The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
CHAPTER IX-Continued

be q happy one. lie was u "llihS
pack horse and middleman for Lydia,
and though the demand for fudge was
never overwhelming, Lydia by the
end of May had cleared something
over thirty-fve dollars.
Her Joy over this method Of earning
money was not confined to its relation
TO her camping trip. She saw herself
helping to pay up their Indebtedness
to Levine, Marshall having made good
his threat to call in the note.
In the meantime she expended the
whole of her four dollars on a pair
s of buckskin outing boots and eight
dollars on a little corduroy hunting
coat and skirt. The suit was cheap
but well cut, with belt and pockets
and welted seams. The soft buckskin
shoes fitted the slender calves like
velvet. With her bright cheeks and
her yellow hair above the fawn-col-
ored corduroy, Lydia looked half boy,
half woman.
my soul, Lydia, they're just grand"
cried Lizzie.
:"What boys are going In that
crowd?" demanded Amos.
"Charlie and Kent and-Margery's
smother's given in-'Gustus Bach.
told you. Daddy, don't you like the
suit?"
Like it," exclaimed Amos. Lydia,
I'm stunned by it, l wish / could
have bought you your first suit my
self, Lydia. But on a dollar and q
half a day, l swan
Lydia spun through her Junior ex-
animation blissfully. For once marks
and final averages were Of little I'M
portance to her. For the week after
school closed she was going camping
Amos had been very sober when he
said good-by to Lydia, at half past
six. "It's your first trip, Lydia. Don't
do anything you wouldn't want your
mother to see.'
Lydia looked at him wonderingly
then threw her arms about his neck
"Oh, daddy, / don't want to go of
and leave you two whole weeks!"
'Its too late to back out now. &c
on and have good time" said Amos
picking up his dinner pail. Lydis
watched him down the road. Sud
denly she realized how lonely her ia
Their must be without her mother.
Promptly at nine Charlie and KEN
whirled up to the gate in a carryall
"Here come Miss Towne and Olga =
cried Kent. ''Margery'lI be late, o.
course"
At nine-ffteen Margery was driver
up in state by Elviry, and at nine
twenty the carryall was off to the
north in a cloud Of dust, leaving Adam
bowling dismally at the gate.
"Where the hills begin again, that!
the reservation" said Charlie. Gus
beyond that group of buildings is thu
reservation line"
The buildings Charlie pointed t,
were the first that had appeared IL
several miles. A two-story, implanted
frame house with several barns an(
sheds comprised the group. Their,
was a sign on the front of the house
Last Chance" read Margery, a.
they clattered by. For goodness
sakel" she giggled, sis 1t hotel?"
Look at all the women! One il
every Window cried Olga. "Why
they must have a lot of maids! ID,
people come up here In the summer
Kent?
ITS miserable, disreputaole place
girls" said the teacher. 'Why lool
at that when you have these beauti
full hills before your How far int,
the reservation do we go, CharlieT
"About four miles. It's where
camp every year."
The road, curving around hill, ha,
without warning entered the pin
woods.
The others fell to chatting again
But Lydia was too moved for words
The incense of the pines, their curl
Gus murmGring stiffness, reused in he
memories that were perhaps hal
racial. She was still in half dream
when the blue Of lake glimmered be
yond the far aisles and the carryal
drew up with flourish before tire
tents set in the pines on the water
edge.
Charlie and Kent had made thei
preparations well and they displays
them proudly. They had rented tn
three old A tents from the agent, a
well as the seven canvas COTS, tn
dishes and the cooking utensils. TIL
middle tent had been arranged with
rough slabStabl and benches for
dining and living room. The boys
tent with three cots and the girls
with four, were crowded but comfort
able. f.sts
Its very nice, indeed, hcys," sal
Miss Towne. "Come, girls. get GU