told min IA a great secret
That be had d runa way couple or his
rain. pointing out the young man ana
woman mentioned. The conductor,
hooked back at them. winked and went
IN taking tickets.
I At the next station the scamps left
the car long enough to send q telegram
ahead to the conductor to stop a cUu
pie who had run away to get married
The young wOman's father vas after
tthem and would pay we'll for assist
hnce In securing his daughter Wh-,.
he telegram was received the ron,inr
tor showed 1t to the jokers and asked
hem what he had better do 10 th-
PREMISES.
' Warn them that they are pursued
was the reply.
. So the conductor took the telegram
% the young couple and told them that
3eing lovers. they had his sympathies
he would do nothing to delay them
IN the contrary. he would do anything
% help them. Both cOlored to the
,,oOts of their hair and assured the con
1uctor that he was mistaken In tn.
PERSONS. w%hereupOn he grinned and
said he guessed he was right. but h.
didn't blame them for not owning up
The passengers sitting near caugh,
IN to the fact that they had III clipping
couple among them and that the iady>
hther was after them. Intense inter
ut was manifested. and In q few min
ties every neck in the car was Grained
- catch sight Of the fugitives. Some
Ane suggested that II there were :;
clergyman aboard the train be Nigh,
perform the ceremony. which would
dive the couple every advantage owe,
heir pursuer.
A gentleman with q waistcoat GOV
.ring his entire bosom and a collar
puttoned at the back Of his neck was
rrOund and told there were a couple
IN the train who wished to be marri.4i
The clergyman went t. the SURPRISED
:unaways and offered his services
II assure you. sir. protested Sponn
n, that this Ia an entire mistake
We're not Il runaway couple at all
stick to it." said q man In the seat
irectly behind the couple. "'AII'S far
q o and war but you'd better get
!pliced. for II the old man gets v"u
before you're married be can make Il
lot for you The law gives you II
PRIOR right to your wife"
Still Dave protested. Gwen mad u,
his time recovered from Tier surprise
md embarrassment. and the situation
,eemed to amuse her She sat witt,
smile OF her pretty tips till Dave
Urged past endurance. exclaimed: "W..
lOn't wish to be married We haven I
he slightest idea of being married
then her expression changed To dis
abstraction She did not relish ner
companion making 50 explicit II state
lent upon what in her heart she hoped
or. And. tO tell the truth. ii was very
lngallant In Dave.
Then why did you persuade ner to
,un away with your growled u man
n the opposite side Ut the car.
Il didn't
"Oh. l suppose It was she who per
uaded you"
NO. No ! NEAR this Is ali wrong
We're just friends. not u runa wa,
ouple at all"
See here. young teIier.' SAID one oI
he lookers-On. you d. the right thing
2 the young lady or We'll make II
,vely for you"
What has the girl to say ABOUT itr
uggested q sharp faced lady tartly
Has this young man been tritinR
nth your alfectionsY"
NO." replied Gwen: decidedly not
II don't believe tt!' snorted the sharp
aced lady
Come. come spoke up q voice
We've had enough Ut this. move
lat a marriage take place at once
4 course the girl will shield the man
ne loves"
At this jnncture the two young men
tho had put up this nefartous con
piracy. after consulting together. DE-.
lded that It had gone far enough and
le time had come to put u stop to It.
ne Of them moved forward as " to
bserve what was going on. Suddenly
e looked at SpOOner and. affecting
reat surprise. exclaimed:
why Dave. what's all this abOutY'
Thank heaven: Gentlemen and Ia
leo. here's a man who knows VA Tel,
lem. Dave"
''"Tell them whatT'