Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1921-07-14
Stopping
The Limited
~<y
BY N. ]. PHILLIPS

McklnnOn.
I'm always busy answered Hugh
McKinnon self-righteously, looking up
from his Uttered desk.
well did an--did Mr.. Montrose-''
she paused In pretty, blushing confu-
sion.
Eyes, he did" replied her father
heavily.
And you--did you"
81 told him." rejoined McKinnon de
liberately. that / would never con-
sent to your marriage that If you mar
ried without my consent | would never
forgive YOU; and that would do every
thing within my power to prevent. And
! always keep my word"
Nancy retired, in tears.
The redoubtable Mckinnon turned
back to his desk.
81 always keep my word" w6s his
favorite phrase; and he Always did
The habit Of living up to his STRONG
character" had cost him considerable.
Having disposed effectually Of his
daughter and young Dan Montrose, as
he imagined Hugh McKlnnon turned
to another affair in which he had also
given his word He had assured the
r.. b. and W. railroad that il would
stop its new limited train at Bangor.
The railroad seemed equally positive
1t would not
Mckinnon lived at Pembroke, ten
miles from Bangor, but the T., y. and
w. was the principal avenue Of his
comings and goings. He was III heavy
shipper. accustomed to favors, and had
received his official time card, showing
the new limited, as soon as the Bangor
agent Bangor was not scheduled as
a stopping place.
So McKinnon wrote the superintend-
ent:
There is mistake. Your new No.
10 Is not scheduled to stop at Bangor.
No mistake (assured the superin-
tendent). No 10 won't stop there.
Mr. McKinnon quit fencing and got
down 10 business then
You know how much money | turn
20 your road. The limited must stop
at Bangor. 1t win save me half
days time.
The superintendent wrote back dip
Iomatically that the T., B. and w. APP
preciated Mr.. McKinnon and his bust
ness at their full value; but it was
simply impossible to make Bangor
station stop for the limited.
McKlnnon had just finished pc
rusing this missiye when Nancy mop
portunely appeared to plead for her
happiness. When she had gone. Nc
Kinnon snorted twice-once for Dan
Montrose and once for the T., B. and
W. Then he wrote, In his great, angu-
lar hand. to his friend and enemy, the
superintendent:
| have told you that you u list stop
the limited at Bangor. I serve notice
herewith that I will force you to do
so. And l always keep my word.
There must have been considerable
boy about the superintendent, for ha
wired back:
Am from Missouri; you've got to
show me
~
When Nancy McKinnon went, sob
hing, to her mother that crisp, moonlit
December evening, that excellent wom-
an decided TO take matters into her
own hands.
She sent for Dan Montrose, but the
messenger met him at the front gate.
She turned her back while the young
people greeted each other fondly, and
then said severely:
"You two have got to elope and get
married. You needn't gasp, Nancy.
You must run away without the knowl-
edge of your father or your mother.
Listen, you pair o babies: Hugh
McKinnon is going to the Valley farm
tomorrow. He won't be home till four
O'Clock. Do you drive to Bangor in
Dams mschlne-if twill hold together
and catch the two o'clock local to the
city. Your Aunt Nellie viii meet you.
and have everything arranged for the
weddin'."
Up 10 certain point it worked like
a charm. McKinnon went to the Val
ley farm; Mrs McKinnon rode with
him as far as Mrs Bonnie Shields
Dan and Nancy composed the note
giving the news Of their elopement and
left 1t on McKinnon's desk. Then they
had lunch together, component part
OF the meal being kisses and started
for Bangor in Dams rheumatic ma
chine.
Luck turned-llke that
Two miles from Pembroke q traitor
Gus inner tube gave way with de-
spairing bang Dan patched IL up
with glue, a bit Of extra rubber, ana
some whispered profanity. And that
took time. It was five minutes past
rwo; the local to the city had gone
and they were stu seven miles from
Bangor.
The car relented and ran angelically
until they were more than halfway
to the railroad Then came the big
breakdown. After that it was too late
TO 80 back, destroy the note, and call
the elopement on
So the car was hauled aside and
abandoned. Dan and Nancy caught
ride In farmers wagon. They held
hands behind the farmers back. and