The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-08-30
AROMANCE OFTO-DAY.

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staying in what was in reality a summer
calamity had befallen Mr.. Banjamin Bakers
town house. 1t was one Of q row Of hand
some marble-front residences, and a fire that
had occurred nextdoorha had resulted in his "
domicile being SO thoroughly flooded with
water as to require almost endles repairs
and renovations to furniture, carpet, walls,
ceilings and the like. The firemen, too, had
with commendable zeal, smashed in a large
section Of the ROOT, necessitating considerable
repairs in that direction.
Mr.. Baxter, who was o retired plumber, be-
lievedin repairing this sort ofthing thorough
ly, and also in personally experimenting the
work. Moreover he informed his excellent
wife and dutiful daughter that such was his
hatred of city hotels that he would rig up a
tent and camp out in the vacant lot oppo-
site should they attempt to move into town
before their dwelling was in readiness to re-
ceive them. As for himself, there was no
difficulty; he was comfortably provided for
in the rooms of an elderly bachelor friend in
the same block, right on the ground, where
he could hurry the repairs forward with all
possible speed.
Mrs. Baxter, being O thoroughly amiable
lady, and devoted to her husband. acquiesced
in these arrangements, though there was q
| good reason why they should be particul-
arly trying to her ut this time.
The cause for her trouble lay in the
continued presence of the two young
men who had persistently laid siege to the
affections of her daughter Ethel ali through
the summer. And, in order to obtain an
idea of the exact situation at this time, a few
words of explanation are necessary.
The two young mel were named respective
~ Mr.. Edgar Ingram and Mr.. Clarence Forbes.
They were residents of the same city as the
Baxter family, and as a matter of course,
while outwardly civil to each other,
were in reality on terms of the
deadliest rivalry. Mr.. Forbes had the adj
vantage of old acquaintance, having known
the family for nearly W years. Mr.. Ingram,
on the other hand, was a comparative novel
ty. He had known the family only a few
months, but had certainly made good use of
his time. He possessed the advantages of q
certain sort of good looks, cultivated man.
ners n considerable money. Mr.. Forbes, on
the contrary, had little in the world save a
handsome figure and a still handsomer face.
had his way to make. The two, as has been
intimated, had not as yet come to ~ open
quarrel, though they had several times come
perilously near it. Of the attitude of the pa
rents it may be said Mr.. Baxter's was
one of total Indifference; he simply
adOred his, fair-haired girl and
said in effect that there was
nothing IN earth she could not do that she
had a mine to. Mrs. Baxter, however, was,
not unnaturally, strongly in favor of Mr..
Ingram, whose superior advantages in the
way Of wealth and position there vas no de-
nying. Miss Ethel herself was noncommittal,
SO far; but, being an extremely dutiful
daughter, was far from being unaffected by
her mothers counsel. Then, too, Clarence
had chosen to be as jealous and hateful us q
bear of late. and the desire to demonstrate
to him that she was entirely mistress of her
W ~inclinations was much too strong to be
| resisted.
This morning, a dull, gray, unpleasant
morning early in November, Mr.. Forbes
and Miss Baxter had come nearer
to an open quarrel than for
many a long month. He had accused her
point-blank of triding with him; she had re-
torted that she did not wish to trife with
choose to be tri1ed with, SO there. Her
big blue eyes had snapped wickedly as
she said it, too; and poor Clarence had wan
dered away alone down the beach, a very
disconsolate man indeed.
1t was nearly two hours when he returned,
much to late for dinner. just as he was
turning aside to ascend the slope to the hotel
he caught sight of a small group of figures on
the beach, and observed a lank fisher
youth, with bare feet and q tattered blue
flannel shirt, in the act of LAUGHING a heavy
yawl, used at this late season for fishing ex-
cursions. Mr.. Forbes hesitated a moment,
glanced at the sky, and then walked quickly
down and joined the little party, Miss Ethel
glanced at him indiferently; Mr.. Ingram &C.
corded him with a supercilious nod. Mrs.
Baxter barely noticed him.
Il beg your pardon" began Clarence, bow
ing gracefully, "but l venture to hope that
you do not contemplate a sail this morn
ing"
"Oh yes, Mr.. Forbes, we did" replied Mrs.
Baxter, cheerfully, with an u~nmistakable
emphasis on the pronoun.
Clarence ignored the snub and began again:
~ beg you wifi not think me intrusive, Mrs.
Baxter" he said, ''but l can Law claim to
sail in a tub like this to-day may prove ex-
tremely unpleasant, and I hope you will not
undertake it," 49,.
Mr.. Ingram's sneer became more accentu-
ated.
But Clarence looked 40 handsome and so
valiant soul on the water, might have relented.
But Ethel, who got it into her sunny
little head that Clarence merely wished to
spoil her sail in Ingram's company, decreed
otherwise. With Ingram still s%neerinf
industriously, she stepped into tn
UOdU, uFeW ueF mOUuef Ill utter ner ana ElSneQ
to the fsher-boy and Ingram to push off.
Don't be concerned about us, Mr.. Forbes"
she called out, sweetly, but you may come
with us, if you like, and if you are not afraid"
She had no idea that he would accept the
invitation, but it was all he was waiting for.
The boat was ten feet from shore, but he ig.
nored the ruination wrought to his handsome
drnb trousers and glitterines patent feathers
and rushed through the strip ofwater, clutch
ing the Sua1wale just in time to be drawn into
the 10 rapidly-moving craft. Both ladies
gave vent to a cry of surprise at this extra
ordinary proceeding, and Mr.. Ingram SO far
forgQssAis task Of sneering as to laugh
but glowered at him very sayagely and clam
bered down into the bow, where he crouched
down, very cold, very uncomfortable and al
together miserable ~ ~ ,7 (
He had not been there five minutes before
he began to feel thoroughly thankful that he
wa there. The yawl was under mainsail,
top sail and jib, and by and by her old timbers
fairly cracked with the way she was flying
throughthe water. The wind was almost dead
off shore and increasing every moment. Mr..
Ingram stood at the tiller and directed the
boy in the manipulation of the sails. Ethel
fairly shouted with glee at the magnifcence of
the run, and Mr.. Ingram almost felt compen-
stated for his rivals presence.
1t was not long, however, before Mrs. Bax-
ter noticed the, extreme haziness of the shore
line and began to realize the distance they
were out. In spite of Ethel's protest she
peremptorily babe Mr.. Ingram put the boat
about and make for the shore.
1t was not until the young man attempted
to put her orders into execution that those
on board realized tide force of the wind that
was blowing. It anne with great, powerful
gusts and made a horribel singing sound as
it swept through the scanty rigging. Then,
too, it suddenly beanie apparent that while