The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-07-16

enemy or dash forward for safety.
did not seize standard and cry, For
ward? But l did what amounted tt
the same thing. l 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 l had no ring. muttered some.
thing about hurrying to join the colors
and stupid forgetfulness. The bride
mother took ring from her finger and
handed it to me. put it on the bride
finger and in q few minutes was mar.
ried man. AS soon as I could escape
congratulations l announced that il |
did not join my regiment at once l
would be pronounced a poltroon and q
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.
l had not gone a block before I saw
a man in uniform and carrying a suit
case hurrying in the opposite direction.
Turning to the curb. 1 shouted "Hey,
therew
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" l asked.
Eyes; I'm late. Excuse me- l must
get on"
Get in here" 1 said, opening the car
door.
Thinking that was intending to aid
him in making haste, he did as babe
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 a quarter
past"
l increased the pace.
"Who are you? And where are you
taking meY he cried.
"Comrade!' said 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
newsY"
"Yes. Hurry up. Has anything hap
pened to LillianY"
"She's married"
Married.
"Yes, married; married by mistake"
Married by mistake! Are you de-
mented?"
"Not demented; crack Drained
idiot"
He looked at me as though he be-
lleved that l had told the truth, then
asked:
"Whom has Lillian married?"
ME-" l groaned.
For heavens sake, cease to tanta-
lie me and tell me what all this
means"
l 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 l 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."
l suppose it was my intensity that
convinced him Of the truth of my
story. At any rate he expressed no
doubt that the girl he was to have
married had become my wife. Posses
sdon is nine points In the law. In ad-
dition to the shock he would bring to
Lillian by making known her mistake
it, there must be divorce. He con-
fessed that he had not seen her for
three years. that, being ordered to the
cOlors, he had revived an old attach
ment and had written her that since
he must go to the war he preferred to
would care for him IL he returned
MANNED and mourn for him IL killed.
"A somewhat selfish view to take Of
the matter" suggested.
YES, and l wonder she accepted the
proposal. l suppose 1t was patriotism
All the women are losing their heads
about the war"
1T seems to me-" I said after a
pause, that it is tweedledum and twee-
dledee between us. You were to have
been married with a selfish motive. 1
permitted girl to remain in a mistake
she had made till, being cornered, I
committed a still more rash act. 1t
seems to me that we are both beholden
to do what seems to be for her best in
terest. If you will permit her to re-
main in her mistake l will do the same
till favorable time arrives for a con-
fession. Then if she will remain my
wife l will do my best to make her
happy.
"All this is very fine, but where do
/ come in?"