Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-03-01
A DAKOTA ROMANCE.
BY IRENE Q. W. ADAMS.
CHAPTER Nv.

|
vas no lime or masons to get,
,ut the excellent brown building palper
eryed as a good substitute. THE inren-
or of this paper" one of her carpenters
.emarked to her, deserves q pension;
( is cheap. durable, and excludes heat
Or cold quite equal to plasterlng." She
had rough boards put onto the frame out
tide and inside, isyor of paper on each
side OF this, and good siding finished the |
exterior of the building Within she
pasted strips OF cloth wherever the pa
per was Joined and lacked, and put on
wall paper thatsa the walls the. appear
ance of plastered walls. There was but
one room, sixteen feet square, with
chamber above it, low, arched room.
that was her bed chamber. ctathes-room,
dressing room and bath room in one
She brought no furniture from her ess-
tern home except the silver, china and
pictures belonging to her mother. and
the carpet and bedding required for uae
in her tiny cottage. hard coal heater
and an oil stove were set up, one to make
the room warm. the latter for culinary
purposes. She must economic room IS
well as money, and this method prom
iseG to save fuel and space, for the oil
stove could be set in her coal bin in the
little lean to over the one outside door,
when not In use. A table, bedstead and
a few chairs, all nice and modern, were
ordered from st, Paul. Her carpets, pic
lures, shelves for books, china, etc, were
well placed, stoves set up and the little
nest ready fer the weary girl when the
furniture came. a deep cavern of .
chest was built under her china shelves
to stow vegetables, -four, canned fruits.
ETC., for her little room was never to
freeze, and a supply of coal and provis-
ions must be laid in for the entire win
ter. All this occupied her time and
thoughts dining her stay at the hotel,
and to the voluble landlsdy she seemed
proud and distant girl, very uncom-
psnionable and repellent. Mrs. Brews-
ter had lived upon the frontier three
years, among railroad men and land seek
ers, with scarcely a woman's face to
brighten the monotony; she hungered
for female society. She was true wo-
manly woman, from whom hard work
and care had rubbed the polish and beau
ty, yet the rich heart of goodness re-
manned. Miss Banner was q type that
she had seen almost nothingo of in all her
life, and she lcnged to hear her speak,
and observe the quiet, refined manners
of the welI-bred lady. If Sunnie had
known the real feelings of the woman
she would have made an effort to appear
sociable and friendly, though really so
pre-occupied with selfish interests
However, when the wagon drove to the
door to take Miss Banners trunks to her
own house. and the landlady appeared
with basket of cooked provisions to
start her out in housekeeping" as she
said, until she got the machine a-rtin-
ming" her interest aroused to look at the
motherly face intently.
"You are a thoughtful woman, Mrs.
Brewster; with so much on your mind,
how came you to think of me?"
"You seem so lonely, miss, / could not
help thinking of you q good deal; be-
sides am that hungry for women that l
hate to see you go. 1t was company for
me to have you here, though you never
talked to me-"
The lady felt rebuked. "Pve been
very busy, Mrs. Brewster, and, bslieve
selfish. too; if you viii be glad to see me,
I'll come and visit you often, and be very
glad to have you come to see me-"
81 win be glad, surely, do come re.
sponded The kind woman, heartily.
Sunnie Banner retired 10 her room at
an early bed time. The first rain that
had visited the county for many weeks
was falling gently. Drouth is the only
fear settlers feel for the future sgrieul.
tural success of fair Dakota. 20, how
sweetly shall / Sleep she thought, 'tc
such music; how strangely itseems when
| realize thatI am miles away from any
other human being, on the wild prairie
this dark. stormy night, yet not afraid
Does it speak of the apathy of my being!
that am too dulled by pain and care to
feel acutely, or is it the sense of security
that fills me with content" Before the
question was fully settled in her mind
sleep finished the analysis.
The morning was clear and frosty
She was up early from habit. "Ill over
come this habit rs / eau, she said, while
yainly endesyoring to get another nsp
| "Td like to sleep months as the bears do
till I'm rested through and through. ~
She took hasty walk down to the little
lake near by. before she prepared hel
simple breakfast, to get the pure air and
a healthy appetite. Heretofore I've
taught young ladiesthe rules of hygine,
and violated every one of them myself
now shall devote my energies to pre-
serving Miss Banner; Iwonderif / shall
not grow hard and Gallons, as others dc
| who live for self. God forbid-one had
better wear out than rust out in theii
own selfsnness. How home-like the liz
tie place seems already" she looked W
at her little house from the waters edge
''Is it because it's mine, the first home
ever ogned?" The repor. of gun near
by, checked her reverie. The wild birds
taking their morning bath, rose from the
water with rushing sound like train
of cars, startled liks herself at the intrus'
ion. Evidently the hunter had not OBJ.
served her until she started with quick
pace toward the house, She took hasty
glance before retreating, and he was al
least half mile away, but that Devil
dered familiar sensation crept over hel
that she had felt in the little house over
the hin and across the valley, when Lee
Byron had called with her upon "hel
neighbor." What did it mean? The
Authorization, for such she determined
to call it, was broken by loud rap upon
her door. and Lee Byron wac admitted
with his friend, Mr. Fyber
"You are as cosy as q cricket" Lee be-
gan, surveying the room. "Those two
south windows are pleasant. How eco
nomically you have disposed of thing
about your room; these gay, picture
curtains, / presume, conceal host o.
cooking arrangements" Thus the joily
hearted boy ratified on, takingan ''inyen
tory" Of everything in the apartment.
''Sit down." she urged, "and rest--yor
look tired"
Can't stop; Mr.. Fyber and are goins