The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-09-05
NELLIE BLAkE'S
CoURTsH|P
It Brought a Result She
Least Expected.

u brought q result Sne
Least Expected.
Nellie Blake was a very nice girl.
The only trouble with her, a trouble
common with most girls whose parents
are abundantly able to support them.
vas that she hadn't enough to do to
keep her out Of mischief. Having I'm
ished her education, there seemed moth
ing more for her to do but to wait for
her affinity and be married. This was
not to her taste, and she proposed to
her father to study-well. something,
anything, SO that If she should be left
without
"Nonsense!" said the father. "I'll
not permit anything Of the kind"
Then Nellie considered matrimony.
The only man who wanted her, so far
as she knew. was Fred Langley. But
Fred was too matter Of fact. He was
q plodder. He had plodded at college,
at the law school and was now plod-
ding in his profession. She thought
over a number Of others, but they all
had something about them unsuited to
her taste. She gave up the matrimo-
NAL problem, but one day, on reading
a matrimonial advertisement, just for
fun she thought she would advertise
for a husband and e what kind Of
answers one receives in such cases.
Sitting down at the desk In the IL
bsary, she wrote in q large hand cher
own vas very delicate, with q stub
pen and very black ink a communica-
ton in. the usual form. Then lest
ZONE one should find out that she was
% absurdly engaged she took it to the
newspaper Office herself.
A correspondence sprang up between
Nellie and an unknown gentleman who
called himself Alon1o Courtney, Nellie
writing as Clarissa varian. the letters
growing In length till near the end an
average letter covered twenty-four
pages. Nellie had expected to have q
good laugh at her replies. She was
mistaken. The first was SO delicate
and deferential that no N but a thor
oughbred could have written It. All
denoted extreme refinement. Then the
original and attractive ideas the man
had! And how those ideas appealed to
her! It was marvellous that one who
had never eel her should have such
an insight into her most hidden feel
ings. His letters became more and
more impassioned till at last he begged
for a meeting.
Had not Nellie Blake fallen in love
with a soul she had seen expressed on
paper she would not have granted such
an interview. As 1t was, taking adj
vantage Of an evening when her par
ents would be out, she wrote Mr.. Court
ney that she would receive him at 8
O'Clock. When the hour arrived. she
was in the drawing room in her most
becoming costume. When the doorbell
sounded. her heart went up in her
throat. Then came the card Of Mr..
Alonzo Courtney. and while he was
getting of his coat and hat in the hall
she thought she should faint The
drawing room door was pushed open.
and in walked the matter vt fact Fred
Langley.
To say that Nellie was angry gives
no idea of her condition. She was too
enraged to say anything Cor a few mo-
ments. Then she Kissed:
"Impostory'
SIS it an imposture for a man to
x~ou,.,sho h1c fnuop sco1r IN ~nrdc m
one he loves?
How did. you know that I advertis-
edY"
Zone morning, doubtless soon after
you wrote your advertisement. ! Z called
on You when you were not ut home.
The maid. who did not know that you
were out. showed me into the library
and went upstairs to deliver a mes
sage from me. While waiting for her
return l noticed some large black let
tiers In reverse on the blotter IN the
desk. amused myself ~deciphering
what made an excellent puzzle aud had
nearly finished before it occurred. to
me that l was reading Z secret. For
this I must apologize. WIN you for
give me?"
"And then? r. y
ut occurred to me- that you had writ
ten the duplicate. I wanted TO discov-
or under cover what Of strength or
weakness, good or evil. there might be-
in you. I watched Tor your advertise
ment and answered IT,"
"Had you q right TO do so?'
mo. One has never the right to lie
In concealment for. q friend. Yet had
I not been your friend I should have
had q perfect right Agtrl who adver-
tiues Tor a husband L open to all the
world. Would you deny me the right
you had given millions of ss1alnsers!'
Nellie WINGED
Nevertheless he went on. ..the In
discretion has brought afreyelation TO
me. / had no ideaso { the depth OF feel
ings there. To- IN your nature. your noble
conceptions and especially your desire
to IS something more than q drone." 1
He could have said nothing that