Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-10-14

her home. Tne water Snet swallowed
makes her awful sick at her stomach,
guess.
The fright over, the old spirit Of
adventure, with an added sense Of
heroism, animated Kent and Lydia.
Margery was leased out of the boat
and assisted into the perambulator,
with her dripping white legs dan
Cling helpiessly over the end. Little
Patience's tears were assuaged when
she was placed in the doll buggy, with
Margery's doll In her arms. Florence
Dombey was tied papoose fashion to
Lydia's back. The bicycle was hidden
in the cave and with Kent wheeling
Margery and Lydia, Patience, the pro-
cession started wildly for home
BY the time they had turned into
the home street, Margery was begin
ming to recover, but she was still shiv-
ering and inclined to sob. Other chill
dren followed them and 1t was quite
an imposing group that turned in at
the Marshall gate, just as Mrs. Mar
shall came to the door to bid guest
good-by.
The scene that followed was diff,
cult for either Lydia or Kent to de-
scribe afterward. There was hula
baloo that brought half the mothers
of the neighborhood into the yard. The
doctor was sent for. Margery was put
to bed and Kent and Lydia were men
toned as murderers. low-down brats
and coarse little brutes by Mrs. Mar
shall, who ended by threatening them
with the police.
Old Lizzie appeared on the scene In
time to take Lydia's part and Kent
disappeared after Mrs. Marshall had
told him that Margery's father would
be around to see his father that eve
ming.
SIS the child deadr" demanded old
Lizzie, holding Patience on one arm
while Lydia chung to the other.
"She was able to walk upstairs"
said neighbor. "It's just Mrs. Mar
shall's way, you know"
"I'll way her." snorted Lizzie. "Fine
thanks to Lydia for saving the child.
Come home with your old Liz, dearie,
and get into the nice clean dress I've
got for YOU"
Lydia told the story to Amos at
suppertime. He was much disturbed.
"I've told you often and often, Ly-
Ola, never to endanger child that
can't swim. You and Kent should
have had more sense"
| The quick tears sprang to the childs
eyes. She was still much shaken.
els this lesson enough for you, or
must forbid your playing In the wa
ter? l thought could trust you abb
solutely."
"Stop your scolding her, Amos Dud-
ley" exclaimed cid Lizzie. 81 won't
have it. She's too nervous child"
Amos was saved reply by ring
at the doorbell. Lizzie let Margery's
father in. He was short, red-faced
man with black hair and eyes. He
was too much excited now to stand on
ceremony, and he followed Lizzie into
the dining-roOm.
'This won't do, Dudley. These wild
young ones of yours"
swat a minute, Marshall" inter-
rupted Amos, with dignity that he
had brought with him from New Eng
land. "Margery is all right, so we can
| 20 over this thing calmly. Sit down
and listen to Lydia's story. Tell him.
LYDIA"
Lydia left her place and crowded
up against her fathers side. Old Liz
zie was holding the baby.
"It was like this" Lydia began.
"Baby and me were going to play by
ourselves under the willows. Then
| Kent, he came and he played pirates
with us. And then, right after we'd
had our lunch, Margery she came
along and Kent and were mad"
The child paused intentionally and
rubbed her curly yellow head with her
thin little hand in an embarrassed
way.
"Why were you mad, Lydia" In
spite of himself, Marshall's voice was
softening, as Amos had known 1t
would. Lydia made deep appeal
somehow to the tenderness Of men.
"Tell Mr.. Marshall all you told me,
Lydia" said Amos.
"Well-well, you see, it's like this.
| Margery's always so clean and she has
lovely clothes and-and she-she
looks down on us other kids so we
| won't generally let her play with us
and she's an awful 'fraid cat and
and tattle-taie. But when we got to
playing Robinson Crusoe, and were
digging the cave she helped and got
terrible dirty, just like us, and then
she wanted to be Fridays father, and
then-well-now-I guess the rest OF
| 1t was Kent's and my fault. We for
got she couldn't swim and we forgot
what a cry-baby she was. Cause you
see, waters almost like land to Kent
and me and we'd been swimmin' most
all day, and Margery's the only kid
around here that can't SWIM"
why can't she swim?" demanded
Marshall. How'd all the rest Of you
learn? Don't you think you were
mean not to let her learn
Again Lydia's pellucid eyes widened.
"Why her mother won't let her play
with common kids like us And us
kids never learned. We've just