Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-06-07
The Rivals
BY RICHARD MARKLEY

II say, Mart, yon and me been friends
EEL since we were little shavers, and
now you're goin' to do somepin to
break it all up"
"Wllat am 1 goin' to do, Jim?'
"You know well enough. You're
steppin' in between me and Sairy
| Grant"
You mean you're steppin' in be-
tween me and Sairy."
Jim pulled a photograph Of the bone
of contention-it might be called the
bones of contention-out of his pocket
and held it up for Mart to see. Mart
| pulled a copy of the same out Of his
pocket and held it up for Jim to see.
Each looked at the other surprised.
did she give you that"
eyes. Did she give you yourn?"
EYES,"
II tell you what we do, Mart. Sup
posin' we put the picters away some
where till she makes up her mind, and
then the Teller she takes has 'em both2"
That's a good idee. Where'll we put
'em?"
"There's a boiler tree over yonder.
Reckon we can find a place there where
they won't get wet"
They went to the hollow tree and
found a cavity where the photographs
would neither be seen nor damaged.
Each man had a jackknife in his pock-
ct, and, opening q blade, he pinned his
photograph to the inside of the cavity.
Then they departed.
Sarah Grant, the object of this rival
~ was no beauty, but she had a talent
for that which will work wonders in
love. She understood the value Of RI
valry. Neither Jim nor Mart had the
slightest desire to make love to her
till she created it in them by first
showing favor to one, then to the 9TH
er. AS soon as Jim appeared to be
DESTROYS of these favors Mart began
to put a value IN them, and vice versa.
1t was then that the rivals began to
look upon her as a beauty. She was
skinny and sallow and freckled, but
she had a good eye, which she knew
we'll how to use, and these young men
buiit up on this foundation an mag
inaly structure of loneliness.
Soon after the deposit of the pic
lures the harvest season came on, and
the rivals found work where they
could. both at some distance from the
abode of Sarah Grant. Consequently
neither saw her again till autumn.
Meanwhile Sarah was pining for the
| nvritnnpnIf Of lynnnin~ two mon ~, thn
anxious seat and waited impatiently
for their return. About the time the
harvest had been gathered she con-
cocted a scheme for her further amuse-
ment. She wrote each Of her lovers a
letter expressing pleasure that the har-
vest season was ended and hoping to
see him again. She invited each one
to come and see her III Il certain date,
which was the same for each lover,
her object being to continue the game
of the previous spring. Since they
We're working in different sections of
the country there was little or no
probability of their comparing notes.
and Sarah was looking forward to
their meeting each other in her pres
ence. Furthermore, she indicated to
each that she had finally made up her
mild that he was the man of her
choice.
Mart and Jim returned on the same
day. Each believed that he was the
favored one i'll Sarah's affections and
that he was the rightful owner of both
the photographs. Such being the case
he would go to the hollow tree and get
them. Mart intended to tell Sarah the
story about their having been put away
to await her decision. Jim had not
determined exactly what he would do
in the premises except that he would
destroy the likeness Sarah haA given
to his rival.
AS luck would have it, the young
men went to the hollow tree at the
same time. Jim was about to put his
! hand into the cavity when he heard:
Hello, there"
Looking around, he saw Mart ap-
preaching.
"I've won,'' said Jim.
"No, you haven't; I've won,' Mart
retorted angrily.
Mart made a dash for Jim, and there
was a brief struggle between them
for possession Of the pictures, with the
result that each secured n Of the
copies. Each cast a glance at the be-
loved features, but the glance was pro-
longed into a stare. Then they looked
up at each other.
81 reckon you've won, JIM" said
Mart.
81 don't know as I want to deprive
you of the
We've been friends so long that l
can't bear to stand in your way"
81 say, Mart, is that the girl we've
been quarrelin' about?"
"These are certainly the photographs
we left here"
"Why, she's smut nosed."
"And scrawny; look at the shoulder
bones" \
II relinquish her to you"
II wouldn't deprive you of her for