Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-01-26
DICK ACCEPTS
-
BY JACK LAYTON

eight weeks the engineering job had
claimed him, and the evenings III his
lonely cabin became uncomfortable.
Hungrily he yearned for human COM
partnership.
Dallis, his assistant, was good enough
! in his way, hut nalis spent most of
+ his time writing endless love letters or
talking over long-distance TO a far
away sweetheart. That CALLED Dick,
| too.
| 1t was hard enough to see only
rough mems faces never 10 hear
/ feminne voice was another and great
4 or deprivation. Dick wished that he
/ had happened 10 care enough for one
particular fair one in the past, 10 war
rant Il long-distance call himself. But
| he had not cared: and that was not
his fault, bur his misfortune, so he
summed up matters that was all.
The trees rustled mysterious whis-
peringS, beyond the avenue of green
stretched waters blue; the setting was
| like that of an old fairy tale Dick
~ colored illustration which had new
er failed To delight in childhood days.
| There had been woodland maiden
! in the picture, with a white frock en-
circied IN green, and laughing blue
| eyes beneath the wind-blown hair.
Dick smiled at the fanciful picture the
scene recalled and then bent idly TO
! pick up n scrap of paper in his path.
AS idly he unfolded It, and before he
| fully realized, was reading message.
"Dearest-dear," ran the note, 81 am
waiting for you beneath the widest
| spreading tree; | am dressed In white
with the green sash you like You
viii see me, when YOU drive through
! the opening. And, dearest-dear the
| little white table is set for US two,
with u vase Of green boughs in the
center, and there is chocolate cake
oh, delicious luscious chocolate cake
of the very kind you like, made with
my very own hands, for my very own
man. So hurry"
Dick stood staring down at the Scrib-
bed note with a boyish light of adj
venture in his eyes. Why not? He
was far away from conventions, his
days had been passed of hate irksome-
ly. Why not take advantage of the
chance invitation tossed him by
kindly wind, and drive through the
opening darinely 10 where the white
and-green-clad maid. like the one OF
the fairy tale. waited?
Dick knew the country like map,
but one excuse would be as good as
another And the chocolate cake!
Great guns 4 real homemade choc-
/ olate cake
He retraced his steps to the cabin.
and started horseback toward the wood
She was a girl undoubtedly, or she
would not describe her white frcck To
her dearest-dear, as she invited hiru
10 a tryst beneath the tree
Dick saw the 'widest-spreading
tree as soon as Bob cantered through
the opening also he saw graceful
Whitehead figure and vivid green sash
ends tossed by the lake breeze. And
as he came boldly nearer, there were
the laughing blue eyes beneath ruffied
brown hair, and wondering. yet
/ dimpling smile to greet him.
We'll, questioned the girl, as
though she had known him all her life,
how did you get here?"
/ ~ came" answered Dick promptly.
"in response TO your invitation. I
found ii in my path"
He handed over her letter. The gire
frowned and smiled as she glanced
over it.
"Old Jack is careless" she remarked.
Jacks my dog. l sent him on with
1t to-" She paused
"Your dearest-dear," Dick finished
for her.
"Why, yes" agreed the girl. "And
Jack perhaps dropped the note, to gc
of on some interesting chase of his
own. SO you found 1t, by mistake"
There is no mistake" Dick insisted
You would not think the sending OF
such an invitation a mistake, IL YOU
''''N NN'h Jun ui us 1 nave, among
these hills for two desolate months
Why, I'd travel thirty miles to hear
a pleasant companOnable voice, put
ting all hope of the chocolate cake
aside. That invitation was charity.
sent on its way by a fairy friend OF
mine. IL don't know who you are.
suppose angels are likely to appear
in most desolate places. But my name
is Richard Boynton. I'm one of the
engineers on this contract that's he
ing put through"
The girl nodded.
Il know, happen TO lato .epn Won
at work when we mOtored through
You were pointed out to me" She
changed her voice primly, "as u most
promising young man"
She studied him thoughtfully
u shall cut the cake In your hpnur"
Through all the sweet magic OF
Dicks afternoon-passed one grieyous
thought-this witching girl of his
dreams, unlike any other girl that he
had known, had already found her
prince, and he Dick, though he ride
through the woods forever. must