Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1920-09-24
Rosalind's
Rustic Romance
BY J. P. SHEPARD
l@ lg2O. BIZ MCCLURE Newspaper syndloate

perusing, closed the book, showed 1t
aside on the library table and gave
herself up to day dreams.
The title of the book was THE
Romance of Roaring Rutherford and
It dealt with a dashing young western
err who performed heroic deeds by the
dozen, and because of his bravery was
rewarded with the hand of the cattle
kings lovely daughter.
But ROsalind had another kind Of
romance to think about, and she was
the central figure in it. She was loved
desperately and wOOed persistently by
two young men. Only last night one
of them had proposed for his third
time and two days ago the other had
popped the question" after having
popped it thrice previously. ROsalind
was satisfied that she loved one of her
ardent WOOers, but could not determine
which Of them it was. 1t was this per-
picking puzzle that caused her tempo
rarlly to lose interest in Roaring Ruth
erfOrd.
She was Crabtree Centers most de-
slrable daughter when it came to looks
and personality She was plump-not
too plump-and she had auburn hair
not red, mind yOu-and dlmples. 1t
might be mentioned In passing that her
father possessed something else that
was plump-a bank roll. Many
Crabtree Center youth with one eye
fixed adOrlngly on Rosalind and the
other attached hungrily to her fathers
dollars, had entered the arena, but all
of them had failed and dropped by the
wayside; If you can imagine waysides
in an arena
Only two of them were left. They
were Felix Spriggins and Josephus
SmartlOx. If beauty played part both
were out of the running The former
was built much like the moon and the
latter like straw. Felix weighed 25O
and Josephus 1876.
During his spare moments when he
was not calling on ROsalind, Felix
worked at reducing his girth, using
gymnastic apparatus which occupied
all the space in his room that was not
taken up with the bed. But the more
he labOred to lose flesh the more he
took on.
At the same time JOsephus sought
to acquire avoirdupois, but the only
effect of this was to make him thin
ner.
Crabtree Center was small and its
bank, where both worked, was a'little
structure resembling Jail. 1t would
not have been in existence only for
the fact that the town was built at
four corners where all the rural high
ways converged and the farmers
used it for social and business gath
ering place,
Felix and Josephus are both nice
boys" unused Rosalind as she munched
a chocolate. 81 could marry either
of them and be happy-if only there
was something romantic about one of
them. If one of them would perform
deeds of daring like Roaring Ruther-
ford he would be my choice; but who
can imagine Felix doing anything he
roic? JOsephus would be more likely
to display bravery, but what opportu-
nifty is there for deeds of bravery in
Crabtree Center? Yes, they're nice
BOYS, and know they both love me"
Now, Felix Sprlggins had a heart
as big as his bulky body. He loved
Rosalind with all of this generous
heart, and if he gave q thought to her
fathers financial standing it was only
incidental.
Josephus Smartl0x was fond of
iinery, and he loved the lucre Mr.. Men
thorn possessed. Yes, he loved Rosa
lind because of her auburn hair and
dimples, but he loved her more be-
cause Of the bankroll of which she
some day would be the custodian.
Eyes" unused Rosalind, 81 must have
romance; 1 must have brave man.
NV choice for a husband will be the
one who does a heroic deed. l will
deliver this to them as an ultima
tum."
1t was necessary, of course, to de-
liver the ultimatum to each Of her
suitors on separate occasions, for
nothing would have induced them to
get together, not even the power of
their love for ROsalind.
81 will marry the man who performs
the most daring deed of herOism," was
what she said. 81 don't know how you
can put your bravery to a test in this
backwoOds town, but l shall wait I'M
til you do"
The ultlmatum appalled, and discour-
aged Felix, for he knew he was not
brave, and he feared his cause was
lost 1t set Josephus to thinking
He was not brave, either, but he
had imagination.
Things were hummlng along in their
prosaic way in the Orabtree Center
First National bank. JOsephus Smart
lox was arranging some greenbacks