The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-02-22
An Exponent That
Failed of Its
Intended Purpose
By ELINOR MARSH

POSA>
BILE. Her father was insisting that she
marry Deacon Hardwick, who was
sixty and rich. She loved Gilbert Bit
| finger, who was poor and worthless
Emily was not tractable maid, hav-
ing as strong a will as her father and
was much more headstrong.
Bittinger was where she could not
reach him, or she would have run away
with him. Since she could not run
away with him and her father had ar
| ranged for her to marry the deacon by
| q certain date, she determined to run
away by herself. The truth is, her IA
Their was a violent man, who had
shown symptoms of insanity, and En-
| lily was afraid of him.
On the morning of the day that her
enforced wedding with the deacon was
to take place Emily went out to the
barn, saddled her cob, which was quite
feet, mounted him and spurred into
the road, down which she tore at a
breakneck pace. Her father caught
a glimpse of her from his bedroom
window, at which he was shaving. and
surmised the reason of her going. Tn
fortunately he was but half shaved
and the right side OF his face was COW
cred with ather. But he forgot this
and. throwing down his razor, threw
on his coat. and, forgetting to put over
his shoulders his suspenders, which
were hanging from the rear buttons, he
ran to the stable, called his man and
the two in a tWinkling harnessed his
horse to the trap he usually rode in.
and, liketty split, he went after his
daughter.
Emily's immediate object was to
put distance between her and her ia
ther. After that the deluge From a
crest a couple of miles from her home
she refined In long enough to look back.
Her father was at the time on a rise
about mile behind her and about to
plunge down into a hollow Emily
turned, gave the horse a flashing with
her whip and darted on.
Those were days when automobiles
were coming into vogue for convey
ances, and before long Emily met with
one of them spinning toward her.
When the car and the horse met, EN-
lily recognized in the driver Jim Hast
ings, to whom she had once been en-
gagged, but had dismissed in a tiff
Hastings had appeared before her at
a dinner table rugged out for tennis,
l. y
found fault with him for appearing
at dinner in such a costume. He had
not taken his reprimand kindly, and
she became angered and sent him
about his business. Here was a chance
for his revenge.
"Oh, jim she cried, father is aft
er me to force me to marry old Dea-
con Hardwick! Turn your auto about
and take me in!'
$50 I will if you'll marry me, as
you once promised to do" said he.
II wontv'
'"Then get away from your dad the
best way you can"
81 consent"
Jim turned his auto about. Emily
d1SmOunted and, leaving ner morse NIP
ping the grass beside the road, climb
ed into the car beside Jim. In those
days half the cars were on the road
moving, the other half beside the road
stuck. Jim's auto went at brisk rate
for mile or so; then no mule could
have more resolutely refused to stir
farther. Jim dismounted. examined the
engine and the running gear and fuss
ed with the brakes, while Emily was
mad with anxiety to get on. 1t was
no use trying 70 persuade the mechan-
ical heart to move. It would not
bulge In time there was a CHATTER
behind and the angry father, one half
of his face very rcd aud the other half
very white alichto2 from the trap
and, his susnen,'cl'~ fanrling under his
coat, hurried 70 to 80"