Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1870 — The Double Elopement. [ARTICLE]

The Double Elopement.

The little village of E—, was one of the many mining towns in the interior of California, and in this village dwelt Dr. Hammond and his family. They were notqd for their kind hospitality, and for the interest they took in the general affairs of the village. Bo it very often happened that their only daughter, Artie, was the belle of many social parties. There it was that she repeatedly met a young man by the name of Charles Bavey, and his foncy for Miss Artie’s pretty face, blue eyes, and dark brown curls, kept him constantly by her side. But what I WSB going to tell you was this—that the Doctor had made up his' mtod to spend the summer up near Lake Tahoe, so he could have a fine time hunting and fishing duriEg the heated term, and, as a matter of course, he wanted to take his family with him, for he could not think of leaving them down there in the terribly hot weather of summer. Now Artie did notlike_ this idea at all, so, after having a good cry about it. she came into the parlor where Mrs. Hammond sat, and said. “ Now, mamma, this is too bad ; just to think of us going way off up into the mountains where wc can’t see anything but Indians and sage brush. I shall die, mamtna. I know I shall, if you take me away off up there.” “I f No, my dear,” said Mrs. Hammond, gently, “and to tell the trutti, Artie, I shall be glad to get you off up there where you can't do so much running around. lam about sick of this going all the time.” “Well, I’m not,” said Mies Artie, with an independent to-s of h 'r pretty head as she went off to the window. She had not stood there farfg before she saw some one coming up the little lane which led to the house. Then she turned to her mother, and said : —,—_ “Oh, mamtna, Charley Bavey is coming here.” “ Yes, just as I expected, you can’t think of anything but Charley Bavey now,” said Sirs. Hammond, as she left the room. She soon heard Artie and Charley talking very low together, so she began to wonder what they were saying, and finally she went to the door to listen. She heard Charley say: “Yes, darling, I will come with the buggy just at dark to morrow, so we can go and get marritd in a short time. Your folks won’t think of such a thing until it’s too late.”

“But, Charley, suppose papa won’t forgive us,” said Artie. “ Oh, there’s no danger but he will; and you’ll go, won’t you, Artie ? Only think what a heavy, lonesome life it will be without you, darling ” As Artie looked up into a pair of very loving hazel eyes, she smilingly said, « Yes, Charley.” “ Now, good, night, darling, and by this time to-morrow night you’ll be my own darling little wife.” Baying this, Charley kissed her, and was gone. Now, as Mrs. Hammond had been listening all the time, she heard everything Charley said. Bo she said to herself, ironically, “ your dear little wife by this time to-morrow night. Oh, yes, we’ll see about mat” But when Artie came out her mother was sitting at the table, sewing. She looked Up and asked: “ Well, Artie, has Charley gone so soon t” “Yes, mamma,” was all Artie said, as she left thej-oom. •' The next day passed off at last, and just at dark a buggy drove up to the front gate. “ Now,” thought Mrs. Hammond, “ I’ll show them a trick that’s worth two of them.” So she put on Artie’s cloak and hat and ran down to the gate. A gentleman very gallantly helped her into the buggy, but never spoke' a word. “ Well,” thought she, “ he’s afraid to speak for fear Artie’s father and mother would hear him. Ahem ?’’ Bo away they went, and Mrs. Hammond sat there thinking what a nice trick she had played on Artie by running off with Charley. Then she began to wonder if this was the way he treated Artie when they went out tiding; and. next, what would the doctor say? But whakpuzzled her most was that they were going in the opposite direction from what she had expected. So at last she said: “Well, Charley, hadn't we better go home?” 6 Imagine her surprise to hear the doctor’s voice answer her: “What! Maggie, is that yon ? What in' the name of alt that’s good, bad, and indifferent, are you doing here?" “Ob, doctor, l thought it was Charley !”■ p “Well, I’d like to‘know where you were going with Charley at this time of right?”

"Indeed! And I’d like to know whom : yon thought you had In here, If not me T" answered Mrs. Hammond. "Oh, I thought It was Artie." “And what in the world ever put such j a notion into your head, as to take Artie out at this time of night 1” - “Well, the fact of it is. Maggie, as I sat oh the porch last evening, I overheard Charley and Artie talking abont running off to get married, and so I thought I'd just save Charley the trouble, and take , Artie ont for a ride. I began to think she I waa keeping very •till.” "Doctor, said Mrs. Hammond, "that is just what I heard, and my object in going with Charley waa the tune as yours waa In taking Artie off” “ We are a couple of pretty fools to be eloping In this way; but here we are at home again." Baying this, the doctor helped his wife ont of the boggy, and then went into the house. One glance at the empty rooms convinced them that Artie was gone, they could easily guess where. Sp they made up their mmas to make the best of it, and wait for the runaways to come home. And the next morning, when Mr. and Mrs. Charley Bavey came home to implore forgiveness for running off to get married, they could not understand the mischievous twinkle in Dr. Hammond’s eyes as he very readily forgave them, and saidt “ Certainly, children ; I ran off with mother once and didn’t know it.” Charley and Artie looked from one to the other, and asked: “ How ? when ? where V” The doctor only laughed, and shook his head as though the story was too good to tell, and that was all they ever could get out of him.