The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-10-15

glowing face. She was devoted to
Kent, although they quarreled a great
deal. He was a handsome boy, two
years Lydia's senior; not tall for his
years, but already broad and sturdy,
with crinkly black hair and clear,
black-lashed brown eyes. His face
was round and rudy under its sum-
mer tan. His lips were full and
strong-an aggressive, jolly boy, with
a quick temper and generous heart.
He and Lydia had been friends since
kindergarten days.
'Tm going to stay In the Willows
all day." said Lydia. Don't go too
fast, Kent"
"Dit-upl Dit-up, horsy" screamed
little Patience.
The path, after a few moments,
shifted TO the lake shore. The water
there Tapped quietly on sandy beach,
deep shaded by willows. Kent dis
mounted.
discharge your cargo!" he cried.
Don't be SO bossy." said Lydia.
''This is my party"
"All right, then I won't play with
you"
Nobody asked you to, smarty. I
was going to give you my deviled egg
for lunch"
"Gosh," said Kent, "did you bring
your lunch? Say, 1 guess I'll go
home and get mother to give me some.
But let's play pirates, first"
"All right / choose to be chief
first" agreed Lydia.
"And I'm the cannibal and baby's
the stolen princess" said Kent.
The three children plunged into the
game which is the common property
of childhood. For time, bloody cap
lures, savage orgies, escape, pursuit,
looting of great ships and burial of
treasure, transformed the quiet shore
to a theater of high crime. At last,
as the August noon waxed high, and
the hostage princess fell fast asleep
In her perambulator cave, the canni-
bal, who had shifted to captured duke,
bowed before the pirate.
"Sir," he said in a deep voice, 81
! have bethought myself of still further
treasure which, If you will allow me
to go after in my trusty boat, / will
get and bring to you-if you will al
low me to say farewell at that time
to my wife and Babes"
"Har returned the pirate. "How
do / know you'll come back"
The duke folded his arms. you
have my word of honor which never
has, and never will, be broken"
go, duke, but return ere shutdown"
The pirate made a magnificent ges-
ture toward the bicycle, "And say,
Kent, bring plenty to fill yourself up,
for I'm awful hungry and I'll need all
we've got"
She was giving little Patience her
bread and milk, when Kent returned
with paper bag.
ma was cross at me for Fostering
her, but I managed to get some sand
witches and doughnuts. Come on, let's
begin. Gee. there's squaw!"
Coming toward the three children
seated in the sand by the perambu-
lator was thin bent old woman, lean
ing on stick.
DIRTY old beggar," said Kent, be-
ginning to devour his sandwiches.
isn't she awful r. exclaimed Lydia.
Begging Indians were no novelty to
Lake City children, but this one was
so old and thin that Lydia was hor-
rified. Toothless, her black hair
streaked with. gray, her calico dress
unspeakably dirty, her hands like
birds claws clasping her stick, the
squaw stopped In front of the chill
dren.
'Eat!" she said, pointing to her
mouth, while her sunken black eyes
, were fixed on Kent's sandwiches.
Little Patience looked up and be-
gan to whimper with fear.
Get out. you old rlp!" said Kent.
"Eatl Eat !" insisted the squaw, a
certain ferocity In her manner.
did you walk clear in from the
reservation asked Lydia.
The squaw nodded, and held out her
scrawny hand for the children's In
spection. mo eats, all time no eats I
You give eats-poor old woman"
"Oh, Kent, she's half starved |!
Let's give her some of our lunch"
exclaimed Lydia.
"Not on your life,' returned Kent.
,"Dirty. lazy lot! Why don't they
work 2"
IF we'd go halves, we'd have
enough insisted Lydia.
"You told me you'd only enough
for yourself. Get out of here, you old
she-devil."
The squaw did not so much as
glance at Kent. Her eyes were fast
ened on Lydia, with the look Of a
hungry, expectant dog. Lydia ran her
fingers through her damp curls, and
sighed. Then she gave little Patience
her share of the bread and butter and
cooky. She laid the precious dew
He'd egg in Its twist Of paper on top
of the remainder of the bread and
! cookies and handed them to the In
dian.
You can't have any Of mine, II you
give yours upi" warned Kent.
II don't want any, pig!" returned
Lydia.
The old squaw received the food
with trembling fingers and broke into
sobs, that tore at her old throat pain
fully. She said something to Lydia
in Indian, and then to the childrens
surprise, she bundled the food up in
her skirt and started as rapidly as
possible back in the direction whence
she had come
"She's taking 1t back to some one,"
said Kent.
Poor thing" said Lydia.
"Poor thlng' shifted Kent "It
would be good thing If they were all
dead. My father says SOL
"Well, / guess your father don't