The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-08-03
CALEB WINS
BY DOROTHY DONAHUE

door of the little cottage with frOwn,
always inevitable when he heard the
smooth, steady hum of the motor.
There were three things upon which
the elder and younger Evans failed
most disturbingly to agree. The first
was Lonnie's name. Mrs. Evans had
most decidedly wanted a girl and
planned carefully the name of Lorna.
But the desired girl had turned out to
be decidedly a boy, and Mrs. Evans
had substituted an sc" for the "a" and
achieved Lorne Later, with the COM
pliments of the village youngsters, he
became Lonnie.
Caleb always addressed his son as
Lonnie, but he always thought of him
as John or Bill.
The second cause of many discus
sion was the car. Lonnie wanted
better car.
LOnnie had a girl. The girl was an
other innocent subject for deep
thought on the part of both-father
and son. She was pretty, blonde,
round-eyed and giggling. She had con-
| fided to Caleb that she adored candy
and Lonnie. Caleb had decided right
then that she could keep the candy,
but not Lonnie. He needed Lonnie.
He knew, too, that LOnnie was too
young for marriage. Lonnie was nine
teen. The fair GwendOlyn, at any
rate, would never do.
| LOnnie had bought the new machine.
| 1t hadn't cost so very much more than
the other car, but it was a brighter
color and as yet unscratched. The
motor in it did not hum so pleasantly
as the one in Caleb's, but LOnnie
didn't notice that. Gwendolyn liked
1t and he was going to take her for a
ride-out in the country. He told
Caleb about it as he stood in the door
way looking at the battered machine
and wondering why on earth his ia
Their didn't sell tor give it away
After Lonnie had gone in Caleb
planned
Out in the country, after miles Of
struggle in deep, soft mud ruts, the
brand-new car Of Lonnie's gave it up.
Weary, from the top of it's cheap
black top to the mud-caked tires, and
delicate in constitution to boot, it
wheezed painfully-and stalled. Lon
ME smiled at Gwendolyn. A car that
wouldn't go meant not thing to
Lonnie-with the girl of his heart so
near. But Gwendolyn surprised him.
l. Int 10 ha
a little.
Gwendolyn twisted in her seat and
flushed angrily but did nothing useful.
She finally could stand the monotony
of waiting no longer.
"Lonnie Evans! Don't you know
anything bout car? Anythingw
Lonnie looked up at her. She had
shrieked that last Anything" II
might have been the unharmonious
voice Of sleep-provoking cat. Under
ordinary circumstances Lonnie would
have spoken softly and consolingly.
I'm in no hurry" he said evenly
his eyes unwavering in their boldly
direct gaze into hers.
Really Gwendolyn offered, her
head high. Blue. furious blue eyes,
swept the car and the soiled Lonnie-
scathingly. Gwendolyn had not been
to the movies for nothing. Her ex,
preston was faultless.
Lonnie glanced at her again, secret
ly, and wondered why his father
hadn't told him that Gwendolyn was
sugar-coated only. Pills are sugar
coated; but, even in his anger Lonnie
could not refer to Gwen as such. He
was sure, though, that Caleb had seen
through the candy coating to the bit.
ter and distasteful substance beneath
Caleb had way Of finding out things
like that, but usually he waited until
Lonnie had seen it before they talked
1t over.
eco ahead and walk" Lonnie said
ungallantly and abruptly.
Then Gwendolyn flamed-unbecom
ingly She stood up in her seat and
delivered a lecture concerning the
conduct of Lonnie and the car. Then
probably because Of Lonnie's lack OF
response, she slumped down into hel
seat and beat her fists on the leather
cushion. Gwendolyn was an only
child. SO was Lonnie He told her tc
stop before she wore the finish com
pletely off.
Then Caleb came along. His Cal
was fitting merrily over every rut IL
existence and didn't care. Caleb haC
fixed Lonnie's car so that It. wouldn'
go very far. He looked at Gwendo
lyn's flushed and dlsagreeable counte
nance and at Lonnie's sober, disillu
stoned one, and decided that the cal
would be sold the next day and h
and Lonnie would begin search for {
dark haired girl with sweet, wise eye.
and a similar disposition.
Lonnie got in front with his father
Gwendolyn climbed in back, unas
sisted
Him, Lonnie." Caleb looked side
wise at his son. mot very p'lite, now
be We. Better get in back, don't yol
think"
"Shut up!" Lonnie said darkly, bu
he squeezed his fathers arm SO he't
know he didn't mean it.
So Lonnie awakened and Calel
grinned. GwendOlyn repeated miser
ably, knowing it would do no good
and the car clambered over tiny hill
and rocky lanes.
1t didn't matter Caleb had Lonnie
The motor hummed 1t. Ca-leb-has-
Lonnie.
Odd Superstitions.
In Iowa whom search iS made fO