The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-03-21
Shook His Fist Aloft.

GUS trf mp OF sturdy footsteps. Hand
some, alert, kindly-eyed and manly
looking. Merrill Boyd burst in upon
the homely little room, brisk, stimu-
lating and quite excited.
well. old friend" he cried to Ezekiel,
I've made tit"
you don't say so-another engage.
mentf" questioned the old clown
eagerly.
Not in the old line, though" replied
Merrill. you see, we are desperately
driven. and l had to hustle for some
thing now and ready. In the first
place, my DEAR" beaming on lola,
we've got to get married, you and l."
"Whenf" voiced the astounded lola.
Every day for q year to come,
maybe"
why. Merrilli" began the old cir.
Gus man, agape.
WhereT gasped lola
I'm balloon" promptly explained
Merrill. Don't get the jiggers, peo-
pie. It's plain. practical PROPOSE.
! ton"
Then he told what II was. He had
run across an old circus friend, whose
business had been making show bal
loon ascensions. The man was Grip.
pied, could work no longer, but had
some contracts with circuses for the
season. He offered to lease the bal
loon to Merrill for ninety days .on an
| fnnnVn C. oh Anln a
the ascensions was to be prize to the
man and woman who would go ND in
the balloon and be married.
You see," said Merrill to old Ze-
kiel. you are licensed minister. Not
many times will strangers go up In
the balloon, so lola and must make
the play, and you must marry u.s."
YES" replied Ezekiel. that is fact.
Years ago had license to preach for
q sect out in Dakota, and 1t holds
good. Am / to really marry you two p
he inquired.
"Once, for good. There is no other
way, and every time the ceremony Is
repeated 1t will bind US closer togeth-
er than everi" cried Merrill expansive
~. Surely you are willing. lola"
Can you ask? questioned lola soft.
ly, her great faith In her lover shin
ing In her beautiful eyes.
So It all came about that the trio en-.
tered new and apparently promising
field Of business activity. And 80 they
were married. and for q month mar.
ried over and over again. and were
making good Roadway when the circus
, people went bankrupt.
It was hard to find another perma.
nent engagement. There was a month
Of idleness. and the profits were eaten
up by expenses. Finally Merrill de-
cided to make circuit Of the county
fairs. There were long jumps. how.
ever. The balloon constantly required
repairs and new equipment, and the
prospects were not alluring. -
They had about decided to give up
the balloon experiment, when, one aft.
ernoon at q bustling Illinois county
seat where fair was going on. some
thing quite tremendous happened.
No genuine engaged couple appear
ing to go aloft and be welded. Merrill
and lola were In q little tent ready
to make up as bashful groom and
,blushing bride, when one side Of the
canvas was pressed In and then lifted,
and quick voice spoke:
Wen hide here. am sure your IA
Their Is on our track"
"Oh, Gerald. what shall we ever do
oh. desri"
A handsome young man had pushed
into the tent Q bewitching little
beauty. and they stood daunted and
fearful before the astounded Merrill
and lola.
Their story came out-they loved
one another. but cruel papa was op-
posed, and they had eloped. He was
on their trail. He might arrive to
trace them Mt any moment