Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-09-15
A Toss Between Rivals
Observation-Disclosures
TOriginaI.1

| lOrigtnal.
Ben Arnold and l were chums, and
Dorothy Drummond was a witch.
Given a pair of chums and a witch,
and what is the invariable result? A
| quarrel between the chums. If this
invariable result had happened in our
case there would be nothing worth the
telling. So many such affairs have
taken place that they have ceased to
be at least novel. Dorothy said she
would have nc...@C" of us, declaring at
the same TIM tat we were more in
love with eacn other than with any
one else. l viii admit that this helped
Ben and me to keep from quarreling,
though neither of us believed her.
We invented tests to force Dorothy
| to show her hand. Whether she was
too smart for us or whether she had
nothing but friendship for either of us
we could not tell. At any rate not one
of our tests gave us any information.
| We cOnspired to send her invitations
| for drive to take place at the same
hour of the same day, hoping she
would show her preference by accept.
ing one and declining the other The
| little mink accepted both, asking us to
call with an equipage capable of seat
ing four persons, as she wished to
take her grandmother. We were both
| furious, but dared not disobey We
tried to force her to choose one of US
to sit beside her, but she declined to
enter the carriage till all had been
seated. She was the life of the party,
which must have been a difficult role
to play, for Ben and sat nursing our
wrath to keep it warm" When we
handed the two women out, Dorothy
was profuse in her thanks for an in
vitation which had not been given.
One day l told Ben that there was
but one way to force a decision be-
tween us. That was to tell Dorothy
| if she would have neither of us she
must lose both of us. We would both
''go west" Ben consented to this at
once. He believed the girl loved him
and when it came to the point of los
| ing him would show her hand. l had
no doubt that l was the fortunate
man and, if a choice was inevitable
would be chosen. If you ask on what
grounds we based these opinions re-
ply that each drew his Inference from
Dorothy's actions toward him. She
| gave me her photograph, exacting my
| promise not to fell Ben, and gave Ben
her photograph, eEacting his promise
not to tell me. This sort Of trick she
| played us in a great variety of ways.
70 hot ch
deem himself the favored one.
One evening we called on Dorothy
together and stated our proposition.
In order that neither should have the
advantage Of being spokesman we
were both spokesman Ben made a
! preliminary statement of the case.
while | followed with the alternative.
The little witch's eyes danced while
we were doing SO, though when the
last words were spoken, ''or we go
west tomorrow" she looked at us in
| quiringly. Seeing determination in
the countenance of each, she made a
| little gasp, then turned her back and
walked to the window.
When she turned toward us there
was a singular expression, or rather
combination of expressions, on her
| face-something serious, something
comical, and, above all, something ex
tremely mischievous.
Il don't wish to drive two such fine
| fellows away" she said. eff 1 must
choose between you l must make my
choice by lott
Going to an antique writing desk,
she opened & little drawer and took
out an old copper cent, such as has
now gone completely out of circIla-
ton.
at is a toss between you. l shall
flip this cent. If it comes down tails"
(she said this to Benz 81 will marry
you and make you a devoted wife. If
it comes down heads" turning to me)
''you are the one shall love till death
do us part"
''You give me tails. l am not your
preference" said Ben in a frightened
tone
"Let us choose for ourselves" l said
"Give Ben first choice"
'YOu have neither of you anything
to do with the method by which [
come to my decision" she said. cit
is who make the choice, not you"
Tossing the cent In the air, giving it
a flip at the same time with her thumb,
it fell on the floor, rolled about awhile,
struck the leg of a chair and was still.
Ben and both sprang forward, but
Dorothy waved us back.
Zone step and you both go west"
she exclaimed
Picking up the coin, which we could
both see she did carefully and fairly,
she held it out to us without looking
at it herself.
Heads I cried.
Ben dropped into chair. She went
to him and took his hand, while tear
stood in her eye. / slipped out of the
room, leaving her to comfort him.
Ben acted very nicely about the az
Co oD6 ~