The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-09-14
LOVE AlD CONTEST
BY JANE OSBORN.


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 It.
Prizes will be awarded for the best let
ter and as many of the other letters
rs 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
SHRED 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 boasted and, with this and her
fathers pen In hand she assembled to
her own room, there to work out her
problem, as she regarded it. 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 ut me-"
He thought he might be able to see
Metty If he went into the house, so;
absentmindedly picking up the maya.
zine where Metty had left it, 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 labored through it
Then cautiously, he went to Cramer's
desk and took out q pencil, delved In.
to the woOdbOx for piece of discard.
ed wrapping paper and started toward
the door with the magazine under his
arm.
1t was q month later, and neither
Metty nor 81 had received the answer
to the problem that confronted them.
Then came the Hearth Companion ard,
Us Mr.. Cramer had overtaken the mail
carrier on his way back from the vii.
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 it ia
her, he turned to 81, who had come in
from the fields for his midday dinner.
"Here, 81, here's letter from the
magazine folks. Iguess they want you
to subscribe to their magazine. And,
by gravy, If there isn't a letter fol
Metty, too!'
81 opened his letter hurriedly with.
out excusing himself, and his strong
sun-burned hand was fairly shaking
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
I'VE 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
lettes-which announced that she had
won 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 had written it, save for
the omission of his name-and passed
ON till he came to the tenth letter.
Gould this really have been written by
Metty?
Il have not the slightest hope of
winning prize" the letter ran after
giving more or less minute auto
biographical sketch. 'AIy only wish
In writing Is that someone wiser than
myself might give me advice. l am an
uneducated simple farmers daughter.
My problem is the old, old problem. I
love young man who works for my
father. think could make him love
me If could only live in different sur
roundings. love the country and
country life, but l bclicve he has am.
bitlons. know could never be happy
anyWllefe but in this or some similarsa
secluded spot. Ny heart problem is
this: Since I cannot be happy in the
way that would correspond to this
mans ambitions, have l any right to
make him love me? And since in his
eyes must be simple country girl,
how could l make him love me any.
way?"
So intent had 81 been in reading first
the letter and then the magazine that
he did not realize that Metty was ut
his side, reading the pages over his
shoulder.
"Were yOu writing tht, Onsy,pl trufh