The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-05-01
A DOUBLE
AFFAIR
By SARAH BAXTER

Ned Truesdale was born with a fair
intellectual endowment, but there was
one feature in his makeup that kept
him constantly in hot water. AS it is
the nature of a bird to pour forth
melody, so was it in Ned's nature to
make love.
Finally he received a note from Miss
Belle Stevens, a girl to whom he had
told his story and who. not knowing
of his idiosyncrasy, was preparing her
trousseau. Having heard Of his at
tenti0ns to another. in her missive she
stated that she did not propose to be
50 ignominiously treated. She scorn-
ed to sue for breach of promise, and
the only method left her Of Furnishing
him was to act just as If she were a
man and use a mans methods. She
was in some respects q new woman
and had lost her grandfather in q duel.
These facts taken together, she had de-
cided to give him his choice between
keeping his promise and giving her
satisfaction.
The most natural thing for Ned to
do was to inform Miss Marian Jones,
the last girl to whom he had given his
heart. of the alternative that had been
offered him by her rival, with a request
that she show him a way out Of the
difficulty. He sent Miss Jones the let
ter he had received from Miss Ste-
vens, ~whereupon Miss Jones, who was
a militant sufragette. returned it with
an Endorsement written in a bold
hand on the face of it to the effect
that if he did not keep faith with her
miss jones' she. too, would demand
satisfaction under the code.
The plot thickens.' remarked Ned
to himself. and. fearing to confde in
any more girls lest he get more duels
on his hands, he went straightway to
his friend Tom Alsop and laid the two
letters before him. g.
There's but thing for you to do.
Ned; you must bluff 'em. Write a let
ter to each stating that you have been
unaccustomed to deal with women as
with men, but IL she insists on being
so treated you have no option but to
grant her request"
"What. fight two women"
1T won't come to that. When they
find that you're not to he trifled with
they'll haul in their horns, and you'll
be free of both Of them"
Ned was not SO certain Of thus gain.
ing his freedom and told his friend 80.
III you wish to make the matter
sure" said Tom, you must follow the
matter up by really and seriously en-
gaging yourself to q girl whom you
would like to marry. II there such a
grip
II don't know. l feel more at home
with Helen Swift than with any other
girl. l reckon I'll settle o. her."
WELL. then. send word. as l have told
you, to Miss Stevens and Miss Jones
and propose to Miss Swift. When you
are really engaged these two will let
you alone"
Ned wrote the notes as advised and
the same evening proposed to Miss
Swift. To the latter he declared he
was in earnest. but confessed that he
was in trouble with other girls. The
young lady not only accepted him, but
promised to stand by him no matter
what the other girls might do.
The next day Tom Alsop received an
earnest request from Ned to come to
see him. On Toms arrival Ned de-
clared that he had received two formal
challenges to mortal combat. What
should he do? Would Tom take the
matter up in his behalf? Tom said
that he would, and went Immediately
to his own friend. Dick Thurston. laid
the matter before him and it was
agreed that Tom should act for Ned
in the case of Miss Stevens, while Dick
acted for him in the al Of Miss
Jones.
The next thing Ned heard from Tom
was that a meeting had been arranged
with both Miss Stevens and Miss
Jones for the next morning at a Sc
cluded spot in the country. the two
girls to draw lots Is to which should
have the first crack at her recreant
lover. Ned was thrown into a state
of CONSERVATION at this and endeavOr-
ed to induce his second to find some
way out of the matter without blood
shed. Tom claimed that it was not in
his power to have the affair called of
and advised him to consult with the
lady he had last proposed to and who
had promised to stand by him. Ned
went at once to Miss Swift. who. after
consideration, agreed to 60 with him
on the field and make an effort to
pacify the girls.
On the appointed morning Ned drove
to the home of this last and only true
ladylove. and the two arrived on the
ground in due time, finding the two
principals and Ned's two seconds there
ready for the fray. She stepped for
ward and addressed them as follows:
Ladies. It seems ridiculous to spill
blood on account of 0ne man when
there are three here, or one for each
girl. / am sure these gentlemen, Mr..
Alsop and Mr.. Thurston. cannot be in
sensible to the charms Of Miss Stevens
M~A Miss Ionao - #.f 2