AN AMERICAN ELOPEMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1142, 30 August 1883, Page 3

AN AMERICAN ELOPEMENT.

An interesting elopement, not in point of romantic novelty, but the obstacles that were woven around the primrose path of the youthful lovers, came to light one morning. Late on Wednesday night, during the heavy thunderstorm, a light buggy drew up in front of the Farmers’ Home. A rustic lad, with a shrewd, determined look, alighted. Throwing a silver dollar to the porter that stepped up to take charge of his baggage, he ordered night lodging for his horse, with strict injunctions to scrape him well and have everything in good trim by the next morning. It was plain from the froth that covered him that he had done some good travelling. The young man then registered in the office as Joseph Shield, ofjFairfield, and, ordering a light supper, retired, but before locking his room for the night called for a long rope that would be found in the buggy, giving as his excuse for this strange action that he was morbidly afraid of fires in large hotels. He was given a room in the rear of the building. Just before daylight another buggy, with a frothing horse, checked up before the hotel. Two ferocious looking fellows stumped into the hotel, and seizing the register, ordered to be shown to that ‘ scoundrel’s room,’ pointing to Mr Shield’s name in the book, They refused to give any reason for such a demand, except that they wanted that fellow and must have him. One held a buggy-whip threateningly in his hand, while the other made some secret inquiries as to the person who accompanied the young man, and whether any girl had been seen with him. As the proprietor held out persistently in refusing to allow them to seize the young man unless they were vested with such authority, they let out the secret of their visit. They hung around the house till it was bright daylight. About six o’clock a man was sent up to the room of young Shield to awake him, as ordered. When the door was opened it was found that the bird had already flown. The window was raised, and a rope that swung from the casement of the window explained the mystery. The strangers soon afterward made a second visit to the hotel, and were much enraged by the way in which they had been foiled by their supposed prey. Later in the morning a messenger called with a note, asking the horse and buggy to be sent as secretly as possible to Wenzel and Market streets, where the owner would meet it. Soon after the happy couple ware speeding on their way to Jeffersonville, where they were united as Miss Annie Meyers and Joseph Shield, of Fairfield. When the two strangers learned the successful way in which they had been beaten, they gave up the chase and told the whole story. The bride is a beautiful country girl about seventeen years of age, and daughter of a wealthy farmer near Fairfield. Her parents objected to the marriage of their daughter on ac count of her age, and advised her to wait. Finding this would not do they made threats, which only brought matters to a hastier close. The young man secured his father’s best horse and buggy, stole bis bride from the house, and, getting a fair start, was fully an hour on the road before the elopement was discovered. The two brothers, as soon as they found the course love had taken, followed the charriot of the young bride and groom. Several times the buggies were in sight of each other. Toll- gates were passed unheeded, and the whole course to town was a protracted race. The lovers had the advantage of the fastest horse and the lightest rig. They entered town several hours before their pursuers, and the bride was left at the house of a relative near the head of Market street, who bad been let into the scheme,