The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-04-30
The Problem
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

The problem was this: Billy Hoxey
wished to marry Salle Humiston with
cut her fathers consent, and the old
gentleman had instituted SO many pre-
cautions that 1t 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 do
nestle to watch Miss Sallie. He had
a 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 1t
practicable to lock up his daughter. so
| did he refrain from forbidding her to
meet Mr.. Hoxey. He was aware that
love 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 70
churches; he Informed every clergyman
that his daughter was not of age and
warned each and all that II any of
them married her he would do SO at
his peril. The dominies knew that Mr.
Humiston was Il man not TO be tritied
with. and should they offend him he
could never again be approached for a
| subscription.
One day young man with a peachy
complexion and a full black beard, car
rying a satchel entered the main rail
road station of the place and called
for q ticket TO Ridgewood. n station
without the town limits. Before the
train left a tall lady, yelled. entered
the same station and also bought
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 per
son there before. AS the man walked
away from the window the agent no.
ticed that he had peculiar gait The
young man picked up newspaper at
stand and. entering the train, took
seat beside the yelled lady, then.
opening his paper. began to read.
Now. II happened that the conductor
OF the train was one Of Mr.. Humistons
paid spies. When the train stopped at
station still within the city limits
he sent a telephone message to Mr..
Humiston. whom be caught In his Of.
6ce. that there was strange looking
couple aboard the train and suggested
that Mr.. Humiston take an uutomo-
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 Eas head taller than
his daughter she did not interest him
But when be saw her enter an auto
cab and a short gentleman with q
black beard get In with her be won
dered II 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 block behind them.
The auto ahead Of him stopped at a
church.
II have It." said the shadower. Il
have been warned on account OF this
couple. but they are not the ones
against whom | have been warned.
That woman Is not my daughter, and
A. n~~s