The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-10-08

touched Amos face, "Oh! Patience
Patience" he murmured
Lydia sat for moment or two with
the sleeping baby in her arms, look.
ing down on her with a curious gen.
fully, and as carefully deposited little
Patience on the bed. This done, she
united the balloon and carried 1t out
with her to the little landing. There
was window here into which the
August moon was beginning to shine
Lydia sat down with the balloon and
felt of 1t carefully.
aren't balloons the most wonder
full things, almost as wonderful as
bubbles" she murmured. II love the
smell of them. Think what they can
do, how they can float. better than
birds How you want to squeeze
them but you don't dastl I'd rather
have gone to the circus than to
heaven"
In a moment she heard steps and
greetings and her father leading his
friend into the house. Then she
slipped down the stairs and into the
night. A dozen times she ran up and
down the yard, the balloon like a
fettered bird Juggling at her wrist.
II love 1t as much as little Pa
tience Does" she murmured. "Oh,
wish 1t was mine"
! Finally, she ran out Of the gate and
up the street to the one fine house
Of which the street boosted. She
stole up to the door and fastened the
string Of the balloon to the door bell,
gave the bell jerk and fed
well, I haven't anything pleasant
at all to look forward to now" she
thought "The circus parade Is over
and I've returned the balloon. Gee,
yes, there Is tool didn't eat my
cake yet !''
She turned up the lamp in the kitch-
en- and foraged in the cake box, bring
ing out the cake Lizzie had saved
for her. With this In her hand she
entered the dining room. An extra
| ordinary long, thin man was stretched
out In one armchair, Amos in the
/ other.
/ Aoo OuSht " Sit III IhC pdIlOl
dad" said Lydia, reproachfully.
Its too stuffy,' said Amos.
"0h, hello, young Lydia!" said the
tall man. "Come here and let me
look at you"
Levine drew the child to his knee.
She looked with clear affectionate
| gaze on his thin smooth-shaven face,
and into his tired black eyes.
''Why do you always say young
Lydia2" asked the child.
'"That's what want to know, too
agreed Amos.
Because, by heck! she's so young
to be such an old lady" He smoothed
the short curly hair with gesture
that was indescribably gentle. Il tell
you what, young Lydia, If you were
ten years older and were ten years
younger"
Lydia leaned against his knee and
took large bite of cake. you'd
take me travelling, wouldn't you, MIR.
! Levine?" she said, comfortably.
'You bet / would, and you should
have your hearts desire, whatever
| that might be. If any one deserves
1t, you do, young Lydia"
r Amos nodded and Lydia looked at
them both with a sort of puzzled con-
tent as she munched her cake.
II brought a newly illustrated
copy of Tom Sawyer for you to see
LYDIA" said Levine. Keep it as long
as you want to. It's over on the
couch there"
Lydia threw herself headlong on
the book and the two men returned
to the conversation she had inter
rupted
in January" said Amos. "My lord
I've got to do something"
Hes q skin, Marshall is. Why
does he live on this street except to
save money!
/ Lydia looked up from "Tom Saw.
yer" There were two little lines OF
worry between her eyes and the little
sick sense in the pit of her stomach
that always came when she heard
money matters discussed. Her earli.
est recollection was of her mother
frantically striving to devise some
method Of meeting their latest loan.
"Pd like to get enough ahead to
buy little farm. All my folks were
farmers back in New Hampshire and
was fool ever to have quit 1t. II
looked like q mechanic could eat q
farmer up, though, when / was a
1 young fellow. Now a little farm
looks good enough to me. But on a
dollar and-a-half-a-day, swan
Amos sighed.
Lands high around here" said
Levine. II understand Marshall sold
Eagle farm for q hundred dollars an
acre. Takes sharp farmer to make
interest on hundred an acre. Lord
when you think Of the land on the
reservation twenty miles from here
just yelling for men to farm 1t and
nothing but bunch of dirty Indians
to take advantage Of It."
Look here, john" said Amos with
sudden energy. cts time that bunch
of Indians moved on and gave white
men chance. / wouldn't say word
e