The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-07-24
By r. A. Mitchell

The girl got In and took the wheel.
"Well?" she said, looking at me In
surprise that did not follow her.
II suppose should report at the rem
devious at once" said.
II thought you had arranged to be
excused till after the
She hesitated and failed to go on.
"Oh, yes; forgot r. said.
+ took the seat beside her, and we
started on. Where we were going /
did not know. On the way it came out
that the young lady had not seen me-
OF the man was mistaken for-for
three years, but that love affair be-
tween them had lain dormant during
the period and had been warmed into
life by the war. The most important
point did not come out. If it had 1
should have made an immediate and in
glorious retreat.
During the ride had excellent prac-
ttce In defensive skirmishing. l was
constantly on the ragged edge of ex-
posture, for 1t would have been an ex-
posture Of my taking advantage Of the
young lady's mistake If when the
day Of fighting came / should act on
the defensive with as much keen per-
cepti0n of dangers and as much In
genutty In meeting them would come
out Of the fray with medal Of honor.
l had an advantage In the years she
and her lover had been separated, and
made the most of it. My memory
proved very defective.
/ formed a plan. Sooner OF later
the fact that there had been a mistake
must come out. Then would pre-
tend that had made it as well as the
girl. That would let me out
We drove several miles into the
suburbs and entered grounds In the
center of which stood a handsome
house, from the roof of which foated
the Stars and Stripes. Supposing
should soon meet persons who would
detect the difference between me and
prepared to act my part When we
brought up under a porte-cochere a
number of persons. young and old,
came out to meet us. Not one of them
looked at me with any surprise,
though middle aged lady-she turned
out to be the girls mother-when she
kissed me remarked that had she met
me casually she would not have known
me.
Evidently the time had not come for
denouement. I regretted this, for l
felt that was getting deeper In the
mire every minute. We all went into
the house, and l was shown to a room
where 1 might get the dust off my
clothes. was long about it, for was
trying to think up new plan for ex-
Treating myself, the one l had laid
having failed. l could think Of no
other and resolved to be guided by
circumstances. To suddenly come out
and acknowledge that had permitted
the young lady to continue IN a mis-
take which knew from the first was
Mistake would put me In a position
did not like.
After spending half an hour In my
room l went downstairs Every eye
in the room was directed toward me-
The girls mother led me to a man In
OACA4IdA BlAO dll0 4nLIO0uCCA 1nG. w ny
was he there, and why was especially
presented to him2 Ny valor began to
desert me. was on the verge of panic
The girl entered the room, and,
wonderful to say, she was In bridal cos
tunnel Everybody looked at me, and
I must have presented a startling ap-
pearance. for they all regarded me in
tently.
Then for the first time it occurred to
me that this was one Of those quick
soldier weddings, the man being sud-
denly called to the colors The groom
had not put in an appearance and l
had been mistaken for him.
There are two kinds of persons in the
world. The one on meeting an enemy
is seized with an irrepressible impulse
to take to his heels; the other is seized
with an equally irrepressible impulse
to dash forward. This does not pertain
alone to physical encounters; 1t Is
equally true in necessarily quick, i'm
portant decisions. Judging from my
action In this dilemma, fancy I belong
to the latter class.
/ felt like a soldier on the battle
field, who must either run from the
enemy or dash forward for safety. /
did not seize standard and cry, For
wardp But l did what amounted to
the same thing. advanced toward
the bride and led her to the parson,
who was standing at one end of the
room with a book In his hand.
There was but one halt in the wed
ding ceremony. When asked for the
ring had no ring muttered some
thing about hurrying to join the colors
and stupid forgetfulness. The brides
mother took ring from her finger and
handed it to me. l put 1t on the brides
| finger and in few minutes was a mar
r1ed man. As soon as l could escape
congratulations l announced that IL l
did not join my regiment at once l
would be pronounced a poltroon and a
coward, and, leaving my regretful
bride, l dashed out, got into the car
In which l had come and, leaving an
astonished throng, turned on the pow
er and sped out Of the grounds into the
street.
had not gone block before saw
man in uniform and carrying suit
case hurrying in the opposite direction.
Turning to the curb. shouted Hey,
thereI
He looked at me and, not recogniz-
ing me, was about to hurry on. He
appeared to be about my age, my build
and looked not unlike me.
"Going to be married?" asked.
Eyes; I'm late Excuse me. / must
get on"
Get in here" said, opening the car
door.
Thinking that was intending to aid
him In making haste. he did as babe