but if you are married, I have no power over you." Well married I
am, said Sarah, and she produced the certificate, and the Old
Offender and his wife came out and declared that they witnessed the
ceremony.

What was to be done? evidently nothing; only the constable ordered a
whole barrel of ale to treat his posse and any one about tire town
who chose to drink, and the barrel was rolled out on the grass,
tapped, and for a half hour there was a great jollification, which
was not exactly in honor of our wedding, but which afforded the
greatest gratification to the constable, his retainers, and those
who happened to gather to see what was going on. This ended, and the
bill paid, the Easton delegation got into their wagons and turned
their horses heads towards home.

We passed three delightful days under the Old Offender's roof, and
then thanking our host for his kindness to us, and paying our bill,
we started on our return journey for Oxford. We arrived safely, and
staid with Boston Yankee a fortnight. We were close by the Scheimer
homestead, which was but a few miles away across the river; but we
feared neither father nor brothers, nor even the woman who was so
unwilling to let Sarah go with me. The constable, and the rest had
carried home the news of our marriage, and the old folks made the
best of it. Indeed, after they heard we had returned to Oxford,
Sarah's mother sent a man over to tell her that if she would come
home any day she could pack her clothes and other things, and take
them, away with her. The day after we received this invitation,
Boston Yankee offered to take Sarah over home, and promised to bring
her safely back. So she went, was treated tolerably well, at any
rate, she secured her clothes and brought them home with her.