Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-09-23
THE STORY

CHAPTER with her baby sister
Patience, Lydia returns from play to
the untidy home Of her impoverished
frIsno anS s.r own c TED
admtrer, John Levine, after discussing
affairs with Dudley, makes up his mind
to go into politics.
Continued from last weekly
"F1orence, home wiz baby"
"Yes, it's getting near supper time
Lydia tucked the still hectically star
ing doll in beside her small sister,
turned the perambulator around and
ran it along one of the little paths to
the sidewalk.
At the crossing she met a small
girl Of her own age, who carried q
toy balloon, and a popcorn ball.
"Hello, Lydia!" she cried. 1T was
perfectly lovely circusP'
'Was it?" cried Lydia, with an In
different voice that something in her
blue eyes denied. "Well, l had to
take care of little Patience!"
"Huh !" shrilled the little girl, "old
Lizzie would have done that think
your fathers mean not to give you
the money.
Lydia's red cheeks went still redder.
my fathers got plenty of money"
she began fiercely. Here the baby
interrupted.
"Baby love pritty-Baby love"
she held out two beseeching dimpled
hands toward the red balloon
Patience, you can't have It." cried
Lydia. 'It-it'll make your tummy
ache. I'll buy you one when you're
older"
The black-eyed child, holding the
red balloon, suddenly kissed little Pa
thence, who was the pet Of all the
children in the neighborhood, and put
the string of her balloon into the
dimpled hand. 81 had the circus
you can have the balloon" she said.
Lydia jerked the string away and
held it out to the owner.
Were no cheerity charities, Marg-
eryr she said. "I'l get Patience q
balloon"
You're an awful liar and a cruel
beast, Lydia!" cried Margery. She
snatched the string and tied it about
the baby's wrist. you know you can't
buy her one and you know she'll cry
herself sick for one. now she's seen
mine, and ] guess love her as much
as you do" f.--- &c.
j. Lydia looked from the cherub in the
pefambulator, growing ecstatically
over the red bubble that tugged at
her wrist to the defiant Margery.
"Tll let her have it, Margery," she
said reluctantly. "I'll make you q
dolls high chair"
"All right" said Margery, noncha-
lantly. Face tag So longr'
Lydia ran the perambulator along
the board walk. The street was mac
adamized and bordered with thrifty
maple trees. Back Of the maple trees
were frame houses, of cheap and stu
pid construction. Before one Of these
Lydia paused. 1t was dingy brown
house.. Of the type known as "story
and half"
Lydia opened the gate in the picket
fence and tugged the perambulator
through and up to the porch.
There, baby mine. shall Lydia take
you in for your support"
Supper" cOoed little Patience, lift
ing her arms.
Lydia lifted her to the porch with
surprising ease. The little two-year-
old should have been no light weight
for the little mother Of twelve. She
stood on the porch watching Lydia
arrange Florence Dombey in her
place in the perambulator. The red
balloon tugging at her wrist, her
soiled little white dress blowing In the
summer breeze, she finally grew Inn
patient Of Lydia's attentions to Flor
ence Dombey.
Baby eat now" she cried with q
stamp Of her small foot.
Lydia laughed She ran up the
steps, took the baby's hand and led
her through the entry into a square
little room, evidently the parlor Of the
home It was dusty and disorderly.
Lydia disgorged the contents of her
blouse upon the desk, then followed
$1,000 otAChNC Iul0 lie next room
This was larger than the first and was
evidently the dining room and sitting
room.
A short, stout old woman was set.
ting the table. She had iron gray
hair. Her face was broad wreath OF
wrinkles. surrounding bespectacled
black eyes and thin mouth that
never quite concealed very white
and handsome set OF false teeth.
See! LII See r. cried little Pa.
thence, pattering up to the old woman
with the Juggling balloon.
Amt that grandr said Lizzie
"Where'd you git the money, Lydia,
Baby's milk's In the tin cup on thu
kitchen table. Your fathers home
You'd better fry the steak. He con,
plains 30 about 1t when / do It."
Lydia left the baby clinging ID
Nsziss skirts and went on into the