The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-07-05
THE RIVALS

!.
The bone of contention was a young
man named Olaf Bordman, formerly
pastor in a Norwegian settlement out
west. but at the time of our story Il nroc-
tieing physician in that part Of our town
where his fellow comtrymcn formed the
bulk Of the population. He was not ex.
acly good looking, but ne had an inter-
estms, intellectual face and was good
talhcr, or, rather, he talked very little.
aul when he did say something it was
always to the point and made an impress
sion, as if what he left unsaid was of still
greater Importance and more interesting.
as though his mind was flied with all
sorts of clever things, which he was for
ever taking pains to suppress. The
Young doctor was the lion of the colony.
Two girls seemed to have far better
chances than the others These were
Ol-u Dan@cn. the daughter of a prosper
ou~ merchant, and Clara Waldscn. whose
father was the leading druggist hi the
Norwegian quarter. Both were decidedly
r.lty, although each in her own way.
olga was rather soHdly built. with large,
round, dreamy blue eyes. with slow move.
mruis She spoke in deliberate. calm ac-
cents, us if She took it for granted that YOU
were intensely interested i'm what She was
saying and that there was. therefore, no
hurry. Clara, on the other hand, was
slender and active. She had a well shap-
ed little head, small, regular features. full
Of intelligence and something which my
friend described as "a sort of melancholy
iupatience."i
They were the two best educated girls
in the colony. and for the last two or
three years-that is. since Clara came to
join her father, who had immigrated to
this country several years bcfore-they
had been fast friends. The doctor visited
both houses, and the three spent good
deal Of their time together.
1t was not long before the gos>ips came
To the conclusion that he was in love-
With whom? This was a rather difficult
question to answer, so opinion was di-
viJnd
lie is certainly in love with Olga"
said lady to my friend one day.
~ our reasons. madamf'
My reasons are the way he looks at
her, talks to her, of her. Can't you see
the man is crazy for the grl:'
That very afternoon another Norwe-
gian lady said to him in a confidential
manner:
I'VE are going to have a wedding one
Of these days. Have you noticed Dr.
Bordman's face when Clara is about:"
Nv friend. however, had his own opiIs
ion In the matter He had been watch
ing he former parson for some time. and
he had come 20 the conclusion that he
was flirting with both without being ser-
ouSly interested in ethe. of them.
Mind you. don't say he did not care
for ihcm," my friend explained, for, al
though | did not particularly like him, as
yon will see later YET was fair to him
and looked on with absolutely impartial
eyes, The fact of the matter was that
the girls had turned his head. so that he
was actually incapable of doing justice to
his own feelings. He was an honest,
good natured fellow, in fact, and if | dis
lGed him il was for his rctcencc, for his
solemn manner. and. above all for that
circumstance which will be made plain TO
you ~ the course Of my story"
hat both of the girls were madly in
love with the young physician nobody in
N'l'HA hOuDltU al INST lutA tll'N
TO conceal it from each other and to keep
up show of friendship. but they sradu-
aIl} became irritable, nervous, lost all
control of themselves, hetrayins their
jealousy on every step, carping at each
oIh'r quarreling over every triile. The
curious thing about it was that the more
frequent these conflicts became the more
HAAionS both of them seemed to make up
ID case Of an open fcud the doctor would
nave 10 visit the one in the absence of the
other and this Olga and Clara dreaded
more Than anything else As ii was they
Were constantly watching each others
mousse, forever on the alert, forever calcu-
illlfG rejecting, scheming If Clara. for
instance, came to the conclusion that
hordman would call on the Dangons on
thursday, she was sure to be there on
tne same evening In case Of sickness in
tne family she would manage to run in to
oHer her sympathy and help about the
uiae the physician was expected.
no two girls understood each other
perfectly. Their mutual hatred grew and
grew, but for a long time they simply
eoud ed not afford to fight in the open
Nlil' such a state of things could not ~
oh forever. A rupture was inevitable. aNi
lns Is the Wy it came about: Clara took
SICK Her little brother was sent for the
uoctor, and as ne was leaving the house
'ne patient said TO him
uh your way back step in to see olEa
'lu tell her to anne at once"
ne boy called for the doctor, but ~
niS way back found Olga out. so thar pg,
nordman came, prescribed some medicine,
,au a chat and went away About al
"our later Olga entered the house.
IIara. dear" she exclaimed in heart
nroEcn voice as she rushed up TO her
friends bedside.
oh' it's nothing It's only headache.
can stand these violent changes in the
weather. but it will pass off.
VI course it will, child. was SO sorry
your brother didn't find me. Father had
.'n' me to see somebody. When got
aome and was told you were sick, was
scared to DEATH"
On, you needn't have been scared.