The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-10-07
COPYRIGHT BY FREDERICK A. STOKES CO

An Old-faShiOned white cottage
with green blinds and a tiny from
porch, stood beside the road, it:
back to the lake. There were five
acres or so of ground around the
house, set off by a white picket
fence. At the gate a pine tree stood
There were oaks and lilac bushes
in the front yard. Through the
leaves, Lydia saw the blue Of the
lake.
Our yard runs right down to the
waterY' she cried, as the driver
lifted the baby down and she fol
lowed after. "Geel I'm glad we
moved"
Lydia looked along the road.
where an occasional house was ia
be seen.
81 hope kids live in those houses
she said, "but If they don't. baby
and the lake are company enough
for me, and Kent can come out on
his Wheel"
She ran through the little house
eagerly. 1t was full of windows
and being all on one floor, gave q
fine effect of spaciousness. 1t was
an old house but in excellent re-
pair, as was all John Levine's prop
erty.
Lizzie arrived on the third and
final load. She brought with her a
lunch that they shared with the
driver. He gOod-naturedly set up
the kitchen stove and the three beds
for them and departed with the
hope that they would not be too
lonesome.
Lydia and old Lizzie put in an
afternoon of gigantic effort. BY
six O'Clock, the beds were made,
dishes unpacked and in the china
closet, the table was set for sup
per and an Irish stew of Lydia's
make was simmering on the stove.
When Amos came up the path at
a half after six, his dinner pail
in his hand, he found Lydia fiat on
her back on the little front porch.
Her curly head was wet with per-
spiratiOn face. hands and blouse
were black. The baby sat beside
her, trying to get Florence Dom
hey to sleep.
well" said Amos, looking down
on his family, chow do you like
it, Lydia?"
ITS great. My backs broken !!
Supper's ready"
You shouldn't lift heavy things,
child How often have I told you?
Wait until | get home"
II want to get things DONE" re-
piled Lydia, SOS I can do a little
playing before school opens. Come
on in and see all we've done,
daddy"
She forgot her aching back and
led the way into the house. Amos
was as excited and pleased as the
children and Lizzie, so tired that
her old hands shook, was as elated
as the others.
"It's much more roOmy than the
old house and all on one floor.
Twill save me the stairs. And the
gardenIl be fine she said, failing
to call attention to the fact that
the water was far from the house
and that there was no kitchen sink,
We've got to try to keep this
place cleaner than we did the
other" said Amos. Lydia, better
wash up for supper"
ooh. daddy, said Lydia, I'm too
tiredl Don't make me-"
"All right" answered Amos, 'but
your mother was always clean and
so am l. I don't e where you
get it,"
'Maybe one of my ancestors was
a garbage man." suggested Lydia.
sliding into her place at the table.
She allowed Lizzie to carry Pa
thence into their bedroom after sup
per and Amos, smoking in the yard
and planning the garden for next
year, waited in vain to hear "Beu-
lah Land and "Wreathe me no
gaudy chaplet' float to him from
the omen window.
"Where's Lydia, LiZZie?' he
asked as the old lady came out to
empty the dishwater.
"She amt come out yet. Maybe
she's fell asleep, too"
The two tip-toed to the window.
On the bed under the covers was
little Patience, fast asleep, and be-
side her. on top Of the covers, fully
dressed, lay Lydia. an arm across
her little sister, in the sleep of Ut
ter exhaustion.
"Ill Just take her shoes off and
cover her and leave her till morn
ing" said Lizzie.
But Amos, gazing at his two I'll
kempt little daughters, at the cha
otic room, did not answer except to
murmur to himself, ooh, Patience !
Patience"
The cottage was somewhat $50
lated. Amos was three-quarters Of
a mile from his work. The school
house was a mile away and the
nearest trolley, which Lizzie must
take to do the family shopping,
was half a mile back along the dirt
road.
Nevertheless, all the family felt
that they had taken a distinct step
upward in moving into lake shore
property and nobody complained of
distances. Amos began putting in
his Sundays in cleaning up the
bramble- grown acres he intended
10 turn into a garden in the spring.
He could not afford to have ii
plowed so he spaded it all himself,
during the wonderful bright fall
Sabbaths. Nor was this a hard
ship for Amos. Only the farm bred
can realize the reminiscent Joy he
took in wrestling with the sod,
which gave up the smell that is
az-1 H. /