Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-03-03
The Problem
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

gentleman mad lnSI1CuCeQ so many pre-
cautions that it was well nigh impossi-
BILE to get through them. He had not
locked up his daughter, for no girl
could be kept indefinitely under lock
and key by parent, but he had hired
SO many persons to guard so many
avenues by which the wedding might
be effected that the locking up did not
seem necessary.
In the first place, he bribed a do
nestle to watch Miss Sallie. He had
guard at all the railroad stations.
Every livery stable in the place was
paid not to furnish a conveyance to
Miss Sallie Humiston and William
Hoxey. There was more bribery in
small ways too numerous to mention.
+ AS Mr.. Humiston did not consider it
practicable to lock up his daughter, so
did he refrain from forbidding her to
meet Mr.. Hoxey. He was aware that
Glove laughs at locksmiths,' and for
! bidding Sallie to meet any particular
person would be Ineffective The prob
lem, therefore, that faced the lovers
was not how to get together, but how
| to get married.
They tried every clergyman in town
and failed with all. Mr.. Humiston
was well to do; he gave literally to
churches; he informed every clergyman
that his daughter was not of age and
warned each and all that if any of
them married her he would do 80 at
his peril. The dominies knew that Mr..
Humiston was a man not to be trifed
| h.
could never again be approached for
subscription.
One day young man with peachy
complexion and 8 full black beard, car
rying a satchel, entered the main rail-
road station of the place and called
for ticket to Ridgewood, a station
without the town limits. Before the
train left a tall lady, yelled, entered
the same station and also bought a
ticket for Ridgewood. The ticket agent
noticed that there was something about
the young mans appearance that
caused him to wonder who and what
he was. He knew every one in the
town and had never seen such a per-
son there before. AS the man walked
away from the window the agent no.
ticed that he had a peculiar gait. The
young man picked up newspaper at
a stand and, entering the train took
a seat beside the yelled lady, then,
opening his paper, began to read.
! Now, it happened that the conductor
of the train was one of Mr.. Humiston's
paid spies. When the train stopped at
a station still within the city limits
h.
Humiston, whom he caught in his of
fee, that there was a strange looking
couple aboard the train and suggested
that Mr.. Humiston take an autOmO-
bile and go to RidgewOod at once.
Mr.. Humiston telephoned to his house
to know if his daughter was there and,
learning that she was not jumped into
an auto and reached Ridgewood just
as the train bearing the young man
with the black beard and the yelled
lady was pulling out Of the station
Mr.. HumistOn noticed the yelled lady,
but since she was a head taller than
his daughter she did not interest him
But when he saw her enter an auto
cab and a short gentleman with a
black beard get in with her he won
dered if this couple could have any
thing to do with the warning he had
received. He concluded to shadow
them. Jumping into his auto, he kept
half a block behind them.
The auto ahead of him stopped at a
church.
: Il have it," said the shadower. 81
have been warned on account of this
) couple, but they are not the ones
: against whom l have been warned.
} That woman is not my daughter, and
5 that little fellow is not HoXey. But
: I'll bet they are going to attend we'd
ding, and the conductor must have
heard them say something to indicate
that the principals are Sallie and
Billy"
Mr.. Humiston waited till the couple
l had entered the church, then went in
behind them and took a seat in the
7 last pew from the altar. The tall wo-
t man and the short man were waiting
1 near the chancel. Presently a side
3 door opened, and a clergyman in vest
ments entered, took his position on the
chancel, and the couple stood before
, him.
Mr.. Humiston heaved sigh of re-
lief. After all, this was the couple that
| was to be married, and they did not
3 answer to the description of Sallie and
Billy at all. He did not wait for the
4 conclusion of the ceremony, but sped
: home in his car.
Sallie had not returned. While he
t was asking questions about her the
! doorben rang, and he was handed a
: telegram. Opening it, he read:
p Ridgewood
= Married. Do forgive us. papa.
SALLIE
Mr.. Humiston crushed the message
In his hand and growled. But before
l many minutes had elapsed anxiety got
:. the better of him to know how the