The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-05-14
A STRANGE STORY
OF THREE.
L.

He was a stalwart voting farmer. a
grandly built man, with a handsome
bronzed face, broad shoulders, feet
which stood squarely upon the earth,
and a pair of fearless eyes. Frank
Maxwell, aged twenty-five. owner of
broad acres, a physical frame in per-
feet condition, and a well developed
mind, was a man to be envied.
She was a dainty maiden, with a
graceful figure, a complexion of min
gled roses and lilies, and eyes as
bright and blue as the summer lakes.
Daisy Springfield, aged nineteen. own
er of a beautiful face, a glad-hearted,
OF a beautiful face, a glad-hearted,
sunny disposition and countless pretty
dresses, was a woman to be loved.
1t was something less than a man,
but more thai an animal, with a face
of satyaike h~ideousness, a misshapen
back. bowed legs and a pair of arms
so long that the hands hung low like
those of a gorilla. Dumb Dick, of age
unknown, owner of a half-witted mind,
n body of abnormal strength and ugli-
ness and a fierce and ungovernable
lcllpCls was Il creature W Ue Suuuueu
and diStrusted.
These were the invariably judgments
of everybody who knew all three of
them.
Frank was an orphan, living on his
own farm, understanding his business
and capable of conducting it in a thor
oughly efficient manner; just the sort
of man who would be like to cut a
| rorxy 1,ncpaata1 1n a o1,pa Is, tho ,-arll
and end by leaving his children more
money and more acres than his father
! had left him.
Daisy was the only daughter of a
| prosperous lawyer, a little inclined to
be vain of her good looks, but good by
nature n thoroughly pure-hearted;
just the sort of woman to make an
affectionate wife, careful of her home,
a comfort to her husband, and a friend
to her children-the model British ma
iron.
Dumb Dick was presumably the or
phan child of a gypsy oma who had
brought him long years ago to the
workhOuse and had died there. He
was wild and unmanageable, had run
away and refused all control, and lived
how and where he could, picking up
l W. JUS dlIu swaps VI loOu, u Slluli-
ming all human society; just the sort
of creature to commit some awful
crime; and it was shameful that he
should be allowed to wander at large.
These facts and deductions were the
common talk of everybody who knew
all three of them.
Frank and Daisy stood together in
the path of a little wood. Dumb Dick
was also in the wood, but he was hid
den by a thick screen of hazels. Frank
and Daisy faced each other, and Frank
held both of Daisy's little white hands
in II of his brown palms. They both
looked very happy, but their happi-
ness showed itself in different ways.
Franks happiness overlooked in light
from his honest, brown eyes; Daisy's
eyes were bent toward the ground and
her happiness could only be guessed
by the smile which trembled upon her
lips, and the pretty blush Pickering
over her cheek. Dumb Dick, all un-
seen, clenched his fist and ground his
teeth in fury, crumpling up his face
ibHttP the new %ngliness of mingled rag
The little wood was very still, save
for a slight rustling among the dry
| leaves, or the crack of Il twig beneath
tLic oNlIl IoUJ VI d Squirrel, VI Inp Ot-
casional fall of a ripe nut. And in the
silence and the shadow Frank bent
forward and kissed Daisy lightly OH
the lips.
Then the lovers walked away togeth-
er, hand in hand like a pair of happy
children.
And, all alone behind his screen of
hazels, Dumb Dick flung himself down
at full length, ciawing at the brown
earth with his hands and giving vent
to his feelings in inarticulate growIs
of rage, and dry choking sobs of mis-
cry.
Of course there Ia no reason why
the sight of a pair of handsome and
happy lovers should have made this
misshapen creature either angry or
wretched. But he was bad as well as
mad.
AT least, SO people said.