The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-24

to the rent were paying, to rent the
old stone house next to Miss TONNES.
My idea is to move there just till you
finish college. Then We'll go out on
a farm. But it'll give you your chance,
Lydia"
Lydia hesitated To move into the
house next the TONNES would be to
arrive, to enter the inner circle, to
cease to be a dowd But-She looked
about the familiar rooms.
Daddy" she said, would you really
want to leave this cottagew
"Td just as soon," replied Amos.
"Most places are alike to me since
your mothers death. I could stand
doing without the garden, If had the
farm to look forward to-"
How'd we pay the money back"
asked Lydia
"After the Levine bill passes" said
Amos, "I'll have section of pines"
Instantly Lydia's sleeping land hun
ger woke and with 1t the memory OF
Charles tales. She sat In deep
thought.
Daddy" she said, finally, were
not going to borrow, and we're not
going to move again. What's the use
of trying to make a splurge with bor-
rowed money!
"All right" said Amos, reluctantly.
"But remember, you've had your
chance and don't feel abused about
our poverty"
81 WON'T" replied Lydia, obediently.
And, to her own surprise, she did
feel less bitter about her meager,
homemade clothing. She had had a
chance to improve it and had resisted
the temptation.
Late in March the valedictorian and
salutatorian Of the class were chosen.
The custom was for the teachers to
select the ten names that had stood
highest for scholarship during the en-
tire four years and to submit these
to the pupils of the class, who by pop
ular vote elected from these the vale
dictorian and the salutatorian.
To her joy and surprise, Lydia's
was one of the ten names. SO were
Olga's and Kent's.
The day on which the election took
place was cold and rainy. Amos, plod-
ding home for supper, was astonished
to see Lydia flying toward him
through the mud a full quarter Of q
mile from home.
Daddy, they elected me valedic,
torian! They did! They did! Olga
got four votes and Mamie Aldrich ter
and | got sixty-six. Daddy! And Ma
/ mic wasn't cross but Olga was. Oh
isn't it wonderful! !"
"valedictorian My little Lydia
! Scholarship and popular vote! l wish
your mother was here. I'll write tt
Levine tonight He'll have to be here
for the exercises"
"And Kent is salutatorian. He wor
by just two votes. I've got to begir
| to plan about my dress"
"Now, I'm going to buy that dress
Lydia, If / have to borrow money. YoJ
aren't going to begin any talk abou
earning It,"
'Oh, all right" said Lydia, hastily
"You won't have to borrow. Whit,
goods is always cheap and I'll get
right away so 1 can put lots of hare
work on it,
whats your speech going to b,
about?" asked Amos, as they turned
in the gate
II haven't had time to think abou
that. I'll plan it all out while Tn
sewing"
Billy did not congratulate Lydia
! He passed her just as he had durin,
all the months, with curt littl
Hello" To tell the truth, Lydia wa
heartily ashamed Of herself for he
shabby reception of Billy's plea. Sh
knew she had been unkind and sh
missed the desultory companionshil
she had had with Billy.
The preparation of the dress wen
on amazingly well. The speechmak
ing was less simple. AS was custom
airy, Lydia chose the class motto
"Ducit Amor Patriae," for her sub
ject and sweated Unfortunately to fin
something to say. She compliance
bitterly because during the four year
at high school nothing at all wa
taught about love of country, or pa
triotism, or anything that would max
the motto suggestive.
Amos answered her plant indis
nantly. "Well, for heavens sake
And you descendant of the Pur
tansl Lord, what's become of the oil
stockl No, 1 won't help you at al
Think 1t out for yourself"
And think 1t out Lydia did, sittin
on the front steps with her sewing an
listening to the signing of the pine
the gate.
There was but one flaw In Lydia
happiness. Nobody asked her to a
tend the senior ball that was to tax
place on graduation night. To b
sure, 1t was not an invitation affai
The class was supposed to attend
a body, but there was, nevertheless
the usual two-ing and only a very fe'
of the girls who had no invitatio
from boys would go. Lydia, hersel
would have cut off her hand rattle
than appear at her own senior ba
without young man.
Mortified and unhappy, she avoide
her mates during the last week {
school, fearing the inevitable que
, ton, "Who is going to take you, Lyd'
The tenth dawned a lovely Jur
day. The exercises began at ten an
; by half-past eight Lydia was blu
, toned into her pretty little organdi
Lizzie was putting in her black alpae
| and Amos was standing about in b
| black Sunday suit, which dated bae
, to his early married days. BY min
, thirty they had reached the Methodi
| church and Amos and Lizzie were e
| tablished in the middle of the frol
row Of the balcony, while Lydia VIZ
! shivering with fright in the choi
room, where the class was gathere
[ Somebody began to play the orgs
| and somebody else. who looked lii