Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-05-06

l.
l would waken and see You fighting In
the snow; fighting, and stumbling. and
falling" She wrapped her arms about
me and pressed her cheek against my
face. "Oh Frank. Frank, It's good to
have you herel" she murmured.
had never known Marjorie to be so
demonstrative. She came of solid old
| Eastern stock that carries Its heart a
long, long way In. ! was not psy-
chologist enough to realize that If ever
there was to be time when Marjorie
would be very human she was now en-
tering 1t.
There. there" said, comforting
her as best could. "It's all over now.
And listen-I have great news. Jean
and are to be-"
AT last!' she interrupted. well,
that shows what little planning will
do. You dear old silly. did you sup
pose
Il know all about it-now. Jack
confessed. But your little joke nearly
cost me my life," and went on to tell
of my battle with the storm, taking
care that it should lose nothing in the
telling. In this hope / measured up
to the established standard of the
typical Westerner.
Marjorie was penitent. II am SO
sorry" she said. 81 had no idea that
might happen. Oh, Frank. wouldn't it
have been dreadful?"
"It would. but it isn't On the con-
trary, 1t is worth it."
Spool drove over one Sunday early
in December after an absence Of three
weeks We saw his oxen breaking
trail for an hour or more before they
came up to our door. Jack and Jean
had also seen them coming, and rushed
over to Fourteen to share in extending
welcome. 1t is only among the pioneers
that real welcomes occur. Jack swept
Spool into the house, and turned our
own oxen out and put his in the stable.
We were soon to learn the cause of
Spoofs absence from our threshold
for full three weeks. It seemed that
to protect his extensive supply Of per-
sonal effects Spool had bought a pad
lock for his shack, and one frosty
morning this paddock fell to the
ground. Spool picked 1t up, and, wish
ing to use his hands for some other
purpose, thrust the iron link of the
lock in his mouth, thinking to hold it
there moment. He had no trouble
holding it, but suddenly found to his
dismay that he couldn't give it up!
The frost in the iron had, with an
effect very much like fire, scared his
tongue and hung on so tenaciously
that when at last he wrenched it out
it carried some of the flesh of that
tender organ with it.
II couldn't speak," Spool explained,
in telling of his misfortune, land there
were so many things l needed to say
just then.'
His predicament had been bad
enough. For several days he had been
unable to eat. $50 I've come over
here to make up for it." he added.
After the first outburst over Spoof's
arrival had subsidized an embarrassing
silence yawned across the path Of our
conversation. There were great things
to be said and no one to say them.
The girls glanced shyly at each other,
and at us, and Jack, by pantomime
behind Spoof's back, sought to convey
the information that l was elected
spokesman. So for lack of prepare
ton l plunged in bodily as one may
take cold dip when he lacks the will
power TO do 1t slowly.
Jack and have also had mis-
fortune. of Sort" said. 1--WE, too,
have lost the use of our organs of
speech, permanently
Spool narrowed his eyebrows quiz
ideally. "Then my ears make up for
it." he said II hear you as usual
sit isn't in effect yet" explained.
1--WE are to be married at Christmas
Behold the parties of the first par" "
| and waved hand at Jean and Mar
jorie while turned phrase of Jake's
| to good account.
Spool sprang to his feet. "Oh, by
| Jove, how wonderfulL What lucky
dogs! Your pardon, ladies, that my
| first word was to them; / fear my
envy outweighed my good manners-if
have any left. A bachelors shack is
not exactly school of polite behavior.
| It is my visits at Fourteen which have
| saved me from becoming quite saw
age. Ii feel that should make
speech"
| He was as good as his word. Mount
ing chair he gave us bantering dis
| sertation on the joys and perils of mar
| ried life. to which we listened with
| much seriousness. But underneath,
and running through his words, was
something which all his banter did not
hide. Spool was playing the game,
but wondered how many little yellow
devils were skewering his heart.
The practical part of it was Spoons
ready offer Of his help in arranging de-
tails. The problems of securing the
services of minister and buying the
marriage licenses demanded attention.
Even so ethereal thing as marriage
cannot entirely escape the humdrum
n of +bo ~ ;oI h1,t xxyoS tfynn whom