Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-02-25

lookin a divil as ever, Mister Ted"
Ted's hand shot out and grasped
hers. "Brdlel | could weep on your
apronl never was so glad to see
anyone In my life. Just to look at you
makes me homesick, What In Sam
Hill are you doing here?"
"Waitin' After yer ma diea. seemed
like | didn't care t work fer no pri-
Wit family, SO came back here On my
old job. I'll bet I'm the homellest
head waitress In captivity"
Ted's nervous fingers were plniting
the tablecIoth His voice sank TO
whisper. Birdie, tell the Gods truth.
Did those three years cause her
DEATH"
"Niver!" lied Birdie. Il was with
her to the end. 1t started with o. cold
on tn chest. Have some French fried
with yer beef, Mr.. Teddy. They're
illigent today"
| Birdie glided of to the kitchen. Au-
| thors are fond OF the word glide. :"
But you can take IL literally this time.
Birdie had q face that looked like
q huge mistake, but she walked like
panther. and they're said TO be the
| last cry as gliders. She walked with
her chin up and her hips arm. That
comes from juggling trays. You have
to walk like that to keep your nose
out of the soup. After n while the
walk becomes d habit. Any seasoned
dining-room girl could give lessons in
walking tos,the Delsarte teacher OF an
Eastern finishing school.
From the day that Birdie Callahan
| served Ted with roast beef medium
aud the elegant French fried she ap-
pointed herself monitor over his food
and clothes and morals. | wish could
find words to describe his bitter lone
illness. He did not seek companion
ship, The men, although not directly
avoiding him, seemed somehow to
have pressing business whenever they
happened in his vicinity. The women
ignored him. Mrs. Dankworth, still
dashing and still widowed, passed Ted
one day and looked flxediy at q point
one inch above his head. In town
like ours the Haley house il like a
big, hospitahle club house. The men
drop in there the first thing In the
morning and the last thing at night
to hear the gossip and buy cigar and
jolly the girl at the cigar counter. Ted
spoke to them when they spoke tc
him. He began to develop a certain
grim line about the mouth. 10 Haley
watched him from affair. and the ionge'
he watched the kinder and more spec
ulative grew the look In his eyes. And
slowly and surely there grew In the
hearts of our townspeopIe q certain
new respect and admiration for this
boy who was lighting his fight.
Ted got into the habit Of taking hi,
meals late. so that Birdie Callahan
could take the time to talk to him.
. Birdie" he said one day, when stt
brought his soup 10 you know tia
s. you're the only decent woman who
talk to me? Do you know what
mean when | say that I'd give tn
! rest of my life If I could Just put m!
, head In my mothers lap aud have he
muss M my hair and call me foulfsl
, uamesT'
, Birdie Callahan cleared her throa
!. and said abruptly: Il was nokiein' yes
; terday your gray pants needs pressiu
/ bad, Brink 'em down tomorrow morn
In and ri give 'em tn elegant creas
i'm the laundry"
So the arst weeks went by. and tn
I two months of Miss WeRxels sta
, came to an end. Ted thanked his Co
1 and tried hard not to wish that sh
was q aan so that he could punch he
head.
> The day before the time appotate
2 for Ter departure she was closate
Q I with 10 Haley for o long, long tine
I When finally she emerged q hellbo
loangsd up to Ted with message.