Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-12-16

the fntr1cdcleS Oh WHICH were culiEciy
too much for Elviry Marshall, sitting
within earsh0t.
Amos garden was thing Of beauty.
It's trim rows OF vegetables were Dor
dered with sunfiowers, whose yellow
heads Wed in height with the rustling
ears of corn. Amos had q general
grudge toward life. he had q vague,
unexpressed belief that because he
was a descendant of the founders Of
the country. the world owed him an
easy living. He had general sense
Of superiority to his foreign-born
ne.ghbors and to the workmen In the
pillow factory.
But In his garden, all his grudges
disappeared He always felt nearer
to his wife, in the garden. She, too.
had been bred on a New England
farm. He always felt as IL the fine or
derliness of the rows was for her.
Lydia greatly preferred wedding the
garden to cleaning the house. Indeed
the contrast between the fine garden,
the we'll kept patch Of lawn and the
disorderly house was startling.
One afternoon In August, clad in
her bathing suit, now much too small
for her, she was working in the gar
den, when voice behind her grunted {:
"Eatl"
Lydia jumped and turned. The old
squaw Of two years before stood beg
ging. She was as pitifully thin as
ever. AS she stared at the ugly old
Indian, Lydia's throat frightened. She
seemed to feel baby Patience's fin
gers clinging to hers in fear.
"Want some vegetables" she asked
motioning toward the garden
The squaw nodded eagerly and held
up the dirty apron she was wearing.
Lydia began slowly to I'LL it, talking as
she worked
"Where do you liver" she asked.
The Indian jerked her gray head
toward the north "Big Woods"
"But that's twenty miles. It must
take you long time to walk it. Poor
thing!"
The squaw shrugged her shoulders
Lydia stared at the toothless, trem
bling old mouth, hideous with wrin
kles, then at the gnarled and shaking
old hands.
Haven't you anyone to take care OF
you?"
'All sick-boy sick-man sick-gir
sick. All time sick. all time nothing
to eat"
."But won't soma other Indian make
you a garden, a little one?'
Again the squaw shrugged her
shoulders. Her apron was full now.
She produced a string from inside her
waist and tying the apron up bag-like,
she slung it over her shoulder. Then
she gave Lydia keen glance.
Friend" she said, briefly, and turn
ing, she tottered painfully out of the
gate.
Followed by Adam, Lydia walked
thoughtfully out upon the little pier
Amos hadsbuilt.~ 1t was hard to I'M
derstand how the Indians with all
their rich pine land could be so poor.
She resolved to ask her father and
Levine about it and turned somer-
sault into the water. She swan about
until tired, then turned over on her
back to rest. Lying so shadow
drifted across her face and she raised
her head. A gray birch bark canoe
foated silently beside her. In 1t, in a
gray bathing suit, sat Charlie Jack
son.
Goodness 7" exclaimed Lydia. "How
In the world you do it so quietly,
don't see. Come on in. It's as warm
as Suds."
Charlie shot his canoe to the pier
and in a moment was floating beside
Lydia. She took a deep breath, let
herself sink and a moment or two
later came up several yards beyond
him. He did not miss her for mo.
ment, then he started for her with q
shout. A game of tag followed end.
ing in a wild race to the pier.
"You certainly are a little sunflsh
in the water" painted Charlie, as they
sat with feet dangling off the pier.
sought to be, I'm in it enough" re
turned Lydia. Charlie, there's poor
old squaw came here today. What's
the matter with the Indians3 Why
don't they work?"
Charles mouth twisted In a sheer
"Why don't they work? Why dom,
the whites give 'em a chance? Dirty
thieves, prowling round like timber
wolves. Ask Dave Marshall. Ash
that gumshoeing crook of Levine
Don't ask me-"
TLevine's not a crook" shouted Ly
dia.. "He's my friend"
The sneer left Charles face and HI
laughed. "Your friend is he, littl,
sunfishr', .
''Yes," said Lydia, furiously. "a,
gave me ADAM" hugging the dog.
ugly, faithful head. He immediatel.
tried to sit in her wet lap. "And he'
done as much for me as my Owl
father"
''If he's your friend" said the In
dian gently, 81 won't speak agains
him to you again."
Lydia instantly was mellified
Charlie was so old and Sc young! 81,
was SO different from Kent that star