The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-05-05
"Goodl Bully. And you won't give

uS away cTleO the CrOW0.
The lady declared that she would no
give them away, and she was not sur,
but that her conscience would permi
her to aid them. The meeting broke III
with wild cheers for their visitor, aide
and abetter. and the next morning
amid another round of cheers. the cou
pie drove away.
In few days a message came from
the late visitor. who signed herself
Elizabeth Harrison. sta.Slg that in {
few days May day would be celebrated
at Ladybird on the square aroun(
which the town was built and that a
4 o'clock In the afternoon the young
people would dance. around q maypole
The children would first do the dane
ing, then the young men and women
But since there were but two or tire,
young men in the town and they either
invalids or too spiritless to go away
from such a dull place they did not
count. Therefore 1t was expected thai
some twenty-five or thirty young girls
would be dancing together. constitut
ing a fine flock Of Ladybirds to be
seized and carried away.
Mrs. Harrison strongly advised pre-
pairing a portion Of Eaglebird for theil
reception and that they be placed there
together by themselves. No one should
be forced into marriage; they should
simply be held until married from
choice or 1t was evident that they pre-
ferred to return to Ladybird.
That they had been fortunate in Sc
curing the services and advice of a wo-
man was evident to all. Some who
had believed that the scheme would be
the ruin Of Eaglebird began to think
that number Of the girls could be in
duced to remain with them as wives.
What such persons chiefly dreaded was
that the captives would feel outraged
at their abduction and that most of
them. taking to fight, would make
good an escape.
Preparations were at once begun for
the raid in accordance with Mrs. Har-
rison's advice. One end Of the town
was set apart for the girls and beauti-
fed so far as the men could beautify
it, though. to tell the truth, this con-
sisted chiefly in cleaning up, white
washing, etc. There was also a clean
There were but two or three razors in
the town, and these were in constant
requisition. Several men were ap-
pointed hair cutters and did a lot Of
shearing. The clothes the men had had
come In from the east and were got
out and furnished. Altogether after
the polishing very presentable set Of
young men were ready for courtship
and matrimony.
May day opened bright and beautiful
All the teams in the town were har-
messed, and some thirty good and true
men started for Ladybird. At noon
they stopped in wood few miles
from the town for lunch and rest. but
by o'clock were again on the march.
About they sent out mounted scout
to watch for the time fitted for the at
tack and waited.
Over the waving grass and wild flow
ers. through the young leaves. came
the sound Of feminine voices mixed
merrily. Every man started to his
feet. In few minutes the scout rode
into camp and reported that the girls
were dancing about the maypole.
O'Brien, who was leader, gave the or
der to start. and, advancing to the
cover Of trees overhanging certain
houses Of the town, they left their
teams and, forming line of battle. at
given signal moved forward in per-
feet silence upon the enemy.
Their advance was heralded by a
scream. but before they were discov-
cred they were within striking dis
lance. What surprised them was that
instead Of running away the girls sank
down where they were. covering their
faces and shrieking. So expeditions
were the abductors that before the
elderly folks Of the town could even
collect to observe what was going on
every girl had been carried off and
placed on a wagon.
Never was an abduction more easily
effected. A few of the girls resisted
as they were hurried away, but wheth-
er or No they deemed resistance useless
their struggles were not violent. Once
In the wagons, with guard on either
side. they remained quietly where they
were, and the caravan set out for
Eaglebird.
They had not been long on the way
when a guard at one Of the wagons
went forward to O'Brien and said:
Some Of the girls In the wagon I'm
with are snickering."
"Snickering? Are you sure it's not
hysteriaT'
Mysteries be hanged. It's a girls
real smoker"
Then came other reports Of the same
kind, and presently the girls began to
take note Of their abductors. then to
ask what they were going to do with
them, and before long the train was
much like a picnic party.
Well, to make long story short.
Mrs. Harrison on her visit to Ladybird
had told Of the predicament of lot of
nice young men going downward for
want of wives, and after duly prepar-
ing the young ladies' minds revealed
the coming raid. Gradually she won
them over to permitting themselves to
be abducted, assuring them that they
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