The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-10-03
A HASTY
MARRIAGE
Shortly Before the Wedding the
Groom Had Not Seen
the Bride
b. F. A. Mitchell

What occupied him on the roof was
replacing rotted shingles. A woman IN
an auto, which she was driving herself
s2Y MIN from the road, which ran q
hundred feet from the house. She
stopped her machine and called to him.
II say-you thereon the roofg'
The shingler looked up.
"Are you married?'
"No."
I'm give you a thousand dollars II
you'll marry me right or"
The man was about TO drive n nail.
but suspended his work and looked nj
the woman for a moment, then said:
Wait a bit. I'll come down and have
q look ut you. If you're not Il Gorgon /
don't know but I'll take you up"
He slid down TO a ladder, descended
by II to the ground and walked leisure
ly toward the woman who was so
anxious for a husband.
Hurry up" she called.
The man FASTENED his steps and soon
stood beside the auto. In il was n young
woman between twenty and twenty
hfb gtaAo Olu anu tOlntlg.
"What / have TO say must be said I'm
a hurry. l have property which was
left me In care OF those who will in
herit IL In case / don't comply with a
condition OF the will, which Is that /
shall be married by the time am
twenty-five. / shall be twenty-five I'm
three days. Those who will inherit If
] don't are after me to shut me up on
the ground OF lunacy. Oh, h%eavensg"
She paused, listened, then went on.
81 thought | heard them coming. I
have only half an hours start
"Ill get in and you can tell me the
rest on the way"
"Oh, do"
He got in beside her, and she start
ed on.
II understand your case" he said.
"You wish me to marry you to comply
with the provision In the Will"
81 do"
"And l as your husband will have a
prior right to those who are after you
to your carer
81 didn't think Of that"
Turn TO the left here. Do you see
that splre over there? The parson lives
in that little white house with green
blinds beside It."
She turned as directed, and the
man continued:
You wish me 90 agree beforehand
not 10 claim any marital rights, the
marriage being one OF form solely, ex-
.cept as shall aid you I'm your legal
contest, and 10 consent to an annul-
.ment when you desire onef'
"How nice 10 have You say It all in
stead Of having 20 do II myself! /
have always considered YOU country
people stupid You surprise me-
"This agreement must be- verbal ana
a secret between ms or IT might defeat
its purpose YouH hnfc Ia trust me.
If ! go back GA my plel4p you can't
hold me since tlIrrp Is me- her a writ.
ten contract nor witnesses TO a verbal
one
The only reply 10 this WAS a gasp.
Suddenly there was a sound coming
from behind which both knew to be
from am autocar whose driver was
gaining power for his machine 10y cut
ting of the muller.
The woman, yielding unconsciously
TO the instinct Of relying on a man
for protection, was about 90 rclinquish
her grasp on the wheel TO throw her
arms around her companion when, see
Ing her design and not being in posi-
ton 10 steer the ear himself, he adj
monlshed her sharply.
Hold on for your lifei'
This steadicd 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.
pable1
Ihe' road was tortuous; the machine
rocked and skidded. But fortune IA
vor>' the fugitives. and, although sew
times they came near going over,
they kept right side up til they struck
n straight level. at the end OF which
was the church and beside Il their goal.
Here we are he continued MS they
dashed up 10 the white house with
green blinds. There was a honk be-
hind them, and, looking back, they saw
a cloud OF dust. "All depends on our
finding the parson It home" lie jump.
ed from the car, ran TO the house
and hammered on the door. The sum
was answered by the parson
Wi you marry usf" asked the lady,
who had come mp.
SCOT a licenseY'
"Oh, heayensl Must we have thatY'
The groom expectant explained in n
few words the situation. and the
clergyman consented. The pair went
inside, gave their names and were
married.
NGQta gun IN the houseg' asked the
"a fowling piece I shoot birds with"
let me have H." I
Tho clprpVman brought HE y,o ooa 4