The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-03-06
.I'm q stranger here. too Sir. A..

over there in the cage"
The gentleman referred to was not
cheerful In his replies. There was, he
said. Baldpate inn.
'Oh. yes. Baldpate inn." repeated
Billy Magee With interest.
Yes. that's a pretty swell place.
said the ticket agent. But IL ain't
open now. It's a sumnIe resort,
There amt no place open now. but the
Commercial House. And | wouidn't
recommend no human being there's
pecially no lady who was sad before
she ever saw it."
MIR. Magee explained to the incon
gruous family pair waiting on the
bench.
"There's only one hotel" be said,
land I'm told it's not exactly the place
for any one whose outlook on life is
not rosy at the moment. I'm sorry"
> 1T will do very WE'LL" answered the
girl. whatever it is" She smiled at
Billy Magee. MY outlook on life In
Upper Asquewan Falls" she said,
grows roster every minute. We must
find q cab"
She began to gather up her travelling
bags, and Mr.. Magee FASTENED to as
sist. The three went out on the sta.
carpet Of snowfakes. There the older
woman. in u harsh rasping voice,
found fault with Upper Asquewan
Falls-its geography, its public spirit,
its brand Of weather. A detected cab
at the end Of the platform stood
mourning it's lonely lot. In It MIR. Ma
gee placed the large lady and the bags.
seat he spoke into the invisible ear Of
the girl.
"You haven't told me why you
CRIED" he reminded her.
Upper Asquewan Falls" she said.
isn't it reason %enoughw
Billy MaGcc looked: saw a row Of
gloomy buildings that seemed to list
as the wind blew. a blurred sign.
Liquor and Cigars" a street that stag
gered away into the dark like a
man who had fingered too long at the
emporium back of the sign.
Are you doomed to stay here long7"
he asked.
Come on. Mary" cried a deep voice
from the cab. Get in and shut the
door. I'm freezing"
1T all depends" said the girl.
Thank you for being so kind and
good night"
The door closed with q muf1ed bang.
the cab creaked YEARLY away and Mr..
Magee turned back to the dim waiting
room.
"Well. what was she crying for!"
inquired the ticket agent when MIR
Magee stood again at his cell window.
'She didn't think much Of your
town." responded Magee. She init
mated that 1t made her heavy VI
heart"
mitted the man. Though it amt the
general rule with visitors to burst into
tears at sight Of it. Yes. Upper As
quewan is slow. and no mistak 1t
gets on my nerves sometimes. Moth
ing to do but work. work. work. and
then lay down and wait for tomorrow.
I used to think maybe some day they'd
transfer me down to HoOperstown-
there's moving pictures and such go
ings on down there. But the railroad
never notices you unless You 60
wrong. Yes. sir: sometimes l want to
clear gu Of this town myself"
"A natural wauderlust." sympathiz-
ed Mr.. Magee. You said something
just 10Y about Baldpate inn
Yes; it's a little more lively in SUI
mer. when that's OPEN" answered the
agent I'VE get a lot Of complaints
about trunks not coming from pretty
swell people too. 1t sort of cheers
things" Bis eye roamed with inter
est owe Mr.. Magee's New York attire
But Baldpate inn is shut up tight
now, This is nothing but an annex
to a graveyard In winter. You wasn't
thinking Of stopping OF here. was
yOu?"
"Well. ] want to see a man named
Elijah Quimby." Mr., Magee replied
DO you know him?'
y course. sald the yearner tof
pastures new. Hes caretaker of the
inn. His house is about a mile out on
the old Miller road that leads up Bald
pate. Come outside and ri tell you
how to get there"
The two lei went out into the whirl-
ing SHOW, and the agent waved a hand
Indefinitely up at the night.
IF it "a clear" he said. you could
see Baldpate mountain over yOnder
looking down on the falls. sort of keep
ing an eye on us to make sure we
don't get reckless. And halfway up
you'd see Baldpate inn. black and
peaceful and wintery. Just follow
this street to the third corner and turn
to your left. Elijah lives in a little
house back among the trees a mile out.
There's a gate you'n sure hear creak-
ing on a night like this"
Billy Magee thanked him and. gath
ering up his two bags. walked up
Main street. A dreary. forbidding
building at the first corner bore the
| sign Commercial House."