Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-07-01

and generally set the house IN order.
Even then 1t was only ten o'clock.
with nothing more to do until noon.
At noon there would be repetition
Of the routine, and then nothing to do
until night At night there would be
supper and the evening chores, and
nothing more to do until morning.
And the next day the same, and the
same, and the same.
It was mid-afternoon when Jack
burst in upon me. swell, old Robin
son Crusoe, how goes solitudeY he
demanded.
Rotten" said !, .but l can always
change my mind II want to-"
"Ahar' he exclaimed, In return.
clasping himself about the middle.
"A blow In the fifth rib A subtle
blow under the fifth ribl"
Jack was obviously In great spirits.
but with sudden soberness he sat
down beside me, and / felt his hand
on my knee ''It's not quite the thing.
old chap" he said, ito cut rs dead,
just because we're married-that Is.
some Of U.s."
81 haven't cut you," retorted
"Give me time"
II know It's a raw deal for you"
he went on, disregarding my inter-
ruption, "and I'd give-rd give-half
of my happiness. If you like, If I could
put 1t right It's little embarrassing
for us all. But don't you think Jean
is worth a fight-a little more fight
than you have nader"
II understand English" ! said, spar
ticularly Jeans English. If she wants
me now she'll have to say So"
"Oh. get Off your high horse. Hes
lame nag, anyway! Jean thinks she
loves Spool, but she doesn't. She's
just infatuated with him. She'll grow
out Of that. But you might help her
along a little"
"Pm not so sure. Spoofs pretty
decent chap" said, inwardly giving
myself credit for amazing magnanim-
ity.
"Of course he u.s." Jack agreed.
somewhat too readily, as 1t seemed to
me. "But that has nothing to do with
It. Jean isn't putting you and Spool
under the magnifying glass, so to
speak, and studying out which is the
more decent chap. 1t isn't done that
way. And to save her life she couldn't
tell you why, today, she thinks she
loves Spool, and why, tomorrow, she
will know she loves you. Reason
doesn't enter into these things at all"
"That doesn't make 1t any easier for
me-"
Maybe not" Jack admitted. "And,
as I have argued that reason doesn't
enter into the consideration / suppose
1t Is Of no use to reason about It.
Then let us get onto ground you can
understand Come on over for sup
per-"
l accepted with more alacrity than
might be expected of q young man
who was resolved that although TIED
to the stake he would not thrust his
feet In the fire. Marjorie kissed me
when went ina kiss for her dear
| old bachelor brother, she said, obvious
ly In fun, but / think there was a
pang of deep sisterly sympathy under
meath. Jean was calm. poised. self
controlled; her eyes seemed larger
than usual, and the white Of them
showed that clear blue tinge that is
found in some kinds Of delicate china.
| Either the lamp light was pecu-
narly yellow or Jeans complexion was
below the mark. She ehatted freely,
almost too freely, and laughed upon
occasion, but there was no ring In
her laughter.
| Altogether, 1t was rather q difficult
evening. We played cards after sup
| per, and tried, as 30 many others have
done, to forget our troubles In the
chance of lucky hand. Even the
cards were against me- Jean and l
had always played together, but to-
night Jack insisted that II was not
meet that man should have his wife
for a partner at cards, 50 our combi-
nation was broken. I may have had a
subconscious and disturbing feeling
that jeans hand, to my left, would
have made better holding than any
thing could hope to draw from the
deck. At any rate I played abomi-
nably and went home early.
And so the days dragged on. ! kept
a corner Of my south window rubbed
clear Of frost 90 that might main
tain lookout for visit from Sposf,
for although he was my rival, or BE-
cause he was my rival, felt that
had with Spool something very much
In common. But Speof seemed sud
! denly to have discontinued his visits
to Fourteen and twenty-five, and fos
the first time in that winter the trail
to his shack was entirely sverhlewn
and obliterated Ia waste Of snew.
Jack came over every day, and Mar
jorie and jean came tive ~ three
times q week and gave my shack the
womanly touches Of which 1t was BE-
ginning to stand In need. but Jean
never came alone. began to under.
stand that the prairies give solitude
without privacy; II one seeks privacy