The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-05-15

l had said nothing over the wire
about whether | vas man or woman.
o had my correspondent. assumed
that he was q man. and he talked to
me as though he supposed me to be a
man also. But presently he said some
thing that sounded feminine. and l
wondered if l was not talking with a
woman. | asked to which e he belong
ed. and the reply came. "A man." But
there was a hesitancy between the IA
and "man' which led me to believe that
my suspicious were correct. Then 1t
occurred to me to say that l was q wo-
man.
Upon this my correspondent began
to say some very gallant things to me.
Some of them were without a manly
ring and couched in phrases that a wo-
man rather than a man would use. l
replied. using as feminine language nj
l could command. and I fatter myself
l was very successful. Then came a
request for my photograph. and l con-
scented to an exchange. have a num-
Der of pictures of relatives and friends
and sent one Of my sisters, who had
the name of being a very pretty girl.
l received one of a fairly good looking
young man. Then my correspondent
and I INDUCED in any quantity Of fat
terry. he telling me that I was pretty
enough to kiss and l telling him that
he was lust too handsome for any
thing"
After several days, with occasional
chats over the wire, l was still uncer-
tain whether I was chatting with a
man or a woman. As to my CORE
spOndent. l couldn't infer from any
thing he said that he didn't believe me
to be a woman. He invited me to go
with him to the dance in AeOlian hall.
and l accepted the invitation with
thanks. He asked what train l would
come on and promised to have a car
rage at the station to take me to the
dance. l took 4 lady friend into my
confidence. and she wrote out a num-
Der of questions for me to ask my
correspondent as to how l should ar
ray myself.
When the evening came round l got
myself up in the best clothes had and
provided myself with q bouquet. II my
correspondent should turn out to be a
man our episode would have little sa-
vor; IL he were q woman 1t would be
interesting. l wondered II he were in
doubt about my e and how. II a wo-
man. she would receive me. My train
arrived at the station at y p. M. and
the dance was to begin at $50. As
the train drew up to the station ! saw
from the window several girls in their
best dresses standing together or the
platform. One in the center Of the
group held a bouquet. made up my
mind at once that my correspondent
was a girl and the one with the bou.
quet. II she expected a girl she would
not be looking out for one. 1 alighted.
from the train and walked right past
the group. none Of them taking any no.
tice Of me. but still on the lookout.
It was evident to me that they ex-
pected one of their own sex. upon
whom they would have the laugh. 1
stepped up to them, my hat in one
hand and my bouquet in the other. and
asked the center M II she were ex-
pecting me. The look Of surprise on
her face gave way before q twinkle
In, my eye to one Of defeat; then the
whole party broke into a laugh. I
handed the center figure my bouquet
and accepted hers.
You've lost. Xiii" cried one Of the
girls. and the rest followed with good
natured taunts.
II have a carriage for you. az l prom
ised.r said Kit. Come
Going to the other side Of the sta
ton. l got into q carriage with her.
while her friends entered another.
Then we all drove to the dance. and 1
found myself nm object Of interest 10
every q there. the secret having been
told how a Joke was to have been play
ed. on q girl t~eiegrapher and how tho
joker caught q tartar.
l. was made acquainted with every
one IN the hall and passed Z delightful
evening.
EZG sNLsE ENA maNK GI 80 FE4" .4 N&