The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-04
A Stagecoach
Wedding
By DONALD CHAMBERl IN

BY DONALD CttAMBER1lN
was standing IN a room crowded
with men and women In evening dress
when | heard CHEEKY feminine voice
near me exclaim:
why. Tom.'
"What luck!" responded young
man. with blond hair. parted In the
middle. and his chin held up by a very
high collar
II don't know a person here" said
F., the girl. who had spoken first.
"Nor I. would rather have met you
than own q gold mine"
Isn't It nice to meet some u0e you
don't expect but whom you wish to
meetr'
Happy smiles Illuminated the faces
Of these two youngsters. whom 1t made
me happy to look at Indeed. there
was one especial reason for my enjoy.
! ment Of this pleasant surprise. for 1t
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 q 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 a
| 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 Of
bis 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 prospect Of soon becOm
ing very rich and had begun to cherish
expectations of Agnes marrying either
; duke or prince OF 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
Ny 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 bis commands. She wrote
my father that he might come down
from the mill and say goodby to her
He did 20 and there was very affect.
ing scene between the lovers.
Inasmuch az Agnes was making her
preparations to 60 east and It was
supposed that she was bidding her
lover last farewell. no opposition was
made to the two youngsters seeing a.
much Of each other as they liked.
They spent whole evening together.
during which Agnes told my father
that II she married him her father
would disinherit her and that she
would lose a very large fortune. Her
mother was bitterly opposed to her
marriage with my father. for it 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
hnr'0 WiShsh tn h{u ttnR ho
not quite sure that Agnes herself was
not inclined to the plan Of marrying
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 be could not move her, and
II she was not disposed to obedience
her parents could not hold her.
My father. notwithstanding his en-
ployers opposition to his marriage.
was continued In bis position and the
morning after bis 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
q mate.
From Denver the road westward q.
tends for 6fteen 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 b having .
hilarious time Ny father thought
nothing Of this, for staSecoach travel
err always become acquainted. and hs
supposed they were enjoying each 9TH
er's c0mpani0nship.
They were Approaching the base Of
the mountains when Q voice from b.
low called out that Jim Harkaway-
thst 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 b. climbed down and entsred the
coach All looked at him expectantiy.
and one Of the men said smilingly:
Every one loves Q lover. Cheer up,
young mani II you must have Q siri
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 a. I looked