The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-01
A Stagecoach
Wedding
b. DONALD C1AkiBERLlN

was sanding In a rUm crowded
with men and women In evening dress
when ! heard q CHEEKY feminine voice
near me exclaim:
why. TomT'
what luckr' responded young
man. with blond hair. parted In the
middle. and bis chin held up by very
high collar.
n don't know person here" said
the girl who had spoken irst.
"Noe I. would rather have met you
than own q gold mine"
isn't It nice II meet some one you
don't expect. but whom yon wish to
meetf"
Happy smiles Illuminated the faces
Of these two youngsters. whom It made
me happy to look at Indeed. there
was one especial reason for my enjoy
ment OF this pleasant surprise, for It
reminded me OF one that had occurred
in my own family years before.
In the sixties-l refer to the last cen
tury-my' father. then a young man.
went out to Denver to grow up
with a new town. Albert Reeder had
gone there few years before with his
family for the purpose of building u
stamp mill on Clear creek. up In the
mountains, and had become interested
In the extraction of gold from ore. My
father. who was as poor as a church
mouse. found work In the service OF
Mr.. Reeder and was sent up to one or
his stamp mills. where he soon became
superintendent
Mr.. Reeder thought my father one
Of the brightest young men In the
world and was ready to do anything
for him till he discovered that his EN-.
plOyee had love affair with his daugh
ter. Agnes. Then he suddenly turned
against him. The trouble was that
Reeder had a prospect Of soon becom-
ing very rich and had begun to cherish
expectations of Agnes marrying either
a duke or prince or something Of that
order.
The young couple were In peck Of
trouble in consequence of the old mans
refusal to consent to their union. OF
course the matter rested with Agnes.
My father couldn't do anything with.
out her concurrence. and she was in.
disposed to break with her father.
But her father must have been uncer.
tain Of her. for he ordered her to get
ready to 60 back east to stay awhile
with an aunt Agnes seemed disposed
to yield to his commands. She wrote
my father that he might come down
from the mill and say goodby to her.
He did 20 and there was q very affect
ing scene between the lovers.
lnasmuch as Agnes was making her
preparations to 60 east and 1t was
supposed that she was bidding her
lover last farewell. no opposition was
made to the two youngsters seeing as
much Of each other as they liked.
They spent q whole evening together.
during which Agnes told my father
that II she married him her father
would disinherft her and that she
would lose very large fortune. Her
mother was bitterly opposed to her
marriage with my father. for 1t was
she who was determined to exchange
the wealth she would inherit for one
Of those rundown titled foreigners who
are In the market for American heir.
esses.
My father was the more cast down
because, while Agnes talked about her
mothers wishes In this matter. he was
not quite sure that Agnes herself was
not inclined to the plan Of marrying
q title and was accustomed to do pref.
ty much as she pleased.
However. there was nothing for my
father to do but submit, and he said
goodby to Agnes lugubriously. One
thing he knew-if she was disposed to
obedience he could not move her, and
II she was not disposed to obedience
her parents could not hold her.
My father. Notwithstanding bis en-.
ployer's opposition to his marriage.
was continued In bis position and the
morning after his farewell left for the
mill He always rode on the outside
Of the coach and climbed on top
where he resigned himself to brooding
over the severest blow one can receive,
whether young or old-separation from
a mate.
From Denver the road westward ex-
tends for fifteen miles to the base Of
the mountains, then rises abruptly.
The morning was bright to every one
on the coach except my father. and
those inside seemed TO be having .
hilarious time. My father thought
nothing Of this, for stagecoach travel.
ers always become acquainted. and he
supposed they were enjoying each 9TH
ers c0mpanionship.
They were approaching the base OF
the mountains when q voice from be-
low called out that Jim Harka way
that was my father-was wanted In.
side. Nothing was further from bis
inclination. and he refused to descend.
But the request was repeated. and at
last he climbed down and entered the
coach. All looked at him expectantly.
and one Of the men said smilingiy:
Every one loves q lover. Cheer up.
young man! II you must have q girl
here's one for you"
He pointed to an old lady on the back
seat Ny father looked at her wonder
ingly. and suddenly she threw back
veil and exposed the smiling features
Of Agnes.
This meeting between my father and
mother came back to me AZ looked
upon the young couple and saw their
expression of pleased surprise. only
fancy my fathers was far more ra-
diant-
There was a clergyman In the coach.