The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-08-07
A DAKOTA LOVE STORY.

Nlllam DOWuallJ OF ta&On, ploley coun-
ty, Minnesota, the head of numerous
family of boys and girls, yielding to the
laudable ambition of finding larger farm
for his family, set his face to the westwardI
and selected himself home of 800 acres in
range So, in McCook county, Dakota. So
well pleased vas he With the country that
he resolved to send his two grown up daugh-
ters out to the new land of promise that
each Of them might secure farm of her
own. With this aim in view, the old gem
leman, before leaving made arrangements
with Chas. Barrett, a claim agent and To-
Gator, who guided himself in his homeseek-
ing, to receive his daughters upon their ar
rival at Sioux Falls. In course of time
Dowdall's daughters, Nellie and Annie, ar
rived at the "Lowell of the West," and true
to his appointment and instructive gallant
ry the lively land man, Barrett, met them
at the depot. They were a pair Of oharm-
ing girls, calculated to excite in the manly
bosom a regret that in this favored region
man can marry only one wife at time
Nellie Dowdall, one of the sisters, was the
happy possesSpr of ways at once practical
and fascinating. Nellie meant business,
talked business, and was business all over.
She talked in an eminently practical man.
ner to the land ageut, and an arrangement
was entered into that that they should start
upon their land-exploring trip next morn
ing. Sister Annie was simply loveable.
Nellie was the business partner of the con-
cern, and it was deemed nexpedient to take
Annie along, Nellie volunteering to I" go It
alone" with the land man and select GLAZING
for herself and sister. On the trip they
were accompanied by other homeseekers,
but Barrett and Nellie Dowdall occupied a.
foremost place in the procession, enjoying .
whole wagon and quiet conversation to
themselves. As far as the history of the af-
fair discloses, the whole conversation related
exclusively to business. The girl selected
pre- emptiou aud timber claim 1920 acres)
| for herself, and the same for her sister, and
/ resolved to complete the business of her
mission by proceeding to the Yankton land
office, 60 miles distant, to file the necessary
application for the claims. II was afternoon
on rainy dry in April, unpleasant for
/ long ride in an open wagon, and the land
/ agent, fearing that in the darkness they
might lose their way, suggested that they
make lay over under shelter on the prairie
that night but the bright young blonde
/ from Minnesota came west on business and
expressed her determination to have him
go on and make the entry at Yankton.
Their task accomplished they returned TO
Sioux Falls, and the two girls again set out
for Minnesota. But Nellie left pledge be-
hind. Her heart was with the McCook
county land agent Before leaving she made
him her promise that in two weeks she
would return, and made arrangements with
him to send a dispatch announcing the
time of her arrival. On the anticipated day
Barrett rode eleven miles to Cameron, the
nearest postoffice, to receive her commune
cation; and in response to its call rode all
night, arriving at Sioux Falls at an early
hour next morning. Here he met the
Minnesota blondes "soft eyes looked love 70
eyes that spake again." and inside ofa single
hour the Dakota boy and Minnesota girl
were made one flesh.
"Two souls with but a single thought
Two hearts that beat as one"
Writers of romance might weave this love
affair into story of twenty chapters, but
we tell the "plain unvarnished tale" The
bright, brave, business blonde is happily
married IN McCook eounty.-Near the
ruins Of the old homestead shanty the
bridegroom has erected a neat story-and-a-
half cottage which travellers by the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul railway may des-
cry, half mile distant from the railroad on
the prairie, two miles west of Bridgeport in
McCook county.
In the eastern States story Of this kind
would be termed a romaneej but in Dakota
such affairs are everyday, commonplace
occurrences. Dakota Territory is broad
enough, and its hardy sons are gallant
enough to afford farm Of 800 acres aud a
wealthy husband to every brave, good look
ing girl who has the courage and desire TO
'go west and grow up with the country"