The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1916-08-24
CHANGE Of MIND
BY EARL REED sILvERs

Dick Stevens, looking at the letter
In his hand, frowned darkly.
Its from my sister," he informed
his roommate. "She's going to bring
a girl home with her for the spring
vacation"
swell, what of itT Jack Ack'ey
stretched indolently on the cushioned
window seat.
"What of It'll" Dick threw the letter
on the desk. "You don't know my SIS
ter, do you? Well, she's a highbrow in
Vassar, and whenever she comes home
she brings along some bespeckled old
maid who talks about new thought or
something else that 1 don't know any
thing about"
"Why don't you go home with meT
81 can't. We've never been sep
arated on Easter, and dad is set on
the idea Of having IS all together"
"Can't you come the day after
Easter"
"By George, so l can !" Dick looked
up hopefully. "Ill go to New York to
visit you next Monday"
"All right, I'll be looking for you"
Jack glanced at his watch. you'd
better hustle if you're going to get
that train"
SWELL, so long" he said. "See you
next week." His eyes fell upon the
letter lying on the desk. "Oh, yes,"
he added, "my loving sister told me to
1.-~- oolx0,,k AO~ NEicc NHn~u u,pohnc
at Poughkeepsie. She's the girl who's
coming to see us. and is expected to
take the same train that I do. Sis
went down yesterday"
Dick secured a Pullman seat at Al
bany, and gave his attention to a
magazine until P~oughkeepsie was
reached. Then. however, he looked
Interestingly out of the window. Vas
sar girls, dressed in all their spring
finery, were crowding on the train.
Two girls entered the car. One had
blue eyes, the color of the sky on a
perfect June day. The other wore
spectacles and carried a book on
Modern Philosophy" The girl with
the blue eyes sat opposite him, and the
one with the spectacles took the va
cant seat farther down the car. The
train started, but Dick Stevens did not
turn again to his magazine. The girl
across the aisle looked over at him
and so he put the magazine away in
his bag.
Then Is minutes went before any
thing happened. Finally Dick took a
chance.
"It's rather tiresome riding" he vol
unteered, wheeling In his chair.
eyes, it is"
"Would you like something to read?'
mo. thank you. It hurts my eyes
to read on the train"
"Do you mind if I talk to your"
Dicks eyes looked frankly into her
own, and the girl smiled family.
"Why no, not at ALL" she answered
frankly. 1T will help to break the
monotony of the trip"
THANK you'll" Dick smiled whim-
sically. "What shall we talk about?"
Anything you say"
swell, I'm going to tell you my
name first. I'm Dick Stevens, and l
live TN Linden, N. j." She started
slightly, but he failed to notice it.
"I'm going home for a vacation in the
deadest place on earth"
"Why," she said-and there was a
decided twinkle in her eyes-"Tve
heard something about Linden. 1 al
ways thought it was quite a nice lit
tie place."
ut is, sometimes" Dick admitted,
shut it won't be for me this vacation"
"Why?"
"Well my sisters a senior at Vas
sar; maybe you know her-Betty Stew
ems" The girl looked interested.
every vacation she brings home some
highbrow whom l have to entertain"
"That's too bad" She looked at him
alphabetically. do you know who
she's going to have this time?"
Eyes, a girl named Mary Hughes.
You can tell by her name that she's an
old maid" His eyes fell upon the be-
specialized individual who sat at the
other end of the car. II shouldn't be
at all surprised If it was that young
lady over there. But I'll only have to
be with her for two days."
"Why is that?" +
SIN going to New York the day aft
er Easter to visit my roommate, Jack
Ackley."
Maybe" Dick hesitated for an in
slant, then plunged boldly ahead,
maybe, If you're going to spend your
vacation neal New York you could let
me come to see yOu."
Maybe I could" She smiled. "But
1t wouldn't be quite proper, would it,"
"Why, surely! Dick leaned for
ward. "You probably know my sis
ter"
Eyes, I know her rather well. And
I'm going to stay near New York,
too"
do you mind telling me your name
and address? can get Betty to
write you a letter introducing me-"