Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-01-18
land OF Dakota. He had long since
ceased to be amused at the uncouth gar

land OF Dakota. He had long since
ceased to be amused at the uncouth gar
lnents, the stolid gaze and the odd Iangu-
age. The apparently monotonous aim
and barren souls were vivid in their
heart-purpose and ideals OF his keen and
sympathetic view. The political bicker-
lngs, the clannish prejudices, theceaseIpss
squaobilng over mortgages, interest,
taxes and land contests-all were to him
only thin wells which could not hidefrom
his vision the earnest love for family aud
pride in it's support, the passion for the
tree home, the aspiration forindependent
living and thinking, the quick sympathy
Tor distress, and the dogged, perhaps un-
reasonable, but ever constant hope and
faith in life beyond. He saw all these,
and the people knew that he saw them,
and their hearts went out to him silen thy
In great love and utter trust
And now he was running for office"
He was going to make commercial and
political use Of the love felt for him in or
der to ride into II public position? No
one dared to charge it against him. His
aim was as pure as if he had been conse-
Grated to his work. He had learned
that the office OF sheriff in the Northwest
is one OF almost limitless power and can
be used for oppression and extortion.
The present sheriff had fairly reused the
county by his exasperating fees and
terrible greed. He had seized grain as it
came from the hopper and whisked it
away from the despalring farmers eyes
because OF some insignificant, perhaps
baseess, claim, at the order OF some
heartless creditor or swindler, and his
reelection was impossible. Cushman
knew that his party might blindly take
up as bad and unit a man as the pre-
sent sheriff, and he was glad to answer
Yes" when the call came to him.
But there was another reason for his
decision, and it was powerful, although
he would not acknowledge tia; y, ,.ut!
existence. This young scion OF Beacon
Hill, whose youth had been passed in the
society of beautiful, charming and in
telectual girls, but who had never felt in
their presence more than a momentary
thrill, was now plainly touched by a
Young woman, recently transplanted to
North Dakota from Iowa. Among the
stories which fitted across the prairie to
account for Cushman's presence in that
new country was one that he had been
crossed in love and had fled thther to
hide the wound; and he had laughed cy-
nica!ly and loudly when this story came
to his ears. But since Nary Somers had
come into the county to keep house for
her brother, and s'preservp him from
state of savagery," as she langhingly
SAID, Ned had certainly experienced
new sensation.
There was nothing remarkable about
Mary Somers in the eyes OF the residents
OF her native village. She was a lady,
they knew that. She was stndious
and modest and happy, but she had en-
tered very little into the life OF the village
because she loved her home and books
roo much. But when all the tram mels
OF old surroundings and the restraints
and familiarities OF her village life fell
away by her removal to Dakota, and
she came face to face with astrong soul,
she expanded like a rose to the sun.
There was thus revealed a sweetness of
being. a freshness and breadth of view
upon 'he great questions OF life just be-
ginning TO unfold themselves to her, that
quite puzzled and delighted Ned Cushman
1t would be difficult to recognize a
sharper contrast than that between
brother and sister. The father had been
a merry Englishman, who had left the
army to bury himself in the little Iowa
town. where he soon died, leaving a help
less and hopeless widow and two child
rem to the mercy Of the world. AS often
happens in families the sunshine OF the
twain had shone into the life of the girl,
while all the shadow had fallen upon the
path OF the boy. She was her fathers
daughter, he was his mothers son. His
view was narrow and suspicious, he
was full OF msgivings and doubts and he
was dubbed by many older than he,
'Old Calamity"
Continued Next Weekly