Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1911 — Page 2

Married By Accident

By ANNA BENNETT

As Fired Carleton pushed Impetn* ously through the dispersing crowd on 'the platform and swung himself •.board the moving train, Margaret •oppressed an exclamation of .dismay. 1 Her face was flushed, there were dark circles beneath her eyes, and the lids were red and swollen. He must mot see that she had been crying. And '.hastily setting her hat straight she burned, her face toward the window. At her seat he hesitated, as If be ■would ask permission to occupy the vacant place beside her, but after one look at her motionless figure he sat down without speaking. Margaret fought down a desire to soream aloud. It was hard enough to have been married against her will, but to have her husband force his society upon her, when It was impossible to escape him without a scene, was unbearable. She had refused only two days ago. Today he was her husband! She closed her eyes and saw It all agaiu. Kittle Guthrey’6 parlor, the dozen young people assembled there, dressed In the quaint, old-fashioned clothes Kittle had dragged from an attic trunk; while from the doorway, the round, jolly face of the justice, Kittie s father, beamed upon them. They had been playing charades and Margaret, wearing Kittie’s grandmother's white satin wedding gown, veii and wreath of faded orange blossoms, had been the central figure in a tableau. Then, as one in a dream, she had found herself taking part in a marriage service. Mechanically she had repeated her responses, vaguely conscious of the girl’s giggling and the boys’ broad grins, but with a dim sense of awe, as the justice repeated the solemn words of the ceremony. Perhaps it had been only a dream. Perhaps there was np license, nor justice, nor ceremony; and she was still free.

Opening her eyes suddenly her glance fell upon the hand which lay upon the window sill There was the ring which Fred had placed on her linger, a plain gold band, which he bad detached from his watch guard. Once he had told her that it was his mother's wedding ring. She clenched her hands and stared at the flying landscape. Her anger against the man beside her rose in turbulent waves, submerging all other feelings. Why had he taken such a mean advantage? She would not have believed he could do it How triumphant he must feel. She stole a glance at his face, and was obliged to admit that he did not look at all triumphant. On the con-trsu-y, he seemed depressed and gloomy. His unseeing gaze rested upon the shiny bald head of the man in front of him. He seemed oblivious of his surroundings. Margaret stifled a feeling of pity, and steeled her heart against his troubled face. “Why did you do it?" she asked, aloud, without turning her head. “Do you suppose that because you have trapped me into marriage, you can compel me to live with you? Perhaps you thought of kidnaping me, and confining me in a tower!" Her low, well-modulated tones, vibrating with scorn, broke the intolerable, silence as a sharp knife cuts a taut cord.

“Is it possible that you believe 1 am responsible for what happened last night?” Carleton's voice expressed pained surprise. “I knew you did not love me, but I thought I still retained your respect If you had waited a moment longer, you would have known that I had no part in the plot which turned our frivolous play into sober reality. At first I was too bewildered to understand that the license was genuine and the marriage legal. And when I would have rushed after you, the boys held me while Morris explained. It was all a wretched, practical joke, which he and Williams had planned. Supposing that we were engaged, they thought we would relish the idea of an impromptu marriage, as much as they did." The conductor was making his rounds. Carleton handed him his own and Margaret's tickets, and frowned absently at him until he had passed. The energetic trainboy came and went, followed -by the pompous negro porter. The sonorous snoring of the baldheaded man rose above the rumble of the train and the spbdued murmur of voices. Margaret’s face was still averted, but a restless movement betrayed her impatience with the rest of Carleton’s story. They had no trouble in getting the license,” he continued. “Grant, the county clerk, has known most of the boys in oar crowd since we were little shavers. When they said 1 was out of town and had sent them for the license, he believed them. "Of course, they told Kittle, so that she could manage you. But -neither Squire Guthrey nor the otheiy knew that it was to be more than a mock marriage. The square says the ceremony is binding, but we can easily eet it aside.” Margaret moved uneasily, but gave no other sign that she had heard. Carleton's gase pandered across the aisle to the chubby, black-eyed baby who was crying so vigorously that conversation was impossible. The garage frowns of the sour-faced dramtoer behind him frightened the child into violent screams. At last.

with a stick of candy purchased from the train boy, his mother bribed him into silence. "For your sake I am sorry,” Carleton said softly, "but for myself I havs no regrets. To that fun-loving crowd the service which Squire Guthrey performed was only a farce Improvised to afford amusement for the moment. To me It seemed sacrilegious, yet as I repeated my part It had all the sacredness of reality. At that moment I would have given all I possessed if I could have , made the words true. When I knew they were really true, my first feeling was one of gladness. And even though the law should separate us tomorrow, I should always be glad that for on® brief day you Were my wife." The monotonous rumbling which had rendered their conversation private, suddenly ceased. Tho train had stopped at a rural station. A little old lady, laden with bundles, hurried eagerly down the aisle. As the door closed behind her Margaret Idly turned her attention to the station. On the platform stood ft tall, whitehaired man, whose wrinkled face was aglow with Joy as he held out his arms. A moment later he had clasped the little old lady close to his heart. There was a peaceful, satisfied look on her face as she followed her husband to the waiting buggy. The eyes watching at the car window filled with tears. Again the wedding refrain, “Till death do iis part," sounded in her ears.

The train was moving, and the old man and the little old lady were soon left far behind. The sun burst through a rift in the clouds and miniature rainbows danced before Margaret’s eyes. She hastily lowered the blind, but still kept her face turned toward the window. “It is fortunate that your visit £nded today, and that business calls me to Chicago. Your aunt and uncle will suspect nothing. All the folks who Were at Kittie s last night have promised to keep silent until I give them permission to %peak. No one else heed ever know, for the marriage caq be annulled without publicity. Even the gossips who predicted our union will soon forget all about us, when we are both gone." His spiritless tones trailed off into silence, and he resumed his moody contemplation of the bald head in front of him. “I do not wish a divorce,” said Margaret, abruptly. “I have heard you say you do not believe in legal separation,” he said. "Neither do I. But in our case one could hardly call It a divorce. By the testimony of the witnesses It will be proved that we did not intend the ceremony to be binding. The law will cancel the marriage and you will be Tree. I will go away and the whole affair will be only a memory. “Why should you go away?” she asked faintly. “Of course it isn’t necessary that I should go. But it would Hot be easy to live within 40 miles of the woman I love, when the law'has put her as far out of my reach as though an ocean divided us. You would not want to see me after you are free.” "Suppose I do not want to be free?” Her voice trembled, but he was too miserable to notice It. “You must not remain* bound to a man you do not love, because of a sense of duty. You are young, and will probably live many years. Some time the right man will come; when he does, you will marry him and be happy.” "And you?” she asked gently, with a furtive glance at his grave, sad face.

"Oh, it. doesn’t matter about me. I hope 1 am man enough not to wreck my life because happiness is denied me. You know I don’t wish freedom, but I want you to be happy." He sighed wearily and turned his head away from her. The canary belonging the elderly spinster who sat behind them suddenly broke forth into a song so Joyous >hat the black-eyed baby clapped his hands and laughed aloud. And at that moment Margaret’s heart began to sing, too. The puflflng locomotive, the rumbling car wheels, the canary and the baby’s laugh all seemed to join in shouting the refrain, "Till death do us part.” “Fred." she murmured turning her radiant face toward him. “I do not need to wait for the right man.” Fred looked at her uncomprehendingly. “Don’t you understand, dear boy? If we had not been married by accident I might never have known that the right man had come!” As he looked into her luminous eyes the shadows fled from his face. Unmindful of his surroundings, he kissed his wife’s lips. "yhere’s gwlne to be a weddin’ soon, if dis child knows anything about it,” chuckled the porter, nudging the grinning train boy. “Aw, go long!” exclaimed the train boy, with a backward glance at Carleton’s happy face. “Can’t you tell a bride and groom when you see ’em? I know they didn’t come on the train together; and there ain’t any rioa ■tickin’ in their hair, nor any white ribbons tied to their grips. But I tell you, they’re on their honeymoon! You can’t fool me!” He backed out of the car. winking knowingly at the passengers. Everybody laughed, even the sourfaced drummer. The canary sang as if it would burst its tiny throat And the black-eyed baby suddenly reached his hands toward blushing Margaret

Hie Theory.

“Why do you want to take aides in a feud that doesn’t concern you? You run great risks." “I know 1 do. purd. But it’s safer than being am innocent bystander.”

BALL GAME HASN’T IMPROVED

At Any Rate, Roper Connor and Dan Brouthers, Former League Stare, f i Don’t Think %>. Among the spectators at the Polo grounds the other day was Roger Connor, for many years first baseman Ht the Giants. Connor is silver haired now, but still is a powerful fellow physically. He is a property owner up in Waterbury. Conn. Connor and the veteran, Dan Brouthers, once the National league’s biggest hitter, had In argument tl«t~Tevlved memories. "I can’t see where the game has improved, Dan.” said Connor. “In fact, 1 <ton’t believe there’s anybody in baseball today, not excepting Dajoie, Cobb, Wagner and others who can hit the ball any harder than we did.” • "That's been my argument ail along,” replied Brouthers. "And furthermore, the pitchers and fielders aren’t a bit better. You don’t see any greater stars than Ewing, Keefe, Clarkson, Ward, Anson, Hardie Richardson, Radbourne, Kelly and Williamson, do you?" “You can bet your life on that!” said Connor with a grim smile. Connor first became famous as first base man of. the Troys, He began playing with the Giants in 1886 and remained with them until the season of 1894, when John M. Ward, then manager, replaced him at the initial sack with Jack Doyle. It was a hard blow to Roger, who shortly after had decided to go into retirement. But he’s followed the fortunes of the New Yorks ever since and is a thirty-third degree bug. >

NOTED JOCKEY DROPS RACING

Walter Miller Retires —From Saddle and Goes into Business in New York—His Career. Walter Miiier, the famous American Jockey, has decided to drop lacing and has gone into business in New York city. Miller considered the feasibility of becoming a trainer and decided against the scheme because he does not think the condition of racing today would justify him in devoting his time to such a pursuit. Miller has the wherewithal to finance a good business enterprise and he has taken his brother as a partner. He was never a roystering spendthrift oft the race track. Unlike most Of the successful jockeys of his time, Miller did not come from either Canada or the west. He is a New Yorker, born and bred a product of the upper East side. Miller began riding when only a mite of a boy and became successful. His first important engagement was with the Newcastle stable and under the guidance of Thomas Welsh. He was the leading jockey of 1906 and 1907. In the former year he won 388 races and in latter 334. From one end of the country to the other Miller has ridden race horses and everywhere he is popular because

he was always polite, obliging and honest. It has been said of Jimmy McLaughlin and George Odom that the breath of scandal was never raised against them. The same may be said of Walter Miller. This young man went abroad a couple of seasons back because increasing weight made it impossible for him to find employment in this

AT AT AT AT AT AT AT AT CHICAGO BT. LOUIS DETROIT CLEVELAND WASHINGTON PHILADELPHIA NEW YORK BOSTON April IS. 13, 14. 15 * ruiriirft tuic April 16. 17. 18. 19 June 13 May A 3.4, 6 June 10. 13. 13 June 14. 15, 16. 17 June 6,7, 8. 9 June 1. 3. 3. 5 CHICAGO THIS* ,j une xi. 33. 23 July (4). (4). 5 June 23,29.30; July 1 Au*. 2. 3, 4. 5 Au*. 7. A 9. 16 July 23. 39. >1; Auf. 1 July X, 36. 17 I Sept. 11. 12. 13 Au*. 12 Sept. C). (4). 5 Sept. 19. 30, 21. 32 Sept. 16. 16. It Sept AS, S Sept 27. 28. X. X . Sept. 8, 9 i - April 27, 28. 29. 30 April 33. 34. X - May 29, (30). t3O) May 27. 38 t.?£ « /iwn k June 14, 16. 16. 17 June 10. 12L 13 June A 2.8. 6 June 6. 7. 8. 9 8t loui9 mpir Oct. 2. 3. 4 , Oct 1 B * pt - 7l *• * DETROIT “ay 7 ' , May 13.4. 6 PUBLISHES 2J.pt ul <W Ju"’*. M.V July® SA 3A 11; Au*. 1 xli" A* aVV' Au*! 6* ; ',, _iZ &£jljS Aprtia.**. » April 1A *M. 18 April 30; M.^l 19 June 6. 7. A 9 June L 11. I June 10. 12. 13 J«n. 14. 16. J*. (17). CLEVELAND May 27. 28 May 7 8 June 30. 21. 22 ALL OF July 28. 29, 31; Au*. 1 July X. 26. 37 Au*. 3. 3. 4. 6 o*l STfSV v lug S* if && 2 W * ** **»■ • **- Sep't. Vi 18 May 10. 11. 12. IS May 14. 16. 16. 17. May 32. 23. 74. X 'Ma£ U. 19. 20. 26 ~ April X. 38, 17. X April X. 21. 33. 24 April X; May 1, A 8 WASHINGTON July 15. 16. 17. 18 July ». 31. 22. 23 July 7. 8, 9. 10 July 11. 12. 13. 14 THE LATEST June 19. SO. 2L X June 38. 84. 36. 27 July A (4), (4). 6 \u*. 20. 21. 22 Au*. 17. 18. 19 Au*. 34. 26. X Au*. 3A 9. X Bept. (4». (4>7» Sept 1, A 6 Oct 6,6, 7 . May 14. la. 16. 17 May 10. 11. 12. 13 May 18. 19. 70. H May 22. 23. 24. X May A 5. A 8 ' April 9; May All April 20, 21. 22. 94 PHILADELPHIA July X. 2L 32. 23 July 16. 1A 17. 13 July It 13. 1A 14 July A7.A 10 juneSßJ3 30 Julr 1 IMPORTANT July A (4)7(4). 6 June 23, 24, 3A XT Au*. 17. 18. 18 Au*. 20. 21. 3 Au*. XT. 2A 9 Au*. 24. 2A » June July l Sept. 11, 1A IS Au*. 31; Sept L X «- ■■ - ■ - - --- - . - - ■ |I .1 ■■ -X . —■ ■■ ip ■■■ ■! .1, _ May 22. 23. 24. X May 1A 19, XA 31 May A 10. 12. tt May 1A 16. X. 17 A?* 1 .! 7 - “• M April U.11.K8 April 26. 2A 87, X NEW YORK July 7. A 9. M> July U. 13. U. 14 July X. 31. 32. a July 15. 17, 18 f** ¥. I 4 15 May 87. 9. (9). (30) BPORTING June». 9. X. July I Au*. 34. X. X Au*. ». X. 9 Au*. X. 2L 55 Au*. 1A if. 18. 19 14 ‘ 15 Oct S. A 7 „ SeptT4). (4). 6 May 1A 19. X. 21 May 33. 33. 9A X May U. M. U. 18 May 9. 10. 11. 18 April 12. 1A 14. 16 April 17. 1A 19 May 4. AA 6 . BOSTON July 11. 12. 1A 14 July 7. AA M July 15. 1A 17. 13 July 19. X. 21. 22 May 27. 9. (X). (X) Au*. 11. 12. 14. 15 June 19. 20, Zt 22 NEWS AU*. 27. 2A 9 Au*. 24. X. 26 Au*. 17. 1A 19 Au*. XL XL X Sept U. 12. 13 Sept A 7. A 9 Oct A A 4

ONE OF THE ATHLETIC STARS.

One of the best pitchers In the American league .is Jack Coombs of the Athletics. He has a drop ball which has repeatedly fooled the best batters In the American league and his efforts helped the Athletics in a large measure to win the American league pennant and the world’s championship. Coombs is another college man who has made good in baseball. He Is a graduate of Colby college and has been in the big leagues since 1906, when he joined the Athletics. In his

country. They ride heavier on the other side than they do in this country. He was as successful in Europe ar-he had been at home, hut nature did not give him much of a chance. He took a quick growing streak and could not get below 116 pounds. Today Miller -weighs 160 pounds.

Low Curve Successful.

“A good low curve ball is the most effective article a pitcher can have in stock nowadays,” says Eduardo Phelps. •‘Nine out of ten batsmen find the low curve hard to connect with. All smart baseball men have discovered the fact and are touting their pitchers to go strong on the low curves. Some years ago the good batters could not hit a fast high ball. Cy Young’s fast ball shoulder high, with a little jump on It, had all the good stickers going sideways. Other pitchers patterned after Cy’s stunt. Then the hitters got to practicing on the high fast one, and it was not long before every "batsman of any class could murder the high ball. Everybody was laying for high ones. Now the wheel has turned. The pitchers are using the low curve regularly, and the boys who generally kill a fast high curve will chase a low bender out of the ball grounds. Never saw anything like it. They Just can’t make a connection with the low twister that, curves over the pan knee high."

World’s Weight Mark.

Eastern college track and field cracks and representatives of athletic clubs competed the other night in the annual indoor meet of the New York Athletic club. Cornelius E. Walsh of the New York A. C. established a new world’s record of 15 feet 1H inches In throwing the 56-pound weight for height over a bar.

OFFICIAL AMERICAN LEAGUE SCHEDULE, 1911

Jack Coombs, Pitcher.

very first year Coombs established a record for himself when he pitched a twenty-four-inning game against Boston.

Plans are ’under way to form a southern amateur rowing association of oarsmen from clubs located in Washington, D. C., Virginia and Maryland and the national association will be asked to sanction a regatta on the Patapsco river, Baltimore, Aug. 5.

MACK HAS HIS FIRST SALARY

Mother of Leader of Athletics Says He Deposited It in Bank and It Is There Yet. Connie Mack’s mother, while awaiting the return of her “peerless leader” the other day, became reminiscent of Connie’s past. “I recall the time we lived in East Brookfield, Mass.,” she said. “My son had been playing baseball and they all said he was a fine catcher. Then he went to work in a bootshop. One day he laid down his tools and told his employer he was going to play baseball to the exclusion of all other methods of making a living. The first money he made that way was deposited in a bank in Meriden, Conn., and it is there yet.” Mrs. McGillicuddy declared Connie always was a most indulgent son.

Catcher Schmidt iS Fighter.

Charles Schmidt, Detroit American league catcher, made his debut as a prizefighter the other night at Fort Smith, Ark., gaining the decision over Jimmy MeDonald of Denver, after ten rounds of hard fighting before the Arkansas Athletic club. Schmidt had the advantage over McDonald from the start, flooring him four times and, forcing him to the ropes repeatedly. Schmidt weighed in at 178 pounds and his opponent at 158. England has lost a good athlete -through the departure of E. H. Montague for South Nigeria, winner of the 1907 quarter-mile championship and holder of the British record of 1 minute 11 seconds for 600 yards.

Regatta on Patapsco.

“BOUNCE BALL” THE LATEST

New Exercise for Outrof-Conditton Business Men invented by Gymnasium Physical Director. By the invention of a new gymnasium game—“ Bounce Ball” —Dr. E. W. White, physical director at the Illinois Athletic club, claims to have solved the problem of exercise for out-of-con-ditlon business men. The game resembles volley ball, in that the ball used is the same and a similar net Is used, but “bounce ball,” Doctor White says, has the faculty of making staid business men laugh, exercise and perspire at the same time, yet without realizing the fact that they are working. The game can be jftayed any place and the grounds are not limited to any certain measurement. In a gymnasium a volley ball net is stretched across the middle of the floor and the players are evenly divided on either side. The ball used is the lightest size volley ball with skin cover. Service starts from the back line and the ball is knocked over the net into the opposing territory. The object is to return the ball before it hits the floor or before it has taken more than one bounce.. Each player, however, Is entitled to one bounce of the ball before it is returned.

EVANS PLANS TRIP ABROAD

American Golfer Announces Intention of Going of Scotland to Compete for English Title. Another American golfer is going abroad. The latest one to announce his intention, of trying his skill on the other side of the Atlantic is Charles (Chick) Evans of the Edgewood Golf club of Chicago, holder of the western open title. Evans plans to compete in the British amateur championships to be held on the Prestwick links, Scotland, May 29 to June 3. Evans is conceded to be one of the greatest golfers ever developed in this country. As Fred Herreshoff and

“Chick” Evans.

John Anderson have also announced their intention of going abroad, America \plll be well represented In the event

Urges One-Man Coach Plan.

Pop Warner, Cornell, ’94, is out witn a statement advocating a return by the Cornell football team to the oneman coaching system, and urges that Dan Reed, head coach last fall, be placed in charge of the team for a term of years, with absolute power and the right to choose his own assistants. Warner formerly was head coach at Cornell and now is in charge of athletics at Carlisle.