Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-06-17

Spool drives thirty miles 10 the a earest
town to make for dou.
But as 1t Is SO often the occasion
that makes the man, 50 now was 1t
the occasion that proved Spoof's re-
sourcefulnesA Climbing over the
dashboard Of the jumper he ran along
the tongue and threw himself upon
Bucks ample back, which immediate
ly began to heave and gyrate with an
entirely new motion. Whether 1t was
protest against the liberty WHICH
Spool had taken, or whether 1t was
that the legs about his sides brought
back memories Of youthful days when
some bare-legged urchin on Mani
toba farm rode him in wild triumph
through pasture field of the parental
herd, matters not; the fact is that
Buck presently broke into most un-
precedented gallop, and his mate, will
ly-nilly, followed suit They were
just in time to prevent Jake's party
getting on the trail ahead of US, and
In great glee we careered by them.
"Forced draughtT' shouted Spool.
Fourteen knotsl'
But our triumph was short lived.
Unaccustomed to such speed. the oxen
presently began to wobble In their
course and suddenly foundered of the
trail
lizard a-port, hard a-port |" Spool
shouted. But he was too late, or his
directions were misunderstood. Over
went the jumper, flinging its freshly
married and other contents into the
snow. The speed of the oxen
wrenched the tongue from the wreck,
and they continued homeward in great
er haste than before.
Spool jumped free and barely es-
capped defiant flourish Of Bucks heels
as they tipped by him. Ruefully he
gazed upon the wreckage.
II told the bally bullocks to swing
hard a-port," he explained, land in
stead Of that they slithered of to
starboard."
! At last the shack on Fourteen came
into view. and, to our great surprise,
we came up close we saw number
Of jumpers and bobsleighs about, and
the tracks of many feet in the snow.
The scene inside was an animated
and amazing one. In the principal
room "a table had been built and now
groaned beneath load such as / had
not thought the countryside could
supply. 1t was covered with snowy
linen, and an assortment Of chinaware
of several varieties Of pattern threw
back the yellow CLINT Of two great oil
lamps, one of which recognized as
having recently decorated shelf In
a corner of Spoors shack on section
Two. I had just time to catch a
glimpse of a frosted wedding cake In
the center of the table and steam
ing turkey at one end when Jean
brought me out Of my trance.
"Isn't 1t wonderful, Frank-wonder-
fuli-to think Of It. and all Of them
30 poorl Why. even, there's Mr..
Sneezitr r.
It was true. The whole community
was present They had swarmed to
our premises In our absence. bringing
the necessaries Of the wedding dinner
with them, and now they were lined
up around the walls guilty-faced but
delighted
said the, whole community was
present, but was wrong. Mrs. Alton
and the little boy. Jerry, were not
there. mentioned their absence to
Spool when had an opportunity.
They must not have known about
it." was his explanation But Spool
had evidently been at pains to make
sure that all the others In the district
should know. Why had he omitted
Mrs. Alton? 1t was one more tangle
In the puzzle Of Spoors peculiar at
titude toward the widow on Eighteen
When we were settled Mr.. Locke
arose and asked blessing. The Sc
rious words sobered US for q minute.
but II was only q minute. The stimu.
lus of turkey with cranberry sauce
and scalloped potatoes and boiled tur.
nips and creamed carrots would have
stirred to gayety hearts much heavier
than ours. and 1t soon developed into
a noisy and frolicsome meal. The tur-
key was an enormous bird; the at
tack of all our hungry party left the
skeleton not entirely stripped I re-
member that one Of the little Han.
sens. venturing up like Oliver Twist
with a demand Tor more, was soundly
raped on his yellow head by drum
STICK IN the heavy hand Of Ole. but
the children as whole were well be.
haved, allowing for the example set
them by their elders Then we had
plum pudding and sauce and apple
pie and cheese. and nuts and candy
for everybody. Jean and ] mentally
ficochstted between amusement Ct the