The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-06-12
THE N STORY
THEIR LETTERS.

esF :
him to be patient a while longer Bart
~ left town, took q local twenty miles
north, changed cars for a big rail-
road town thirty miles east and got
work as head salesman in a dry goods
store there. His salary was not large,
nj he managed to keep himself and
save a few dollars in the year. To
his mother he wrote curt, formal let
ters: She answered in the same
pack. But when he questioned her
she could not truthfully say hat his
mother seemed to miss him.
And then Bartly managed to. get in
n way OF a runaway team and ac-
CURED a fractured arm and a number
of bruises. The Doctors bill absorb
ed his savings and the enforced alb
sence from. work put him in debt.
After that it was a struggle, even
tnough his employer raised his salary.
He laughed a little bitterly to himself
the end of that year. When he
couldn't keep a surplus out of his
money how dare he ask any one to
share 1t with him?
And then his mother wrote-spite-
fully he guessed-that the new doc
tor was paying strong attention to
Anne. Took her out buggy riding
every Sunday afternoon-so she had
heard-the astute old lady was care
seen the two together.
Bartly crumpled the letter and tried
to forget it's contents. OF course he
couldn't expect Ann t o wait ten or
fifteen years while he climbed up to
a living wage for two.
n next week Anne wrote. Her
letters were becoming as curt and
unsatisfactory as his mothers. But
in a postscript she told him that his
mother looked old and tired, almost
sick. -,
Bartly crumpled that letter. Yet he
almost started to pack a clean shirt
and collar and run down over Sunday.
But he didn't. Anne and his mother
would think that he had come back
jealousy to push his claim against
the new doctor, and he didn't want to
claim Anne unless she was anxious
to he claimed. He would let her alone
until she had time to make up her
mind.
The dry goods business was very
dull that week. Bartly's sales were
below par. Twice his employer look
ed at him. as though regretting that
raise Of salary.
At the end Of the week Bartly got
two more letters. His mother advis-
ed him grimly to come back right
away If he didn't want to lose Anne.
adding that a tickle girl wasn't much
loss. anyway. Anne wrote coldly that
mother. She might not live very
long: And, anyway. Anne said un-
kindly, II don't think you are making
so much money that it is worth while
staying away for It," =
Bartly was more worried about his
mother than he would admit. even to
himself. But he left that he could
not go and confess failure. His moth
err might be sick, but she likely would
be we'll enough to taunt him.
Yet in the end he decided to take
the train that would land him there
after dusk. Then he could slip up to
the house, take a look at his mother,
and if h didn't seem Very sick make
the next train back.
He rode to the station thirty miles
west. where he could change cars for
the home town. AS he stepped from
the car his mother. clipper, lively.
looking as though she v had a
pain IN her life. came from the red
painted depot. Before Bartly could
get back out Of Sight she saw him.
Coming honne??.'" she asked, with a
smile that seemed. malicious to Bartly.
II understood, ii he replied stiffly,
that you We're sick. Since you're not
I'll go back"
She caught his arm. The snappy old
yes were not SO snappy. "But,
Anne" she cried, %anxiously. "Ain't
you going to ON back and scare that
doctor away"
Certainly not. I don't want Anne
to feel herself bound to me when it
may be years before I can support
her." Then his curiosity prevailed.
What are o doing here, mother?"
His mothers sharp face had become
gloomy. Now she looked up without
her usual fire. II was coming after
YOU" she said gently. "And there
amt n doctor. Leastways there is.
but I don't think he ever looks at
Anne. I just made It up to get you
back. And when you didn't come.
why. ! started to get YOU. I've put
two of the farms and half the store in
your name, Bartly. Say. who told you
1 was sick"
Anne" said Bartly slowly. Could
1t be that Anne had not that perfect
regard for truth that he had credited
her with? He smiled: then ne laugh
ed. And his mother Joined. I'VE both
took the same road" she chuckled.
me and Anne, I guess we'll get along
together"
M,,oh ne tba aSAro0 ~o,,s