The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-07-09
He bowed and said: "You are &C
quainted with some Of my friends, that


. man up here with q scar on his cheek
who would not be backward in con-
versation."
Dobson felt the rebuke. II aclsnowl.
edge the description" he said, "but the
trees and the river are singularly reti-
cent" and as the milkmaid smiled
again he said: 81 am q rustic lad my.
self, will you not let me finish the milk.
ing?"
How he thanked his lucky stars that
he could milk cow. It wasn't . very
polite. accomplishment, but he was
glad that he was an expert 1T It. The
milking was soon finished, as he APP
piled himself exclusively to it without
attempting to carry on any converse.
ton while 1t lasted.
At the end of his task the girl re-
marked: You may as well bring it up
to the house. There is dipper there
and you can have dipperful for your
labor" Dobson dutifully picked up
the bucket and the stool and followed
ON to the lodge. Arriving there he was
ushered in and the milkmaid disap-
peared. In few minutes she returned
and brought with her two persons.
One was a man who grabbed Dobson
by the hand with "Hello, Frank, old
man, didn't expect to see me here, did
you" It was his friend Meredith
Bond. His wife, who had been chum
of Dobson's sister, was the ':she" Of
whom the milkmaid had spoken few
minutes before. The milkmaid herself
was Miss Mildred Wyatt, quite the
most fetching dream of femininity that
the young man had ever seen. =
Bond Immediately insisted on Dob
sons changing his quarters from.
Pierre's to the lodge, and Dobson
tramped back to the canoe and fixed it.
up with the guide. He astonished that
party with q most liberal tip and
brought the bass back to. the lodge.
The guide went back for his traps and
in another day he was safely housed at
Meredith's.
But the fishing languished. Bond,
who was a keen fisherman, complained
to his wife that Frank was neglecting
the sport. His wife, aware Of the at
traction, simply smiled and shrugged
her shoulders. Dobson and the milk
maid took long walks together and at
night she sat at the piano and played to
his singing. He had q very rich BARI
tone voice and it was pleasant theme in
theitwilight to listen to their music. At
times he took her on the river and
taught her to ''cast" for bass, and
amused her by naming the birds and
trees for her and teaching her some Of
the wonderful lore sof nature Twas
getting to be a very serious matter.
Mrs. Bond took Mildred to task about
it one morning.
'.Look here, Mildred, said her friend,
this must not go on any longer. The
man is desperately in love with you. 1t
was always said that Frank Dobson
would never fall in love, but know
what he means, and it isn't fair to let
him 60 on in-this way. ] really am
sorry for him. He doesn't know that
you are engaged and every day only
makes matters worse" The milkmaid
smiled encouragingly. ST tits as bad
as that will tell him some day about
my engagement" was hereby. Be
sides, he may only be amusing him
self with a backwoods idyl."
"You ought not to say that, Mil
dred," was Mrs. Bonds answer. ''.He is
a good fellow, and Bob's friend al well
las mine.'' gF8
The next day the sun shone down
gloriously on the sglittering Flambeau
"A kingfisher scalloped along the river
with his harsh, challenging cry, and
overhead, far up, aneagle sailed. The
plash of a leaping fish here and there
scattered spray OF silver beads on the
surface Of the water, and few faint
clouds swung low on the far off hori-
zon.
Dobson and the milkmaid were seat
ed on the bank Of the stream and en-
gagged in earnest conversation He.had
told her that she was the one woman
in the world and she had informed him
that she was already the wife-to-be of
another man. The deep scar on his
right cheek turned white. \.
"Well, in that case,' he said, ''of
course the other fellow isn't here to
make his talk, and I haven't got word
to say" 'But, why don't you reproach
me for not telling you of this before?"
the girlssaid. "Reproach you, {" was the
mans reply. "Why, I wouldn't have
missed the privilege Of loving you for
90 years out of my life." z s5i jt
She put her hand tenderly on his
SCARED face. Il love you," she stam-
mered. I'll am going to break my
engagement. He is old enough to be
my father. It was an idea Of loyalty
to my, father. I am going to- be loyal
to you; to myself - Y = ~ y
And that is how it came to be her.
aided abroad that Dobson, the gay, the
debonair, the handsome the epltpred
and fastidious, had married . milk
maid.
MORE WATER FOR WEST POINT
visiting Board Has object Lesson ana
Will Recommend Larger
& sz Approximations
.z&Ss Ed R5sI