Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-05-03
AN ORIGINAL
LOVE AFFAIR.
o. Lucy nv sAMlN-

farm without the aid Of any woman.
They're dreadful onsarten creatures, .
he said. ~ can't caIc'late jlst what
they're goin' to do. Most O. my friends
as hes gone Into matrimony hes had
trouble from the time they married
and wished they was out OF It. There's
Joe Biglow III with his'n and livin' q
cat and dog life. Tom Tinker divorced,
Bill Andrews drew to drink. The VIM
min don't show their real selves till
after the ceremony. don't intend to
put myself where they kin get at me z
But as his farm lands and crops and
stock increased he felt the need Of
women's help. He no longer had time
to do the cooking or the washing or
milking, and he took In housekeeper,
the ugiiest and oldest he could find.
1t was not long before he had others.
Since he had made a break be might
as well rely on his resolution to protect
him and took in several maids. one OF
whom-Mary Baker-was quite pretty.
When Mary came he felt that she had
brought danger. but considered him
self equal to the task Of keeping out
of her tolls.
One winter morning something hap
pened. Mary was going out TO do her
milking; he, walking directly behind
her. to feed the stock. Mary slipped
on a bit of ice and fell right into his
arms. He turned her face up toward
his and kissed her. Then he pushed
her away. Mary blushed and went on.
It had all come about so quickly that
he couldn't understand how he hat
done such a thing. He didn't look at
Mary all that day, and when she asked
him what she should do with the
black and white COW. she kicked so,
he turned away without answering
her.
A few days later Mary was brought
into the house badly injured by a kick
from the black and white COW. Eben
scolded her for not having taken pre-
cautions against such a result. iuti-
mating that IL she had told him the
cow kicked he would have MIXED her
himself. Mary made no reply to this
GhE AIGb NAlu huAAAln III
tuition that he was not scolding her.
but himself. Perhaps she felt az
grieved at his unjust treatment. He
didn't go near her while she was re-
covering.
Next fractions bull gored Eben and
came pretty near killing him. Mary
asked him II she could do anything for
him. He said "No" very shortly, but
when she went away called her back
and told her she might put n pillow
under him. She did most Of the nurs-
ing till he was out of danger. then
ceased her visits to him. He called
for her and asked IL she was so In
human as to let him die all alone
when every one ON the farm was
busy. She made no reply to the ques-
ton, but asked him what he wanted
He mentioned several things. which
she got for him, then left him again.
This irritated him, and he called her
back.
MARY" he said grufly, what did
you slip for the other day-a-purposeT
Mary walked out of the room with
her nose In the air.
He recovered slowly and. all the
while having nothing at all to do but
think, thought of what was ON his
mind-Mary. He was sure she was
trying to marry him. but he was losing
the power to protect himself against
Der when she was churniug and said:
MARY, suppose you want home.
Most women do. | don't want TO dis
appoint you. VIII you marry met"
''No, / won't" she said angrily.
She went on pounding the churn. and
he went away astonished.
Nothing occurred in this peculiar
courtship for several days. when he
met her coming from the barn.
"Hev you thought better Of it," be
asked.
''Of whatT'
Margin me-"
'YOa don't want to git married" she
said.
WAL" he replied musingiy, Il don't
know as I do"
This made Mary furious. I'm goin'
when my months up she said.
"Goin'T"
''Yes. You'd better git another girl"
This knocked the bottom out OF
Eben's theory that Mary had been try
ing to marry. him. But be didn't give
IL up entirely till he learned from
nelghboring farmer that she had asked
him If he wanted help. Nevertheless
be was puzzled. He thought that II be
could do something 20 convince Mary
that be loved her she would yield. He
finally hit on a plan.
The Weekly Eagle came out Satur-
day morning. One Saturday afternoon
when Mary. dressed for half holiday.
started to go out she saw all the oceu-
pants Of the farm gathered about her
employer shaking him enthusiastically
By the hand Several were reading
the Eagle over the holders shoulders.
Ia sakes. exclaimed Mary, whats
the matterT
A faint terror seized her that some
thing important had occurred 20 her