The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-03-28
THE COURTING
OF EBEN STORM
How a Confirmed Bachelor
Was Brought to His Knees.

farm without the aid of any woman.
'"They're dreadful onsarten creatures"
he said. "Y' can't calc'late jist what
they're goin' to do. Most of 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 fit with his'n and Twin a
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. l don't intend to
put myself where they kin get at me-"
But as his farm lands and crops and
stock increased he felt the need of
women's help. He NJ longer had time
to do the cooking or the washing or
milking, and he took in a h~ousekeeper,
the ugliest and oldest he could find.
1t was not long before he had others.
Since he had made a break, he might
as we'll 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 himself
equal to the task Of keeping out of
her tolls.
One winter morning something hap
pened, Mary was going out to do her
m%ilking-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.
1t had all come about so quickly that
he couldn't understand how he had
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. init
mating that If she had told him the
COW kicked he would have MIXED her
himself. Mary made no reply to this.
| Perhaps she knew with woman's in
tuition that he was not scolding her,
but himself. Perhaps she felt aggriev-
ed at his unjust treatment. He didn't
60 near her while she was recovering.
Next a fractions bull gored Eben and
came pretty near killing him. Mary
asked him if she could do anything for
him. He said "No" very shortly. but
when she went away called her back
AnH tn1A hovs chn snAnht pvrk n n{01nun
under him.
She did most of the nursing till he
was out of danger. then ceased her
visits to him.. He called for her and
asked if she was so inhuman as to let
him die all alone when every n on
the farm was busy. She made no re-
ply to the question. but asked him
what he wanted. He mentioned ev-
eral 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-purpose?'
Mary walked out of. the oom with
her nose in the air.
He recovered slowly and. all the
while having nothing at ell to do but
think. thought Of what was or his
mind-Mary. He was sure she was
trying to marry him. but he was losing
the power to protect himself against
her. When he got we'll he went % her
when she vas churning and said:
MARY. l suppose you want q home.
Most women do. I don't want to dis
appoint you. VIII you marry mer'
mo. I WON'T" she said angrily.
Nothing occurred In this peculiar
courtship for several days, when he
met her coming from the barn.
"Hev you thought better Of itf'' be
asked.
"Of what7"
Margin me-"
"You don't want to git married." she
said.
"waal." he replied musinsly. II don't
know II I do"
This made Mary furious. I'm goin'
when my months up" she said.
"Goin'T'
Eyes. 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 he didn't give
It up entirely till he learned from q
neighboring farmer that she had asked
him II he wanted help. Nevertheless
he was puzzled. He thought that II be
could do something to convince Mary
that he 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 q half holiday
started to 60 out she saw all the occu'
pants Of the farm gathered about bel
employer shaking him enthusiastically
BY the hand. Several were reading
the Eagle over the holders shoulders.
ia sakes." exclaimed Mary. whats
the matter?'
A faint terror seized her that some
thing important had occurred TO bel
singular lover that might affect her In
terest in him. All rushed to her, hold
ing out the paper and pointing TO n
item IN It She read:
n..- A>11>- .AAa~~~f RA~.t 49, ~>a~nAA1