Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1909-02-05

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.s|' "Yep. Couldn't help it.. Him an
Buck Mckee are about the whole of
Florence these days." > -
''Too bad about Bud consorting with
that rustler. I've had to fire him for
It," h ,I N Is
Fire him? Well you are a good
friend! Talk about mems loyalty! If
women threw men down that easy
you all would go to the bowwows too
fast for us to make dog biscuit. Now,
i've settled Buck McKec's, hash by
putin Slim Hoover ,as>-e to- that
tongue slittin'. Oh, s bring Bud
around, all right, all right, even if
men that ought to be his friends &c
back on him."
But, Pollykins"-
Don't you grille me, Jack Payson.
I'm a woman, an Pm goin' to be
married one, too, in spite of all you do
to Bud. Yes, sirree bob! I've set out
to make man of him, an I'll marry
him to do it if he amt dollar to his
name. But money d make it lots
quicker an easier. He was savin'
up till he run in with Buck Mckee"
A sudden thought struck Payson.
Here was q way to dispose Of Dick
Lanes money when it came.
"Al right, Mrs. Bud Lane to be.
Promise not to tell Bud, and through
you I'll soon make good to him many
times over the foreman's wages he's
lost. It's money that's coming from
an enterprise that his brother and
were partners in, and Bud shall have
Dicks share. He's sore on me now,
and l can't tell him. Besides, he'd
gamble it away before he got it to.
Buck Mckee. Bud isn't strictly ethic-
al in regard to money matters, Polly,
and you must manage the exchequer."
Gee, what funny big words you use,
Jack! But Isknow what you mean,
he's too free handed. Well, he'll be
savin' as trade rat until we get our
home paid for. An I'll manage the
checker business when we're married
No more poker an keno for Bud.
Thank you, Jack. l always knew you
was square,"
sS ;Polly's sincere praise Of his square
ness" was the sharpest thrust possible
at Payson's guilty conscience. Well,
he resolved to come as near being.
square and level as.he could. He had
Stold half truths to Bud and Polly; he
A>would present the situation to Echo as
a4possible though not actual one If
Polly were wrong and Echo loved him
so much that she would break the
word she pledged to Dick Lane, then
he would confess all, and they would
do what could be done to make 1t right
with the discarded lover
Echo, observing from the window
who was Polly's companion, ran out to
Jack, with cry of joy He looked
meaningly at Polly. She said: "Oh,
give me your bride! l. know how
many's a crowd" Jack leaped to the
ground and took Echo in his arms,
while Polly rode off with the horses
to the corral, singing significantly; <.
Spoon. spoon, spoon,
While the dish ran away with the spoon"
Jack and Echo embraced clingingly
and kissed lingeringly. 1T takes a
crazy old song like that to express how
foolish we lovers are said Jack
T., Why feel that could outfiddle the
, cat, outjump the COW, outlaugh the dog
and start an elopement that would
= knock the performance Of the table
ware as silly as well, as I am talking
now FIN living in a dream-a mid
summer nights dream such as you
: were reading to me-
/: i, The iunatic, the lover and the
poet, quoted Echo suggestively.
!. Dusk was falling. From the bunk
house rose the tinkling notes of 81
mandolin. After few preliminary
chords the player, Mexican, began
! q love song in Spanish. The distant