The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-11-18
hbors
nance
Err J. DELANEY
@. 1920 Western Newspa per Union

VIZ A'So' 'VeSteAH -A\S"spdP"it LAWN
AS the train bound west from Den
YER started On its way for an Idaho
terminus. Arnold Burton looked back a
the city in final farewell There hi
had made and lost a competence
There his wife had died five years ago
leaving him Estelle, little child.
He kad finally gathered together
what resources he could command and
On account Of the child, who required
IN open-air life, resolved to start
anew where the revivifying forces OF
nature would add to the health and
contentment of both of them.
Burton had decided as to the section
si the country, where he would like
to settle. Some desirable farm lands
1fty miles distant appeared to best
meet his ideas. He found Denver
agent for the company dealing in
these.
X have just what you want" de-
elared the broker, consulting a map.
Here it is, five miles from Ravenspur,
m eighty-acre piece. 1t was sold to
4 man who changed his mind and re-
transferred it to us. He had all the
humber fer house bought and deliv
cred, but never built it. l believe.
though, there is tent, shed and
some blowing done. We will throw in
everything with the land at very fair
price,"
Burton made a deposit to secure
the option and was told that at the
headquarters OF the company at Raw
enspur he could close up the transac
ton. Later Or he conjectured he
would be able to find some motherly
Old lady who would act as housekeep-
e and undertake the charge Of Es-
teile. The little one, bright and play
full. within an hour after the train had
started struck up an acquaintance
With the child Of very pretty lady
in mourning who occupied seat d.
rectly across the aisle. He was lad
of ten and the two of them were soon
occupying vacant seat together look
ing over the colered comic pictures in
4 newspaper
AS the conductor came through the
coach 10 collect tickets Burton heard
him name the destination Of the lady
and her boy. 1t was Ravenspur. This
interested him and a little later when
the little ones both came to talk to
him, the lady opposite was drawn into
the mutual acquaintanceship thus in
formally created. Burton told her that
he too was going to Ravenspur and
asked her if she lived there.
= X have never been there before"
Mrs. Driseoil. as she named herself.
answered him. sMy husband died two
years ago and my boy has been beg
ging of me ever since to locate where
We can do farming He is very young
Of course, but bright and energetic
and loves work I heard of good
opportunity to buy near Ravenspur
and am going to begin life over again
under new conditions"
Ravensnur. when reached. proved to
BE boom town in a new district.
Somehow the fact that they were to
be neighbors in 4 sense caused Burton
and Mrs. Driscoll to cultivate an
initial friendship ut once. for she saw
that he WAS very much of gentle
man and her being alone and going
into a strange country brought to the
surface all the chivalry in Burton's
nature. Their mutual loss Of life
partner and their children's friend
ship did away with any conventional
ity.
When they arrived at Ravenspur
Burton saw that the lady's baggage
was attended to and herself and little
Oscar comfortably bestowed at the
hotel. He did not see Mrs. Driscoll
antil the next day. 1t was about ten
in the morning when he went to the
office Of the land agent to find her
there. Apparently she had closed up
the purchase Of the eighty acres and
the agent was saying:
II will have my man drive you and
Jour traps over to the land, Mrs. Dris-
coll, if you are bound to try rough
ing it,
''There is nothing else to do until I
can make arrangements to build the
house." replied Mrs. Driscoll, and then
As Burton presented his contract for
4 deed, the agent exclaimed:
"Why. you were sold the same prop
erty have just decided to this lady"
It was true. The error had come
through the Denver agent not being
advised of the first sale. Mrs. Driscoll
looked distressed. Burton was disap-
pointed but said:
"Of course you will refund the
money or allow it to apply on some
other land l may purchase? 1t was
the improvements and building mate
rial On the land that attracted me. I
would like to look over the general
property"
Arnold Burton deferred buying
after visit to the eighty acres. The
more he and Mrs. Driscoll saw of one
another the stronger grew their friend
ship. Burton and little Oscar occu-
pied the tent and Mrs. DriscoIl and
Esteile the shed. Within week