Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-09-24

" mum0te after Il little. | guess folks
had told him l was Il chap that could
Keep things under my hat. and so he
made quite free IN telling me things.
He had to quit living ut the hotel after
a week or two. Bill Twichell, that runs
1t. swore so the parson couldn't stand
II. Bits got n voice that you can hear
over IN the next township when he's
speaking MS usual, and when he swcars
he raises 1t n little. So 1t didn't do
Cateswcll any good to shut himself up
IN his room. He could hear 1t up there
just the same. He gave Bin n talking
TO about 1t. Bin got mad. He doesn't
know half the time when he swears.
It's as natural to him rs eating and al.
most as natural MS drinking.
"Something's got to be ,allowed for
the int1rmity OF human nature, sir"
says tho minister, "but such profanity
as yours is %incNcusablc. 1t is not mere.
~ that 1t violates the precepts Of reli-
zion. It's against common decency."
IF YOU don't like it." says Bill, "you
can move"
SO Catcswell moved.
lie done something like the governor
did when the county attorney resign
I'd. There was about fourteen candi-
dates planning to get the nomination.
II governor didn't want to take
sides, and so not to give any OF them
an advantage ovcr the others he said
he'd appoint Judge Wilson, 1t being
understood and agreed that the judge
wouldn't he Il candidate for the nomi-
nation. When the convention come to
meet, the judge said he'd found there
was such Il widespread desire to have
him continue in the office that he felt
he'd be Sinking his duty to the public
II he didn't accept the nomination and
that the convention would be Sinking
theirs II they didn't give 1t to him.
SO he's county attorney vet, and that's
more than fourteen years ngo.
Cateswell went on the same princi-
pie MS The governor. He figured that
ecause the Widow Mcleod was most
forty. With Il son going on nineteen.
she wouldn't be II candidate.
"She's just like II mother to me-"
Cateswell says to me after he'd been
rooming at her house a little while.
ALWAYS c%antioning me about going
out in wet weather without my over
shoes and worrying IL I have n little
headache"
didn't say anything. just smiled.
But he caught on.
"iou don't think she's got designs
on me, too, do your" says he.
well, | amt blind" says l..
But OF course the widow didn't real
ly count, and 1T want long before the
race narrowed down to Susie Remick
anu ldh Sargent. Susie was q dark
ish completed girl, with large, sort OF
sorrowful eyes. She was pretty strong
on book learning. though; could write
poetry even. A real deep girl SHE was,
but not much at putting herself for
ward. The Sargent girl was different.
She was one of the light, fluffy haired.
rosy checked, blue eyed kind that cnn
talk you deaf. dumb and blind I'm ten
minutes, or course in II way she had
an advantage, not being basllful, like
Susie. But experience counts for n
whole lot In Il game like that. That's
where Il girls mother comes I'm handy
MIS-. Sargent was an invalid, and.
while she could post Ida at home,
that want like being right on the
spot ana Whispering instructions IN
the girls car at just the proper mo-
ment. Mrs. Remick was a pretty slick
calnpalgncr too. She'd married off
three daughters, and she knew how
the trick was done If anybody did.
Inc fellows Mt the store used TO law
wagcrs on who was going to win.
Most of 'em gambled on the Sargent
girl. but ia just shut my left eye ana
say. You walt ana see" Then they'd
get stufry md say / was always put.
ting on airs and pretending to know
more'n other folks ana they guessed
l iadht got no second sight and want
no propllci either, all of which | took
good nhtrred. not being given to wor.
rying.
cateswell used to talk the situation
over with me quite frank.
II bellev | could be happy with Ell
Their Of en- he'd say. an fact. Pm
quite sure Of 1t. But | emit make M
my mind which to choose. Miss Re.
mick appeals to the intellectual side of
me-; but, on the other hand, | like Miss
S%argent's vivacity and her unfaillng
good nature
thought to myself, "If you'd heard
Ida go jawlng around the house like
some Of the ncigllbors have you'd
change your notion about her unfail. |
Ing good nature" But I didn't CON
sider 1t any part of my business to
butt In and spoil Idn's game. so 1 kept
my mout hut about 1t.
Flip up a cent" l says. That's the
easiest way to settle It,"
II couldn't think Of treating such q
matter In a hlppant way" says he.
So things ran along that fashion TIL
the day Of the Sunday school picnic.
held over to Hexham lake that
year. In them days everybody went
he Sunday school picnic, old codg-
ers and all. You'd no joltfng over
six miles Of not specially good road in