The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-01-16
4 NOOU
PRIZE STORY
toriginal.l

erary club that a prize he offered for
the best short story. Some one sug-
gested that it would be better to offer q
prize for the worst short story, where
upon it IA determined to give two
prizes, n for the best and one for the
worst. At a meeting of the club the
manuscripts handed in were read by
the secretary. The following was in
competition for the BOBBY prize:
A TALE OF THE CATSKILL NOUN
TAINS.
One dark, dismal, disagreeable night
in midwinter. when the June roses were
in full bloom, a woman stood at the door
Of q cabin in the Catskill mountains,
Her tattered garments tluttered in the
wind, while her Jewels flashed in rain
bow hues IN the hot monday sun.
HE co'neth not she said.
There was a creaking of horses hubs
down the road, and q moment later the
splendid figure of a young man Of som
seventy-ive summers, mounted on an
Arabian steed. with steel springs and
leathern curtains, emerged from the
Glove.
"Oh, Algernon, why are you so lateY"
"Clarissa, dearest. l have been delayed
by a puncture in the left hind leg of
my trusty steed."
"Algernon, have the worst possible
news for you. Father is unalterably
opposed to marriage. He has a six
FOUNDER, loaded and pointed up the
chimney, ready to fire as soon as he is
aware Of your presence"
what. no! Does the old dotard think
to scare meY" And with one leap he
landed on the roof and stood looking
~defantly down the chimney. There
was a report, followed by a Shrek from
Clarissa, and her lovers headless trunk
rolled at her feet.
Maddened by the sight, Clarissa was
about to rush into the cabin to re-
proach her father with the bloody deed
when Algernon stopped her.
Consider" he said. '"rhe gun is by
this time reloaded. Let us take refuge
under the fall of the Kaaterskill."
Alas, they were too late! Just as
they We're about to sink behind a noun
tain peak the father appeared at his
cabin door with a feldglass and, point
Ing it deliberately at the fugitives,
pulled the trigger.
care you hurt. dearest?" asked AL
gernon tenderly.
"'Tis nothing-a mere break in the
left ventricle of the heart. | am bet
ter now. And YOU"
"a trif1e. The old man has been sad
ly fooled. Both my legs and both my
arms are cork. My right arm is gone,
but l have three limbs left OF good
flesh and blood"
"Then let us speed on"
Pulling the throttle wide oran, they
skinned the ice merrily. Reaching y
lake from which the water had Ieen
drained to supply the ~neighboriny resi-.
dences with warmth. they looked abou1
Cor a boat with which to cross.
ooh, for a mud scow" exclaimed
Clarissa. :
Here is something better,' replied
Algernon, and, seizing a toboggan tied
to a post, they mounted and rode up
the mountain side with lightning speed.
The sight from the summit was re-
splendent with beauty. The rising sun
was sinking in the north. The full
moon, a slender crescent fit to deck a
lady's brow, was at the moment pass
Ing behind Arcturus. All nature was
hushed, the stiffness unbroken save for
the blows of a thousand artisans In a
boiler shop in the valley.
The lovers were standing on the
peak, pensively viewing the scene and
unconscious of danger. when the pur-
suing father, wringing the sweat from
his Ave locks. reached the summit Of
q neighboring mountain and looked
wildly about for the fugitives. Not
seeing them, he drew a, searchlight
from his vest pocket and, pointing it
directly at Algernon's heart, fred. The
brave man who could not be worsted
by round shot succumbed to the more
subtle power Of electricity. An arm
and two legs caught fire and blazed
with the brilliancy Of pitch pine.
"My love! My love-" shrieked Cla-
rissa. Must 1 stand here helpless and
see you burn to a cinder?"
" III NV oSoi hCd1l lCp11Su luC
iron hearted a Il am only vulner-
able In the thorax." With that he
waded into the lake and was extin-
guished.
Moved by Algernon's bravery and
Clarissa's tears, the old man relented.
Seeing the limbless body of his would
be son-in-law floating in the lake, he
waded in and, selling Algernon by the
right arm and left leg, dragged him to
the shore.
"Give me your hard, noble man."
said Clarissa's father.
you've burned it." moaned Alger-
non.
Fortunately at that moment a distin.
guished dominic passed by, walking on
an alpenstock, and consented to unite
the pair in the holy bonds of matri-
mony. Then they all went home to q
joyous wedding breakfast.
Years have DaSsed since the sound