The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-08-13

~~It~wes~evtdest -that ~the~young lady
had no intention of giving me q sweet
heart Anyway l knew enough not to
tackle an insoluble problem. l chuck.
led. for I had her secret and she did
not have mine. Lighting a pipe in or
der to sharpen my inventive faculties,
l set to work to think out my next
move. I did not spend much time on
deciding upon n
The nex evening just before dark I
was passing the cottage where dwelt
my fairy godmother. The little girl
who had aided her in her visits to my
cabin was playing in the yard. Seat.
ing myself by the gate. l called to the
child. She came. and l asked her II
she could get me some arnica. She
ran to the house and returned with an
elderly lady. who asked II I had been
injured.
"Only a sprained ankle from slipping
OF a smooth stone" I said. "A little
arnica will az 1t. Indeed. don't know
that anything Is needed" arose.
with pretended difficulty. took one
step and sank down again.
II will call help" said the lady.
"You must be carried to the house."
mo. no." protested. I'm sure I
can walk that far II you will kindly
allow me to put a hand on your arm"
The lady consented. With her as
sistance I got to the house and was
placed In an easy chair on the porch.
The fairy godmother came out. but I
pretended not to notice her. She start
ed on seeing me. and I saw color come
and 60 In her face. I made a grimace
In pretense OF suffering. and her ex.
preston Of uneasiness ut my presence
gave way to n Of sympathy. I care
fully concealed any recognition Of her.
and she was soon ministering Ia me
with the others.
II fear" I said. that If you have n
vehicle on the premises l shall have
to ask some n to drive me to my
cabin. It is a couple Of miles from
here on the eastern end Of the island"
Now. l was quite sure there was no
III on VIC ~ CAAA0COs LII tucIS was
neither barn nor garage. The elder
lady Informed me that there was no
means Of conveyance at hand. and
since 1t was growing dark, l would be
welcome to remain till n could be
found. pretended to demur to this,
but was overruled. My "sprained' an.
kle was prOpped up on q foot rest with
pillows. remembered to vince occa-
sionally. fearful that my benefactors
might suspect the part I was playing.
Soon after l had got settled my fairy
godmother brought me out a dainty
supper which she placed on a stand be-
side me. l felt quite confident that
she knew me for the person whose
cabin she had visited in my absence.
but l was equally sure that she be-
lieved me to be ignorant that she was
the person she had favored. In order
to convince her Of this l told her about
my cabin and how l was spending an
outing there alone. She made no COM
ment, seemingly preferring to hat OF
other subjects.
l spent a pleasant evening. not men,
tiOning that l had received kindness
from an unknown person, nor did my
fairy godmother give any hint that she
had even ever seer or heard Of me be-
fore. No conveyance was forthcoming.
and l was urged to abandon any idea
Of going to my cabin till morning. when
1t was suggested l might ride over
with a farmer who supplied the family
with milk each morning. After trying
to step with the injured ankle and
demonstrating that l could not posi-
bly, use it without great agony. l yield
ed to persuasion and consented to re-
main the night.
By this time a stout cane had been
provided for me, and l insisted on hob
bling to my room without other as
sistance. In the morning l came down
stairs. still keeping up the hobbling.
and about 10 o'clock the farmer came
with the milk. l expressed my heart
felt thanks to my benefactors and
hired him to drive me to my cabin.
My fairy godmother vas solicitous lest
l would need attention and be with
out it. living alone as l did, but l as
sured her that I would be back soon
to thank her and the others again for
the kindness that had been bestowed
upon me. Then the farmer lifted me
into his wagon and l was driven away,
followed by smiling goodbys from all
the family.
The next day. since l did not expect
another visit from my fairy godmother
and not wishing to spend the day
lounging about my cabin. l went out
for some deep sea fishing. Az usual
l left everything in disorder. On my
return shortly before dark l met with
a surprise. My household had been
put to rights and the paper on which
l corresponded with my fairy god
mother bore q message:
Since you have lone neither of the tasks
given you by your fairy godmother you
cannot have any one to love you. You
shall have one moro opportunity. Tell
how q sprained ankle a be made Well
within twelve hours.
wan Arroro,,nAoN Nnv~. h~A Z ~