Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1883-1884, 1883-11-09
THE DAKOTA GIRL.

How She Paralyzed the Would-be
Masher from the East.
A young man who looked as il he con-
sidered the burden Of life too heavy by
several tons, wandered in an aimless
manner through the corridors Of The
Leader block to-day, and finally, sum-
mOning to his aid all the resolution that
he had about his person, opened the door
Of the editorial sanctum and walked in.
The young man had evidently seen sor-
and he had called, and sorrow had
downed his flush with a full. 1t some
times happens in that way.
The sad-faced youth seated himself.
and in a voice that evidently welled up
from a broken heart, or perhaps a dis
eased lung, said:
"You see before you, sir, the wreck Of
once glorious manhood"
The scribe replied that he had often
read of wrecks of once glorious man.
hoods, but had never before had the fe-
licity of meeting one-a fact which
greatly enhanced the pleasure Of the
present interview.
''Yes," continued the Wreck, II am
uouo W, UcyoAu saA HOPc VI IcSuSctee-
tion. Four weeks ago was bright and
longing to part the mystic veil of the fu-
ture and gaze upon the glOries Of the
dreamland which my fancy painted in
such roseate hues. Now my cOgnOmen
is mud.''
The scribe sympathized with the
Wreck, and begged to hear his story.
''Well it is all ON account of the truck
that you newspaper fellows write about
the enterprising girls of Dakota, who
sneer at the cOnyentiOnalitleS Of society,
and have come to this land of promise to
carve out their fortunes, and all that
kind OF stuff. They are good carvers, so
far as that goes," and the Wreck reflect
lively rubbed two-ilch scar athwart his
nose. Yes, that sort Of thing makes a
big sensation east, where the young lady
she is being hurried to an early grave by
excessive toll. The guv'nor-my old
man, you know-had been feeding me
for the past six months with good advice
about bracing up, rolling up my sleeves
and going to work, and a lot of gags like
that. He was stuck on that carving out
a fortune business, and wanted me to
try my hand at it. l had been engaged
for ten years in carving his fortune, and
that ought to have satisfied him, but it
didn't. At last he got hold of Dako.g
paper that had q long account Of how
New York girl had come out here alone,
and taken up a homestead and a timber
pre-emption and final proof and lot
Of things; and how she had gone to work
and built house, and a sod barn, and
broken up section of land, and made a
fool of herself generally. The guv'nor
showed me the article. and said l ought
to be ashamed of myself. l told him
that it was no fault of mine that the girl
had carried ON so, but he said if pos
sessed one-tenth of the enterprise and
industry and sand of that female might
be rich man inside of dozen years;
and he wound up by declaring that he
would give fifty thousand dollars for
such daughter-in-law as that. That
made me prick up my ears, and at last
he said if could induce that girl to
marry me he would draw check for
$50, 600 in my favor on the wedding day;
for he was convinced that such a wife
as she would make was just what l
needed. The paper gave the girls name
concluded that as she must be pretty
well fixed herself it would be a good
stroke of policy for me to scope in the
wealth. So took the first train for the
west, and three days ago drove out to
her farm"
SDid you see the grip"
| ssDid / see her! Well, don't look as
if I had been interviewing Dakota girl
or did YOU suppose it was threshlng
machine or q pack of coyotes that had
encountered? / admit that the mistake
would be a natural one. Yes, went,
saw,-but I didn't conquer; hence these
tears. l had always considered that
when made a tender of my hand and
heart to young lady was paving her
compliment of considerable magnitude;
but for some reason this girl didn't view
the matter it that light. When l men
toned the subject to her she simply
sized me up in cold kind of way. and
inquired if my mother was aware of my
absence from the paternal roof. Her un.
kind remark cut me to the quick. I
don't know what the quick is, but there
is where was cut to. Then she got my
hat and cane, and led me out into the
front yard and pointed to q field as big
as the state of Rhode Island, and said;.
"Young man, broke that land with
my own hands. This wheat field that
you see over here plowed, narrowed,
sowed and harvested myself: That herd
Of stock grazing. on the hill yonder, l
purchased WIN Lne pToceeus VI iuy III
dividual labor. l am worth at least
$40 900, and I have accumulated every
cent of it here in Dakota, without the
slightest assistance from any one. The
man whom 1 choose for protector
must be one fully worthy Of my respect
and admiration. do mot wish to ap-
pear hasty in declining your offer, and
will make you a proposition. You can
stay in this neighborhood for week or
so. have some fall plowing that wish
! 4 4 In Sah