The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-03-14
how we met at the Umprey House in

how we met at the Umprey House in
Bolton, Dakota. To top the climax our
routes were identical; and to outwit
those young fellows became my object
my sole desire. Scheme after scheme
kept revolving in my mind, but it was
Dame Fortune, or Madam Fate, who
sent the trump that gave me the lead.
That trump was none other than Bob
Sharp, one of the best fellows on the
road. had known Bob, and met him
frequently, for ten or twelve years; so
[ told him about the game l, was UP
against.
"He drew out cigar, and as the little
blue clouds rose upwards, he leaned
against the hotel desk surveying, in his
mind, the dimensions of the office. AS
his eyes wandered noted that he was
also taking the measure, or sizing up,
the three boys who were, in q way, the
objects of our tender care care to out
wit Finally Bob turned to me and said:
Just wait. With that caution L sat
down to wait, for was satisfied that
Bob would inaugurate some plan, or
perform some miracle, to enable me to
get, at least, day's;start Of my com.
petitOrs.
"It was after supper when Sharp en-
tered the office, followed by tall, slim,
serions-looking fellow, who carried one
arm in sling, and was apparently
cowboy. They seated themselves and
became very much interested in the
yarns which the young drummers were
swapping, but concluded that their
apparent interest was being manifested
for some particular purpose. Accord
ingly | related few yarns that set the
others to laughing-all but the cowboy.
He was SO serious looking that feared
he would overdo his part-whatever it
was to be. The funniest story we could
tell would not cause him to even smile.
"Duringthestory telling the landlord,
a genial type of the west, sat behind
the desk, seemingly, enjoying the free
for-all entertainment. Finally he spoke
to the cowboy saying: Harry, have you
decided to renOunce the world, and be-
come the prospective owner of that
MANSION you were telling aboutp IT
not you might give one of these buys
the opportunity of their lifetime. May
be they would be pleased to hear about
your adventure That was sufficient to
arouse our interest, and we encouraged
the youth to tell us about the adven-
ture. He hesitated for a few seconds
and the silence could be almost felt
when he began.
"'September first Joe Haley sent me
word that the roundup would begin
on the third, and that he would expect
me at the home ranch in time for the
start. It's only sixty miles from here
to the home ranch of the o. K. cattle
company, and got there on the Sec
ond. The roundup proceeded along GUS
tomary trails and we arrived at Bux-
ton, q shipping point, on the twenty
fifth. We had loaded the beeves and
were about to make another start when
took sick and had to remain at Bux.
ton. One. day strolled ont thru the
town and it being fine day wander
ed along the banks of the Grande River.
How far went is immaterial, but l
concluded to take short cut back to
the town. My way led thru strip of
timber, and you may imagine my SUR
prise to find mansion in that out-of-
the-way place. Yes, sir; about mile
south of the town, in the wooded verge
along the Grande, there stands man.
sionthat would arouse the instinct of
covetousness in the heart of a Wall
Street millionaire. 1t is surrounded by
high stone wall, around which is a
moat-in fact, from the outside it re-
sembles castle of the feudal days. A
narrow bridge spans the moat, and,
before I really knew whittier my foot
steps wended, 1 had crossed the bridge
and was beside the entrance gate. 1t
was slightly ajarr and / peered in.
"'Just q few feet within the gate
there stood an old man. His hair was
whitened, his beard long and snowy,
his shoulders bent By passing years,
and his step was faltering. He moved
q few feet and paused to gaze at Q bed
of chrysanthemums. My first impress
sion was that he was there to linger
out his few remaining years. Soon he