Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-06-29


 again he said: T am rustic lad my self, will you not let me finish the milk ting?"
 How he thanked his lucky stars that Inc could milk cow. It wasn't very lpoGbe accomplishment, but he was glad that he was an expert at 1t. The milking was soon finished, as he ap- piled himself exclusively to 1t without attempting to carry on any converse tion while it 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 a adipperful 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 millmaid disap- peared. Tn a. few minutes shereturned and brought with her two persons. One was man who grabbed Dobson by the hand with a Hello, Frank, old man, didn't expect to see me her9, did you" It was his friend Meredith Bond. His wife, who had been a chum of Dobson's sister, was the "she" of whom the millmaid 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 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 a very rich bari tome voice and it was pleasant there in the twilight 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 UlTCCS IOT uCI dH0 bCaCu1lE llCI SO1lC VI the wonderful lore of nature. It was 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 despera tely in love with you. It was always said that Frank Dobson would never fall in love, but know what he means, and it isn'b fair to let him go on in this way. I really ann sorry for him. He doesn't know that you are engaged and every day only makes matters worse" The milkmaid smiled encouragingly. If it is as bad as that will tell him some day about my engagement was her reply. Be sides. he may only be amusing him self with a backwoods idyl." "You ought not to say that, Mill dred," was Mrs. Bonds answer. He is a good fellow, and Bob's friend as well as mine.o
 The next day the sun shone down g1oriously on the glittering Flambeau. A kingisher scalloped along the river with his harsh, challenging cry, and overhead, far up, anseagle sailed. The pIash of 1eaping fish here and there scattered a spray of silver beads on the surface of the water, and a 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 l told her that she was the one woman 1 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.
 s'Well, in that case" he said, "od course tue other fellow isn't here to make his talk, and I haven t, got aword to say" But, why don'tyou reproach me for not telling you of this before 2 the girl said sReproach yon," was the mans reply. Why, I wouldn't have missed the privilege of loving you for l 20 years out of my life. 7
 She put her hand tender1y on his scared face. q love you,' she stam- engagement. He is old enough to be my father. It was an idea of loyalty to my father. am going to be loyal to you; to myself"
 And that is how it came to be her. aided abroad that Dobson, the gay, the debonair, the handsome, the cultured and fastidious, had married a milk maid.
 MORE WATER FOR WEST POINT visiting Board Has object Lesson and