The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-11

enemy or udSu ioi ..ror
did not seize a standard and cry ro
wardm But | did what amouh'eu "
tho same thing. l advanced to"aro
the bride and led her to the parson'
who was standing at one enu' " 'n
room with a book In his hand.
There was but one halt In the "eu-
ding ceremony. When asked lor 'ne
ring | had no ring. l muttered some
thing about hurrying to join the coiois
and stupid forgetfulness. Ine priue
mother took ring from her finger anu
handed it to me. put it on the Drlde 5
finger and in few minutes was mar
riad man. As soon as could escape
CONGRATULATIONS l announced that !
did not Join my regiment at once
would be pronounced poltroon ana
coward. and. leaving my Rgretiui
bride. | dashed out, got into the car
in which l had come and, leaving an
astonished throng, turned on the pow
or and sped out of the grounds into the
street.
| had not gone block before l saw
a man in uniform and carrying SUIT
case hurrying in the opposite direction.
Turning to the curb, l shouted Hey,
there
He looked at me and, not recogniz-
ing me. was about to hurry on. lie
appeared to be about my age, my build
and looked not unlike me.
Going to be married." | asked.
"Yes; I'm late. Excuse me. | must
get on
Get in here l said, opening the car
door.
Thinking that l was intending to aid
him in making haste, he did as bade
him. Instead Of turning and driving
back, sped on.
What are you doing?' he cried.
LET me out | was to have been mar
ried at noon and it Is now quarter
past"
increased the pace.
"Who are you? And where are you
taking me-" he cried.
"Comrade!'r said l in an impressive
voice.
"Comrade be hanged! Are you 60
ing to kidnap me?'
Have you any bowels of compass
sion?"
Let me out Of this or ZIP
"Can you bear to hear some bad
news!'
"Yes. Hurry up. Has anything hap
pened to Lillian?"
"Shes married"
Married.
"Yes, married; married by mistake y
Married by mistake! Are you de-
mented!'
mot demented; crack Drained
idiot"
He looked at me as though he be-
lieved that | had told the truth. then
asked:
Whom has Lillian marriedY
ME" groaned.
"For heavens sake cease to tanta.
lie me and tell me what all this
means"
struck broad country road at this
moment and, slackening my pace, told
him the story of what had happened
to me during the past two hours
When had finished the recital l said
to him solemnly:
For Lillian's sake, for heavens sake
do not reveal this blunder. Let LII
liant was fortunate l had learned
her name-'remain in ignorance that
she has married the wrong man."
suppose it was my intensity that
convinced him of the truth of nv
story. At any rate he expressed nc
doubt that the girl he was to have
Aarried had become my wife. Posses
.i1n is nine points in the law. In ad
dltion to the shock he would bring tc
Lillian by making known her mistake
ana my rascally taking advantage OF
1t, there must be divorce. He con
fessed that he had not seen her 70,
three years; that, being ordered TO the
colors, he had revived an old attach
ment and had written her that since
ne must go to the war he preferred +,
go leaving behind him a wife VIII,
would care for him if he returned
manned and mourn for him If killed
"A somewhat selfish view to take q,
the matter" l suggested.
Yes, and wonder she accented RI.
proposal. | suppose it was patriotism
All the women are losing their head,
about the war"
IL seems to me-" I said after 4,
pause, that it is tweedledum and tvae
dledee between us. You were to bav,
peen married with a selfish motive
permitted a girl to remain in mistak,
she had made till, being cornered
committed still more rash act +
seems to me that we are both beho,do,
TO do what seems to be for her host in
terest If you will permit her to 70
main in her mistake will do the SOM,
TIL a favorable time arrives for n con
resslon. Then if she will remain m,
VIE l will do my best to make bo,
happy. nel
All this is very fine. but whore a,
l come in?" w
The remark was discourapin, h..
- l.