The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-10-13
The Suitors
OF Serena
Only One Of Them. o
Course, Could Win Her.
By AMELlE S.

= 0y =. AI1fAt NlfAlN
Nothing could exceed the enmity
Mr.. Ferris felt for Mr.. Davis unless
it was the hatred Mr.. Davis har-
bored toward MI. Ferris.
Until the occupancy Of the long
untenanted house across the street
by Serena Fairlie and her mother
these two men had been close and
constant friends. Each night MI.
Ferris went to the house Of MI.
Davis or Mr.. Davis went to the
house Of Mr.. Ferris to smoke and
conversationally regulate the affairs
of the nation.
Not even the fact that each Of
these boosted AZ particularly well
kept lawn in front of his residence
was sufficient to cause Jealousy be-
tween them. So the late bellicose
condition was the more deplorable
by reason of their former friend
ship.
Mi. Ferris was q straight, stately
and ascetic looking bachelor Of
forty-eight. His dark brown hair
was streaked with gray. His nose
was aquiline. His eyes we're like
blue steel. A sparse mustache
dropped over thin and melancholy
lips. He was known to have a COM
petence, although he occupied him
self with the conduct of a real es-
tate Office. He lived alone save
for the presence of a deaf old aunt
and a still more deaf old servant,
The house was furnished with ref
erence to what was then considered
the artistic standard. Mr.. Ferris
himself was accredited with a pretty
taste in poetry and was given to
quoting extracts on occasion.
Mr.. Davis was a jolly widower of
fifty winters that had been, however,
like those Of Adam, "frosty, but
kindly" He was short of stature,
round, rosy, amiable, fair haired
and bland. His children were mar
ried and gone. He bowed to the
sway of a housekeeper who had seen
better days and who was not averse
to frequently proclaiming the fact.
His tastes, while less aesthetic than
those of his %neighbor, were decided
ly more conducive to personal COM
fort.
i'm fact, he and Ferris were in
@6ysway sufficiently unlike to have
got on admirably together were il
not that with the advent of the
Fairies both began to cast covet-
GUS eyes upon one bright particular
star.
And their mutual dread each that
the other might win the favor Of
Miss Serena was the real root Of
the animosity which inspired Mr..
Ferris and animated MI. Davis.
Not that up to the time that the
black curtain of silent wrath de-
scended between them either had
made confidential mention of his
hopes, but certain it was that the
morning after Miss Fairlie had at
tended the concert with Mr.. Ferris
Mr.. Davis resented the presence Of
the dog of Mr.. Ferris on his front
lawn and sent word to that gentle
man-to keep his cur at home.
Equally certain it is that subse-
quent to the occasion wheh Miss
Fairlie danced twice with Mr.. Davis
Mr.. Ferris sent due warning that if
his neighbours hens again intruded
upon his property they would be
promptly decapitated.
Then the deaf aunt and the deaf
er servant of MI. Ferris and the
housekeeper of Nh. Davis who had
seen better days took up the feud,
and SO from the little acorn Of rival
ry sprang a lofty and far branching
tree.
Perhaps there was no one who
stood so absolutely within the
shadow cast by this tree as Frank
Heatherly, who was the nephew Of
Mr.. Davis and was clerk in the real
estate office of Mr.. Ferris.
He was a we'll set up young fellow
Of about thirty, who had a wonder
full knack of knowing what not to
say and when not to say it, for both
men confided in him, and after it
became known that Miss Fairlie had
fallen heir to a snug legacy each
announced to Frank his decision to
bring his Matrimonial campaign
to a climax.
"The money has nothing to do
with my resolution" Mr.. Ferris de-
clared. "Apart from this business
I possess stocks and other property.
What are you smiling at?"
did I smile, sir?"
81 don't care a dash for her
money!" Mr.. Davis informed his
nephew. my rents bring me in
quite, q sum yearly. What are you
grinning about?"
. <r on It'll A..