Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-01-31

for her. the scene and setting might
have been sofnber enough--the stark
walls. stiff old furniture. decorations
aud ornamentation severely in keep
ing with the iaste OF day long gone:
the grim gray figure that presided ~
the bead " the table
Banker Colin WINS man our Of
whom life had squeezed most Of the
fiDer sensibiliues and coined them into
gold. The dreams Of boyhood. the ro-
nance Of youth. the glory Of manhood
--gOne-bargnined away for a price.
Sitting there NJ his gloomy breakfast
table. a disappo .nted weary old mnn
his soul cried out 10 rue the bargain;
20 trade back with fate. But none
had learned the lesson better than he
that fate trades moi hnck that there
he Was doomed 60 sit, hopeless
mourner over the dead ashes ~ the
ndghi-hsve-bccn.
The forenoon be spent IN the small
room. busy with hls papers. or In
meeting peopie who came 10 pay him
meney--or borrow n
In the afterroun he tried 90 take .
nap. bus ~ long had his mind been set
10 re daily grind that Il now ran On
in Ilise ~ him SUR Of mental ess-
Eine s'isnse clutch could no longer be
releasec
kesi uuiet nap---they were NO
sonrer tilg He had sold then--part
az the price he had paid for-whitf -
the privilege 10 pocket interest money
90 collect rents; TO write his check
Cheated again. The devil never loses
in o trade.
II would be hopeless task 10 trace
his thoughts AS he thrashed about over
the bed and fdgeted the hours away.
His business: the farms; his squan-
dered years all passed In review. And
what was leftf To SIT by a musty win.
dow and pile up weaith--for somebody
else 20 spend. He couldn't spend Il
himself. He didn't know how lie had
toiled 50 hard 20 make II that he had
never learned how 10 spend it--an In
finitely finer thing 10 know.
Sleep--he was never wider awake
In his life. He fioundered on the bed
al last. less rested than when he lay
down, and stormed Out 10 the porch
only 10 stand drumming restless
tattoo upon u post with his long bony
fingers.
The voices Of Texie and the preach
err were borne 10 him from the rustic
seat under the giant maple at Wits
pering spring. He mildly wondered M
IL (; reflected that the genial day had
probably for once lured the young
man from his studies. and sauntered
back 20 his easy chair ia the sitting
room.
As he sat there. with the pulse and
purr 81 the wonderful May day borne
IN through the open door. his mind
cropping back over the distant past a
memory held him In far-nung retro
speetion. Minutes long IL held him
until II smooihed the lines ON his face
and ssftened his hard old eyes.
lie rose from the chair al last !:
paced back aud forth across the
floor time or two: went Into the
small west room TO his pfe unlocked
~ with noticeable effort swung the
heavy door open fumbled inside and
drew out large envelope OF stout
manila paper; unsealed: fumbled
deeper and brought out a small locke,
Of gold closed the safe. without lock,
Ing II. and went back 10 his easy chair.
A long time he sat, with his elbow
propped ~ on the chair arm. fis chin
in his palm; finally with fingers that
trembled he pressed in the catch OF
the locket. II sprang open. There
were two pictures inside--a woman
and q man But the face Of the won.
an Was not the face over the mantel
In the sitting room: Il was the face
OF the woman beneath the draped
nag In the cabin under the crimson
ranhler--what Z, had heen In her giri
hood. And the face 0f the man Ia the
iocket was not the outstanding soldier
above the sword and spurs, In the uni
form ~ a colonel OF Mounted Rangers
II was the face of Simon Colin--wha'
Il had been In the days OF his young
manhood
The old man gaxed at the beautiful
highhorn face of the woman In the
iocket again and again laid II to his
grim old lips. held Il close against his
breast suddenly. with gasp
snapped the iocket shut.
A mighty spasm Of pain had grippec
his side. lie clutched II with his
hands; fought for breath. When Il
was over aud he was able TO breathe
again. his lips were blue, and ciamm,
sweat stood heavy on his craggy brow
still clutching his side. he openeS
the locket. with It's secret. trying MOI
TO see the beautiful face. lest Il turn
hln from his purpose: took out both
pictures: struck a match, set then
allght and watched them burn q
ashes
As he sat staring. gradually h
seemed to grow aware II the enyelop'
lying In his lap. He picked Il up an'
gmEed st q absently. as II his min,
still dwelt with the dead asnes Of tn
past--the past with Its disappoInt
ments. It's Observation-Disclosures IL
tragedy.
In a bold hand that waverci slight
| ly--unmistakahly the hand of An oil,