The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-03-03
LOVES MESSENGER
BY GEORGE M. COUGH.

the hearts were practically prisoners,
beating desperately but in vain at the
cruel bars of fate put up by relentless
parents.
Earle Rodney loved Marah Ellis and
she fairly idolized him. He was twen-
ty and she seventeen. Their families
were wealthy, but the heads Of the
families were at enmity in both busi-
ness and social relations. Mr.. Ellis
had nipped budding affections in their
incipiency when he discovered that
Marah had engaged herself to Earle.
The father Of the latter sat down
upon the glowing hopes Of his impres-
sible son ponderously. .,
Marah was kept practically a prison
er in charge of vigilant duenna, pend
ing shipment to some isolated relative
at distance.
Meantime poor Earle wandered
about the extensive home grounds,
read, smoked and grieved. He ex-
pected every hour to hear that his lady.
love had been sent away, or to receive
a mandate to begin his own irksome
exile. Lolling in a hammock one at.
ternoon his interest was awakened as
a kite came whirling down with a dive.
landing in thorn bush, and lay there
pierced and tangled.
"Hey, mister!" hailed an anxious
faced lad few moments later, mount
ing the garden wall, that's my kite"
well, come and get it." directed
Earle, and then, interested in any cir
cumstances that alleviated the tedium
Of the hours, he assisted the boy IN
getting the kite extricated from the
greenery. He was tying up two
pieces Of broken tail when sudden
idea shot through his mind in vivid
glow of brilliancy.
See here" he said abruptly, edo
you want to make a dollar?"
"Me? Oh, my!" calculated his juve-
nile visitor in a sort Of ecstasy.
''You know where the Ellis people
| liyew
"Oh, sure / do
Gould you break your kite loose, or
arrange it any way SO you could get
an excuse to go into their garden, just
| as you have here?'
Sure i could" asserted the Lad con-
fdently.
Then, see here" and Earle whis-:
pered in the boys ear the substance
of deep, dark plot. Then ne wrote q
! note and handed it with dollar bill
to the boy.
'cNow, remember" he warned, give
| the note to nobody but Miss Ellis. You
| land the kite while she's about the
garden"
ooh, understand grinned the IN
telligent lad.
| Now the plot was carried out. The
expert kite Eyer manipulated his air
sailer just as he deity calculated. The
| kite fell within the walled-in garden Of
the Ellis grounds.
That note told Marah to steal from
the house at dusk, to reach a certain
remote corner Of the garden. a light
rope ladder would be thrown over the
wall. She would fall into her lovers
| arms on the other side.
There would .e a hurried scurry to
sheltering grove Of trees bit far
ther on, where closed carriage
would be waiting.
Then the nearest Gretna Green. Oh,
how easy! Oh, how delightful!
To a dot the plot went through.
Flutteringly Marah reached the WALL
scaled the ladder, dropped into fond
waiting clasp.
MY darling!" thrilled Earle.
ooh, dear! What viii become Of ell
this?" breathed the quivering girl.
Love, happiness, forgiveness" de,
clared Earle buoyantly. Thunder"
They had reached the carriage. He
helped Marah in. She screamed. He
got in himself and-collapsed.
There, upon the rear seat, blandly
smiling, were Dukes and Mrs. Faire.
Discovered -bafled!" cried Earle.
"Mistake!". chuckled Dukes, benev.
olently.
You heartless meddler!" fared out
Marah to her duenna.
Dear child!" smiled Mrs. Fare,
blandly.
$50 near happiness!" murmured
Earle,
Nearer than ever, my boy"
chuckled Dukes.
81 won't go back to that-that D7is-
on" sobbed Marah.
-"Never!" assured her duenna. 80
Dukes, tell them"
why, yes" said Dukes, we're not
going 20 take you back. We're going
with you"
Going"
With you"
"Where?"
ITO the elopement. Double affair
see?"
mo, I DON'T" said Earle.
well, our hearts have bled for you"
explained Mrs. Faire. We've been
your friends all along. Only, you see.
we would lose our situations if We
helped you"
$50, meeting Mrs. Faire, the finest
woman in the world" added Dukes,
eve decided to resign and get married.
I've a small plum of fortune
"And sister who will be glad .
house you over the honeymoon" sap
plemented Mrs. Faire.
Get up!" ordered Dukes 70 'hs
driver.
And away they sped to Cretr.
Green, a double wedding, week CT
felicity, a telegram Of forgiveness and
another verifcation of the s"ee:
worldwide maxim, that "lo7e lau-:.s
at locksniths!"