Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1915-02-12
A HASTY
MARRIAGE
Shortly Before the Wedding Che
Groom Had Not Seen
the Bride

margin Of a lake In the heart OF Yer
mont. His costume was a pair OF
soiled trousers and a flannel shirt
What occupied him on the roof was
replacing rottcd shingles. A woman In
IN auto. which she was driving herself,
saw him from the road, which ran a
hundred feet from the house. She
stopped her machine and called TO him
Il say-you thereon the roofP'
The shlngler looked up.
Are you marriedf'
"No."
"Tn give you a thousand dollars II
you'll marry me right on"
The man was about to drive a nail,
Llt suspended his work md looked at
the woman for a moment. Their said;
wait a bit. I'll come down and have
n look at you. II you're not q GOrgon |
don't know but I'll take you up"
He slid down to a ladder. descended
by It to the ground and walked leisure
ly toward the woman who was so
.nXious for a husband.
Hurry up" she called
The man FASTENED his steps and soon
stood beside the auto. In it was a young
between twenty and twenty
Eve years old and comedy.
What | have to say must be said In
a hurry. have property which was
left me In care Of those who will In
herit II In case | don't comply with a
condition Of the will. which Is that |
shall be married by the time ! am
twenty two. | shall be twenty-five In
three days. Those who will inherit n
! don't are after me TO shut me up on
the ground Of lunacy. oh. %heavensI'
She paused. listened. then went on.
81 thought I heard them coming. I
have only half an hours start
"In get in and you can tell me the
rest on the way"
"Oh. dor
He got In beside her. and she start
ed on.
II understand your case" he said.
you wish mi to marry you to comply
with the provision IN the will"
81 do"
"And as your husband viii have a
prior right to those who are after yOu
to your carer
81 didn't think Of that.-
Turn to the left here. no you see
that spire over there7 The parson lives
In that little white house with green
blinds beside IT,"
She turned as directed. and the
man continued:
you wish me to agree beforehand
not to claim any marital rights. the
marriage being one Of form solely. ex-
cept as shall aid you In your legal
contest, and to consent to an annul-
ment when you desire oneT"
How nice to have you say 1t all in
stead OF having to do It myself !
have always considered you country
people stupid. You surprise me-"
This agreement must be verbal and
a secret between US or II might defeat
its purpose. You1l have to trust m
II | go back on my pledge you can't
hold me since there is neither a writ
ten contract nor witnesses to a verbal
one"
The only reply to this was a gasp.
Suddenly there was a sound coming
from behind which both knew to be
from an autocar whose driver was
gaining power for his machine by cut.
ting off the muller.
The woman. yielding unconsciousiy
20 the instinct Of relying on a man
for protection. was about to relinquish
her grasp on the wheel to throw her
arms around her companion when. see
ing her design and not being In posi-
ton TO steer the car himself. he ad
monished her sharply.
Hold on for your lifel"
This steadied her. and she kept the
machine In the road while the man,
reaching over to the wheel. turned on
oil the speed Of which the car was ca
pable.
The road was %tortuous; the machine
rocked and skidded But fortune ia
vored the fugitiyes, and. although sew
eral times they came neal going over
they kept right side up tiIl they struck
n struight level. AT the end OF which
wns the church and beside II their goal
Here we are" he continued as they
dashed up TO the white house with
AhEEM hAAANAas AANAk hAN a A1Ah W
hind them. and. looking back. they say
a cloud Of dust. "All depends on u
finding the parson NJ home" He jump
ed from the car, ran TO the house
and hammered on the door. The sum
mons was answered by the parson
himself.
"VIll you marry usT" asked the lady,
who had come M.
"Got n licenseT'
"Oh. heavens! Must We have thntT
The groom expectnnt explained IN q
few words the situation. and the
Clergyman consented The pair went
Inside. gave their names and were
married.
Got a gun IN the bnuseT asked the
groom.
"A fowling piece ! shoot birds with
"Let me have IL
The clergyman brought his gun am
gave II a. the man who had asked TO
II. There was no Wnson why n
eNauid 49, 10 60 Far - "-"s ""f ~"
cd. At the same moment an auto
with two men In It dashed up to the
p"tsohHbes Aheg Melt ootn wei uTeao
ed. and one Of them was an attorney.
The clergyman responded TO their
knock. opening the door.
II have a warmth for the person OF
Lucille Ravens" suid the lawyer.
mo such person here" responded
the groom.
There she Isl I demand that she
BE- given up TO me peaceably."
That lady s my wife, Airs. Charles
Cummings"
Roth the nauy,oUar, afartaa