Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-02-14
CHAPTER KIN
A Face at tn. smudosd window.


a stitch In her knitting and had
stepped TO the window the better to see
20 pick II up" when the three riders
came up the Eagle Hollow road. She
looked up carelessly from her tedious
task, but grew instantly attentive with
the first glance.
"Come ERE, Nick--ain't that Big Jack
an Texle an the new parsonf"
'Weil. I'll be dern'd.' grunted the
old man, coming 10 the window and
looking out, his pipe poised between
his fngers-"what d y'u think o.
that7r
'What thinks a-plenty." the prim-
~ positive old woman snorted, "out
gallantin' around like that. with two
beaux a-traipsIn' after 'er-an' that
preacher Ia the Flatwoods bar'ly long
enough & git Is chair warm. use'n
& think right smart o. Texie. but
cayn't swaller no sich carryin's-on as
she's a-havin' with the new parson.
lie aln't never ben regular installed.
nohow. an II he keeps on like this. g
won't be.
tickle Colin may live Z rue the day
she draps fine lad like Big Jack an
takes up with teetotal furrlner. jist
"b'cayse o happens Z be gallantin'
an full o. PLAYER"
"Aw. dunno" the old man inter.
rupted. turning away from the window
as the three riders disappeared behind
bend In the road little above the
house. "jist b'cayse she happens & go
out ridin' with I'm. hit amt no sign
she's a-goin' Z take up with I'm"
that's jlst your way" Aunt Liza
retorted. still standing at the window
and fusslng with the snarled knitting,
'alw'ys tryln' T. smoother things over
f'r everybody. Did you look how e
set Is boss, 1ongside o. Big Jack p
huh--I wonder the second best boss
In the Flatwoods would put up with
sich ridln'. knowed that preacher
wouldn't do L tie TO the minute q 1T.
Haint no sense In preacher bein
that good-lookin'. nohow--now there's
the business Of It. I-jeemlny."
Aunt Lixa's grim lips twisted into an
acid silence. She bent again over the
"drapped stitch: picked Il up" ut
last and came back to her rocking
chair.
The old man. doubtless glad 10 rest
after his long tramp In the woods that
morning. sat with his pipe dangling
between his fingers and tapping his
chair. his head bent forward. ponder.
Ing the three angled drama--the eter.
nal trlangle--at that moment being
staged within the narrow valley.
The click Of the busy knitting
needles, the mufiled tapping Of the
pipe. fell at length into sort Of
rhythm. which, with the tick OF the
dull.faced clock. on the mantel-shelf,
seemed TO enhance the silence rather
than disturb II. and 10 bring out the
peace and repose OF the room.
Meanwhile. the three riders leisure.
~ followed the eccentric windings OF
the Eagle Hollow road. Seen through
the tangle OF vine and bush and tree
In teasing glimpses on their left, the
erratic little stream that inflicted on
the road Its many turnlngs. sparkled
by In the sunlight. on their right.
across a picturesque rail- fence. rose
the wooded bluffs that led TO the up
lands Of the warhope homestead.
Cleared only 20 the width 81 n
wagon. so narrow that the bordering
bushes sometimes raksd their stlrrups.
the road itself was thing to inv,t,
the wood fairies II lay for the mos,
part In checkered shade. the feet OF
the horses playing almost CONSTANT,
among delicate tracery OF leaf and
branch and stem. nung down by the
sun In dancing patches upon the gras.
~ track. The great trees OF the
bluffs reached their giant arms over II
and lowered II in grateful shade. while
elf and scar unwound their success.
sivc pictures as the three rode a,ong.
More than a mile up the hollow the
road passed under the far.nune
branches Of an immense oak, towering
90 high above It's fellows that the
preacher refined In Rex and exclaimed
"Grandi Magnificent, Surely It's fel.
low Is not 20 be found In the forest -
Eagle Oak. the girl observed, rein.
ing MP Brownie by the side Of the
taller horse the king Of the Flat
woods"
at blongs to the homestead.- she
went on. The line runs right along
here az the base Of the elufr--that's
the line-fence there. Black Rock and
Eagle Oak. they're both On the home
stead. Jack's--fathsr had the original
patent. r whatever they cali Il. made
out e his gran'father. and signed By
General Andrew Jackson himself They
say"
The woodsman fdgeted In his sad
die; glanced around at her from un
der the edges Of his eyes. She eaugh
the look and paused.
-Ah. Il must be nne TO have suc'
. holding - that" the preacher com