Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-05-18

rusty spades from the uebr1A In the 0l0
mill. fitted new handles to them ard
took the old darby. Bonifacio hy name,
on with him TO the depression. They
began the Icing task Of digging ont ths
silt OF years. Day after day, wssk
after week. they chung b the mono
tonons work. The darky worked like
m antomaton. Work In itself to hin
was nothing beyond tn path b foo4
and rest at night. Labor made no de-
mands on courage--it had no end. no
goal. But Gerry's labor was dlgnined
by conscious effort. His eyes were mot
In the ditch hut on the vision he had
seen OF what Fazenda Flores might
be. He had fixed his errant soul on
goal. The essence OF slavery ID older
than any bonds wrought by man. The
white man and the black In the ditch
were its parable. The dignity and the
shame Of labor were side by side. para
doxically yoked to the same task.
Margarita and her aunt looked on
and smiled and JOY began TO settle on
the girl. During Gerry's flrst restless
week she had steeled herself each
night to the thought that she would
wake to find him gone. But now he
was taking root. II amused him TO
dig. Well. let him dig. There was no
end to digging.
Gerry occasionally varied the work
OF digging with making some knick-
knack for the house. The twisted
limbs of trees became benches to sup
plant the rickety chairs, cinmsily
patched and totally inadequate to his
weight. In the same way he made the
massive frame Of bed and Bonifacio
remembered an art and filled In the
frame with plated thongs. Work In
spires emulation. The women got out
their store OF cloth. They made clothes
for Gerry and fitted out the new bed.
Pillows and mattress were stuffed with
dry bur-marigolds that family scented
the whole room. With each achieve
ment the somber house seemed 10 take
a step toward gayety. Ruin and diiap-
idation put forth green shoots. The
gayety was reflected In the household.
They were united In achievement,
Quiet smiles were their reward -
each other and sometimes burst OF
wonder as when Gerry found some old
bottles and with the aid OF bit Of
string cut them into servlceable mugs.
Margarita was happy. Her cup was
full. All the dreams OF her girlh0od
were fulfilled In Gerry. A silent and
strange lover, but man---Such man
| as she had dreamed OF but never eeea.
To herself she sang the old s0nSs he
should have sung to her and then
laughed as he nodded mild approval.
One evening he sat on n bench on
the veranda, fitting handle into
| dipper made OF cocoanut-shell. Mar
garita sat on the steps at his feet.
| She leaned back further and further
until she sank against his knees. He
stopped over her. She threw up her
arms around his neck, locked her
hands and drew him down. He kissed
her lips and sighed.
| "Ah, do not Sigh" she walled
Laugh! Laugh but once!'
Gerry did not grudge the months 81
toll In the ditch. As he worked he
thought and planned. This ditch was
the very real foundation for the attain
ment of his vision. Deep and stron1
and carefully graded II must be be
fore he cleared the sand barrier to thu
| rivers surge. The ditch was slow Of
growth but there was something about
1t which held his faith. II was rugged
ard elemental. II was the ugly source
OF a coming resurrection.
When 1t was all but done he tool
Margarita and showed her his handt
work. He pointed out the little sluice
ways, each with Its primitive gate, 4
heavy log hinged on thoIe-pln with
q prop 10 hold It up and stone "a
weight IL when down. On the Fazenda
side were innumerable little trenches
that stretched down into the valley.
But not until he led her to the cleft
In the river gorge and showed her that
half an hours work on the sand bar
rier would let the river into the great
ditch did she understand. And ther
she caught his arm and burst into vic
lent protest and pleading. mo, no,
she cried, won shall not do 1t. YOU
shall not let In the river. The river II
terrible. You must not play with 1t
1t does not understand. You think II
will do as you wish but 1t will not. oh
IL you must, please, please play with
It below the rapids. There 1t Ia kinder
1t lets one battle. II lets one WASH
clothes"
Gerry got over his establishment and
laughed. Then he soothed her. Al
ready the simpler phrases of heI
tongue came easily from his lips. HI
told her that she was foolish and I
little coward. She must watch and
see how tame the river would be.
The next morning Gerry was ~
early. He was excited. From this day
the ditch, the parched slope, the val
ley would know thirst no more. With
the long dry season even the green
bottoms had begun to wilt. He called
Bonifacio and they started or to theiI
work.
Under direction Bonifacio was dig
ging a great hole just at the back Of
the sand-bank. Gerry measured fti