The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-07-07
JAN Olsen sfs
1921. wsstsrn Newspaper union3
MURIEL BLAIR

~ 80
mirrors, its glaring plush ornamental
,tion, that sickened him. d that when
tile little maid came forward and
asked whom he wished to- g he
could hardly inter Mina's name.
Jan Oleseh, fresh from the west,
where he had, established himself as
d prosperous. farmer within three
years after his arrival from Sweden, q
.pcnniless youth, looked IN surprise az
the little servants troubled face.
.You are from my country7 ne
asked In his native tongue. and at the
sound Of the words the little fair
haired maid-cf-all-work broke down
and cried.
I'll haven't heard the old speech
for SO long, she said. and then began
smiling through her tears as the u
smiles out OF q blue sky.
Jan Olesen looked at her IA grave
compassion.
DO they treat you well here, child n
lie asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. Some
OF the boarders do" she answered
Theatrical folks i mostly kind.
But Miss Dalrymple--she's q terror
She's leading lady in the Red Slipper
chorus, you know-and, say" shesssadl-
ed, breaking into the easily acquired
slang Of America, what do you think?
She's Swedish, too, for all her Ameri-
can airs and English name"
Olesen clutched at the wall to save
himself from falling: Before his eyes
a mist vas swimming. His mind went
hack to the day when he, renting q.
cheap hall bedroom almost in the next
city block, had met Nina Jensen. She
was just such q little maid as this,
nswly arrived from the % e0ahiry.
He remembered her SHY smile, her
engaging frankness. And they had be
come engaged, and he had gone west
to make his fortune. Now after three
years he had returned-to whati
Through the mist broke a scent Of
patchouli. Out OF it he saw q woman
approach, with fashionably done hair
and gaudy dress and through the
floating clouds he saw a slim hand.
much bejeweled, stretch forth to his.
"Why, IL it isn't Jan" exclaimed
Nina. II guess you didn't know me,
Jan. Well, what r you staring atY.
she continued to the girl. get busy
with your work, whatever 1t is! Amt
she the impudent thingl Just q
greenhorn. you know Come right in,
Jan, and tell me about yourself and
Il you've brought back q wad to blow
in in New York. And say, Jan, can
that stuff you wrote me about gettfns
married and show me q good time in
this burg instead. Nix on a Min,
nesota farm for mine.
"Poor Jan! You haven't learned
much in Minnesota, JanW she said
at parting.
She had refused to discuss their
marriage; instead. he was to take her
to dinner on the next evening. Now
the fabric of ambitions which he had
built up was shattered.
But In the loneliness Of his room
that night his thoughts gradually be.
gan to flow in their accustomed groove
again.
He had resolved to tell her every.
thing on the following night; all his
aims and aspirations; to beg her to
come back with him to Minnesota
There, on their lonely farm, . they
would settle, as the old folks had done
in Sweden, they would be happy. ].
He fell asleep at last, happy in his
dreams.
But on the next night the old feel.
ing came over him again at the sight
Of the hall, the scent Of perfume, the
faded stawdriness Of It He hest.
tated upon the threshold; he could moi
enter.
And the little maids eyes were rcd
from tears.
you have been crying. my dear
said Olesen.
I'm to be sent away she said. hel
voice ~Quayering.
"Away7 Well, but there are bsttel
places"
%, yes. I'm not afraid. But n.
said a
.sshei Whoi'
Miss Dalrymple. She said--I CAM
tell you-well, that i didn't behave
that ! talked to the men here-thai
I talked to you yesterday. And she
pays twenty q week, so Mrs. Simmons
y afsaiA ~ affrOnt heF. And abe said
that lie I didn't 60 she would.
For an instant he pondsred; then
taking the girl by the arm. he Id
her to the door. Nj.
my DEAR he said, Tin tile state j
come from there are broad acres o1
land-land like we have at home, with
forestss and lakes. AndSthere are nc
Miss DalSymples there, and women
are treated differently. Would you
like to come with me to see the place
I'm speaking OF There, don't let
those tears come. No, never mind
your hat there's i department stofl
round the corner where YOU can ge1
allsyou need. But hurry, Tor II closel
Ut ave, and we've got Ia Ut "a tl<
city hall first and take out our milApr
riage license. 4 ss4@
Proved Anyway.
Elipp-There are exceptione ~ evezy
rule. you know. as
ps.saa $500 49,