The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-07
The Rivals
By RICHARD MARLEY

II say, Mart. you and me been friends
ever since we were little shavers, anc
now you're goin' to do somepin te
break 1t all up
what am 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 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 copy of the same out of his
pocket and held 1t up for Jim to see.
Each looked at the other surprised
did she give you that?"
"Yes 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 both p
That's good idee. Where'll we put
emf
There's a boiler tree over yonder.
Reckon we can find place there where
they won't get wet"
| They went to the hollow tree and
found cavity where the photographs
would neither be seen nor damaged.
Each man had jaekknife in his pock-
ct, and, opening blade, he pinned his
photograph to the inside of the cavity.
Then they departed
Sarah Grant, the object of this rival.
ry was no beauty, but she had 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
err As soon as Jim appeared to be
DESTROYS of these fayors Mart began
to put value on them. and vice versa
1t was then that the rivals began to
look upon her as beauty. She was
skinny and sallow and freckled, but
she had a good eye, which she knew
well how TO use, and these young men
built up on this foundation an imag-
mary 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
excitement OF keeping two men on the
anxious seat and waited impatiently
for their return. About the time the
harvest had been gathered she con-
eocted 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 10 |
Zee him again. She invited each one |
to come and see her on certain date, |
which was the same for each lover. !
her object being TO continue the game
of the previous spring. Since they |
were working in different sections of |
the country there was little or no |
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
mind that he was the man of her
choice.
Mart and Jim returned on the same
lay. Each believed that he was the
favored one in Sarahs affections and
hat he was the rightful owner of both
he photographs. Such being the case
he would go to the hollow tree and get
hem. Mart intended to tell Sarah the
tory about their having been put away
o await her decision. Jim had not
determined exactly what he would do
n the premises except that he would
Iestroy the likeness Sarah had given
o his rival.
As luck would have il, the young
men went to the hollow tree at the
anne time. Jim was about to put his
Iand into the cavity when he heard
Hello. there!"
Looking around. be saw Mart APP
1--WE won," said Jim.
"No. you haven't; I've won. Mart
etorted angrily.
Mart made a dash for Jim, and there
vas a brief struggle between them
or possession OF the pictures. with the
esult that each secured one of the
opies. Each cast a glance at the be-
wed features, but the glance was pro-
,nged into a stare Then they looked
p at each other.
II reckon you've won, Jim said
Tart.
81 don't know as ! want TO deprive
on OF the
We've been friends so long that |
ant bear to stand in your ways
81 say. Mart is that the girl we've
cen quarrelin about?"
These are certainly the photographs
e left here" :
why. she's snub nosed." !.
And scrawny: look at the shoulder
Dnes"
IL relinquish her TO you"
II wouldn't deprive you of her for
e world