The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-11-28
entiing
By EMERSON BURRIS

alton | set up Il tent. / built a floor
could to make my habitation attrac-
tive. In his | failed signally 1t is
not i'll Il man 10 beautify home. At
any rate, 1t was not in me- The in
terror furnishings of mine consisted OF
cat and Il trunk. AS for food. | was
encamped OH the bank of a stream in
which there were plenty of fish. and
when | wanted meat | could shoot
game, but not near where | was
had to 80 quite distance for that
and usually made an all day trip of it.
In the region near about me there
were scattered houses. some of them
tarmhouSes. some summer cottages for
city persons, for the country was very
beautiful and the air Salubrious. The
greater part Of these houses were now
vacant. but there We're 4 number Of
them occupied. None of them were
very near me. or. rather, in selecting
a camping ground got rs far as pos
SiDle away from all Of them.
One day, on returning from a hunt
ing trip. OH entering my tent / met
with surprise. 4 dainty little wash
stand, with bowl and pitcher, stood in
one corner. while above it hung a
small mirror. Several coored litho-
graphs were pinned to the tent walls.
ON the floor was a wicker armchair
such rs is used il summer on piazzas
In the center of the tent was Il tiny
table, with n lamp Oh it. | had used
Il candle.
That some woman had done all this
was my first thought; that she had
seen me and taken an interest in me
cOmely and otherwise attractive was
my third.
These preliminarieS having flashed
through my mind, | looked about me
To observe the cottages nearest me
with Il view to locating the lady who
had made me comfortable. The sur
rounding dwellings were all on higher
ground and my view Of most OF them
unobstructed by trees. There they
were. bathed in the light of the setting
sum- but not one OF them had word
of information for me. And yet | fan
cied that concealed in one of them
Girl had pair Of glasses fixed on me,
watching to see how | acted at the
moment Of my discovery of her handi-
work SO | stood in front of the tent
with my face toward the landscape,
took off my hat and threw a kiss.
No response came to me. The cot
tages We're as mute as before. But in
fancy | heard Il musical laugh ring
ing out on the quiet air.
Building my fire in my improvised
range. Il number of fat stones. / pro
cecded to cook my supper brace OF
quails | had shot during the day. |
was thinking the while that my bene
factrcSS was watching me. And the
next day | had proof that she was. for.
going to the spring from which / OBJ
tained my water supply, on my return
| found sticking in the ground a few
yards from my tent an arrow and
wrapped about it a bit of paper bear
ing the words:
Leave anything you wish cooked at the
store and it will be attended to.
| was not slow in availing myself of
the invitat!On-not that / needed much
culinary work done, but because l hoped
thereby 10 get clew of the cook. But
in this | was disappointed The store
keeper was an old woman. who was
very deaf. or pretended to be; ut least
she turned deaf ear to my inquiries.
The only reply / got was Tomorrow"
| inferred that | was to come tomor-
row for the bird l left. and when i
did SO | received it deliciously cooked.
will not specify the devices / en-
ployed to find ont who was my bene-
factreSs. | made excuses to chat with
several Of the ladies Of the neighbor-
hood. or one | begged the loan of
needle ana thread, Of another Il little
baking powder. Of another some qui-
nine Each and every one of these
persons granted my request willingly,
but | gained no information from any
one of them.
discovered my girl. however, and
10y accident. or. rather. by taking ad
vantage of seeing something that gave
Il clew. Having occasion to visit the
express Office at the railway station.
saw Il box bearing the label of vend-
or Of sporting goods addressed to Il
Miss Clara Farnsworth. The size and
shape Of the box led me to believe that
it contained archery goods. | straight
way inquired which was the Farms
worth cottage, and my informant di-
rectpd me TO one no nearer and no far
thcr than the rest but especially we'll
situated to get a view Of my camp.
Tagging a bullet with note Of
thanks to Miss Farnsworth for her
kindness TO me, fired the bullet into
Il large tree I'm the front yard OF the
FarnSworth place. The next day Il
note came to me through the post from
Mrs. Farnsworth acknowledging that
the family had seen my camp and
could not resist a temptation TO make
it more comfortable The lady also ex-
tended an invitation for me to call.
| found Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworths =
family 10 consist Of one daughter nine
teen years old. Now that the secret
was ont she enjoyed exceedingly my
1nScriDti iop Of my faplinOe ot Spainy