The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-09
CUSTOMS OF THE COUNTRY
By WILLIAM Il. OSBORNE

| I -, H. = I
Il see a girl like better. go with her
for awhile now. Later maybe back to
you I GOMEZ
20, what, shall do?" walled Lena.
What shall I do?'
why, Lena" returned Ludwig, there
are many fish that still from the frying
pan into the fire jump, You can still catch
one as good" And away he went
/ In week hew as back. The other girl
lhad informed him that she would dispense
with his society. 81 Is -.
well he began, 81 come back to my
little Lena With the others am through.
1t is my little Lena only that love-
'..Then shall married you and I now be?''
suggested Lena, with much relevance. But
Ludwig still had his visions.
| "Not yet mein Lena he returned,
mot yet The custon1-we it must OBJ
| lars can my Lena, lend me If she will. o.
Lena's face frightened. At last she
could be of service to him. She went to
| her little store and counted out the money.
Ludwig took it and went
! He did not came back next night nor for
many nights. 1t was another girl this
| time.
Then. suddenly there came an end to it.
| There had always come an end to the
others, too, but this time the girl told him
why. She did not propose to have her al
4 lcWance of ice cream and theater tickets
| stopped in the abrupt manner In which
Ludwig had cut them short. There was
a good reason for the cessation. Ludwig's
money was all gone again.
| And then for the first time Ludwig I'M
derstoQd the beautiful system Of the
American girls. You were all right as
long as your money held out, and then
| 1t was the custom of the country. re-
He would go back to Lena, then. She
was not like the other girls. And, be-
sides, she had an increasing hoard Of
wealth. Perhaps, after ALL it was better
to marry Lena and take her money and
set up housekeeping. .-.
At the house they told him that Lena
had left. They gave him her new address
]-arOund the corner He thought it was
strange, but he went to the new place, and
there in the middle of the block, on the
sidewalk in front of a bakery, sat Lena in
a chair. --s'. 49,.
She looked at him reproachfully. Where
have you been?" she asked.
| Ludwig smiled and threw out his chest.
| with another girl, New York girl
he replied. Every night, Lena, we took
rides by the trolley and sat by the ice
cream saloon and went by the theater. But
I have shaked her. I have come back
to my little Lena. Now we shall mar
| ried be for once and ALL
| Lena smiled mysterious smile. CAL
ready 1 am married." she said Ludwig
| jumped to his feet. She nodded. Yes
she said, when you did not come knew
not what to do. One night this rich baker
man he came around-two three nights.
| Then he married me. We are not en-
gagged; we are married-quick. 1t is a GUS
TOM a.
But you never told me- complained
| Ludwig.
Lena smiled and shrugged her Shout
ders. "Of a sudden it came, and I did not
know that I was married before that I
was married.
Ludwig hung his head. my little Lena,
and l loved you so. Could you but five
more dollars to me lend?'
| "Ach, no. said Lena, mot to you. Only
to my much beloved husband may I do
that. It is the custom"
Lena" called a kindly; cheerful voice
from within. LENA, mein lieber frau
She turned to Ludwig and, flashed upon
him row of pearly teeth. "Good-by,'' she
said to him.
Ludwig walked slowly down the street,
cursing his luck as he went. Among other
misfortunes pay day was some time off,
and at present. he was dead. broke.
But that also was custom Of the
Z country: 4,If j. IA IS