The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1916-11-01
LOVE and CONTEST
BY JANE OSBORN.

evening song on tne elIns lndl SUI
rounded and looked down upon the
low-eaved farmhouse, but Metty
Cramer did not hear them. To be sure,
she was spending her usual after-sup-
per hour on the front stOOp,' but her
thoughts were far from the sOngbirds.
Open in her lap was the latest issue of
the Hearth Companion. The magazine
was open at the editorial pages and
there, In large black-faced type, one
might have seen these words: 'Our
Heart Problem Contest"
IF you have heart problem, we
want you to write and tell us about IL.
Prizes will be awarded for the best let
ter and as many of the other letters
as possible will receive personal an
swers with advice from one of our edi-
tors"
As she rose from the step she was
too intent on her project to see the
tall, erect, though muscle-weary fig
ure of 81 Larned as he came from his
last duties In the barn, through the
shadow of the house. 81 enjoyed the
distinction of being the one and only
"hired man" on the Cramer farm.
Metty stole quietly to her fathers
desk and took from 1t the sole bottle
of ink which the Cramer establish
ment boosted and. with this and her
fathers pen In hand she assembled TO
her own room, there TO work out her
problem, Us she regarded 1t. Mean
time 81 sank down on the porch step.
Why had Metty avoided him, he asked
himself, and then he answered this
question to his own satisfaction. "Of
course. she wouldn't look at hired
help like me" he told himself. Some
city man Will come along for her and
then she won't look at me-"
He thought he might be able to see
Metty II he went into the house, so,
absentmindedly picking up the maya
zine where Metty had left 1t, he rose
and made his way into the sitting
room.
Metty wasn't there. so the next best
thing that occurred to him to do was
TO read the new number Of the Hearth
Companion
On the, last page of the magazine
beyond the frontispiece he came to the
editorial and, with keen attention to
every word, he lnbored through II.
Then cautiously. he went to Cramer's
desk and took out a pencil, delved in
to the wOodboG for piece of discard
cd wrapping paper and started toward
the door with the magazine under his
arm.
II was month later. and neither
Metty nor 81 had received the answer
To the problem that confronted them.
Then came the Hearth Companion and.
AS Mr.. Cramer had overtaken the mail
carrier on his way back from the viii
lage that morning. he had come into
possession of the magazine first.
Il guess you want to get look at
the new fashions" he told Metty as he
came into the house and, passing 1t to
her, he turned to 81, who had come in
from the fields for his midday dinner.
Here, 81. here's a letter from the
magazine folks. guess they want you
To subscribe to their magazine. And,
by gravy, II there isn't letter for
Metty. tool"
81 opened his letter hurriedly with
out excusing himself, and his strong
nuh-uuiH lieu Hhuu WIS hurry SlhhliiE
with emotion and surprise when he
took out an oblong of white paper, on
which was written an order for one
hundred dollars, payable to 81 Larned.
We take great pleasure in announcing
to you that your letter has been
awarded the first prize in our heart
problem contest" 1t ran. by way of
giving you the help and advice we
promised we wish to attract your at
tention to the letter published under
the tenth place in the contest
While Metty was still reading her
letter-which announced that she had
won Il new patent vegetable press AS
reward for having the tenth best let
ter, 81 grasped the magazine which she
had laid on the table. He turned past
his own letter-which was published
exactly as he hiid written It, save for
the omission of his name-and pissed
on till he came to the tenth letter.
Could this really hive been written by
Metty?
Il have not the slightest hope OF