Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-09-27

Pratt, the lummoX being upon her left.
When the party came out of the
barn William beheld Miss Pratt, not
walking at his side, but, on the con-
traly, sitting too coZily with George
Crooper upon a fallen tree at the edge
of a peach orchard just beyond the
b%amyard. 1t was Miss Parcher who
had been walking beside him, for the
truant couple had made their escape
early in the Swedish lady's discourse
regarding the farm and the various an
imals.
In vain William murmured to HIM
self, "Flopit love ole friends best"
Purple and black again descended upon
his soul, for he could not disguise from
himself the damnatory fact that George
had fitted with the lady while he,
wretched William, had been permitted
to take care Of the dog! He strobe to
the barnyard fence and dropped Flopit
rather %brusquely at his mistress feet.
Then, without a word, even without a
look, William walked haughtily away.
In the shade of a great walnut tree
he gave way, not to tears certainly, but
to faint murmurings and little heav-
ings under impulses as ancient as
young love itself. Alas, he considered
his sufferings a new invention in the
world.
Williams final mood was one of
beautiful resignation with a kick in it
that is, he nobly gave her up to
George and added irresistibly that
George was a big, fat lummox. Will
liam saw himself a sad, gentle old
bachelor at the family fireside, some
times making the sacrifice of his repu-
tation so that she and the children
might never know the truth about
George, and he gave himself the solace
Of a fierce scene or two with George
Remember, it is for them. not you
you thing"
After this human little reaction he
passed to a higher field Of romance.
He would die for George, and then she
would bring the little boy she had
named William to the lonely head.
stone. Suddenly William saw himself
in his true and fitting characteristic
ney Carton! He had lately read "a
Tale Of Two Cities" Immediately re-
reading until, as he would have said,
he 'knew it by heart" And even at
the time he had seen r~esemblances be-
tween himself and the appealing figure
of Carton. Now that the sympathy
between them was perfected by Miss
Pratt's preference for another, William
decided to mount the scaffold in place
of George Grooper.
The scene became. actual to him, and,
setting n foot upon a tin milk pail
which some one had carelessly left be.
side the smokehouse, he lifted his eyes
to the pitiless blue sky and uncon-
sciously assumed the familiar attitude
Of Carton on the steps of the guillo-
tine. He spoke aloud those great last
words:
ut Is a far, far better thing that I
do than I have ever done. It is a far,
far better rest that I go to-
A whiskered head on the end Of q
long, corrugated red neck protruded
from the smokehouse door.
What say?" 1t inquired huskily.
"Nun-nothingv stammered William.
Eyes above whiskers became fierce.
"You take your feet Off that milk buck
ct! Say, this here's a sanitary farm!"
William abruptly departed. He found
the party noisily established in the
farmhouse at two long tables piled
with bucolic viands. Johnnie Watson
had kept a chair beside himself vacant
for William. Johnnie was in no frame
Of mind to sit beside any 'chattering
girl" and he had protected himself by
Joe Buliitt upon his right and the
empty seat upon his left. William
took it.
He began to eat; he continued to eat;
! be. did well So did his two comrades.