Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-03-04
CHAPTER vi

Spool was as good as his word. The
following Sunday we saw his OK team
as a slowly-growing speck on section
Eleven. and mile away we heard re-
marks to the ''bally bullocks'' which,
presumably. were intended to be conf
dental.
81 just brought the bullocks for ex-
ercise," he explained, when he drew
up before our shack. 81 could have
walked much easier, and much quicker,
but they keep my arms and voice in
FORM"
The girls were waiting in the shade
at the eastern side of the shack; in
their Sunday dresses of flimsy stuff
appropriate to the hot weather they
looked very sweet and charming.
"Ah, here are the ladies'" said
Spool, and In his manner there was q
touch of gallantry that in some way
seemed foreign to either Jack or me.
Real prairie roses, and no mistake"
as he took their hands in his. "It's
jolly decent to ask a stranger over.
All this out-of- doors; dawns, sunsets,
sky, distance-all very fine, but it isn't
good to be too much alone with it.
Rather overwhelms one, don't, you
think ?"
81 have felt that" said Jean, while
Marjorie was fumbling for words.
''Lt's too grand; it Expresses one. It's
its all soul; no body"
THAT'S it-that's it! Spool agreed.
'All soul-no body. shall write that
to the governor. The governor, dear
old chap. thinks this country is rather
a bit off the map. have promised to
shoot him a polar bear for Christmas.
and he's quite looking forward to it.
He writes to know If find the native
labor satisfactory, and can my man
mix decent whisky and soda. I must
set his mind at rest. I let him think
l run quite an establishment, you un-
derstand; he sends a check now and
again, which, Of course, bears rela-
tionship to the position l am supposed
to occupy in local society,""
Doesn't your conscience trouble
you?" Marjorie queried, the converse
llOA loNluS IAtO uCA Va UAIs
"Not at all. I am doing the gov
ernor a kindness. He spends rather
too much money on whisky and soda
particularly the former-so am mere
ly getting him interested in another
kind of extravaganza. A Younger Son
is a very successful form Of extrav-
agance. don't you think? What Is it
Kipling says-'By the bitter road the
Younger Son must tread or something
like that? So why shouldn't the gov
ernor sweeten the bitter road little
and drink less whisky to his solar"
- While we were busy thinking of
some appropriate remark Spool re-
membered his bundle Of papers.
IT ventured to bring these over" he
said. rendering them to Jean. "Just
some old copies Of the Illustrated Lon
don News and the Graphic. There are
some sketches by an artist showing his
conception of homestead life. l rather
suspect the governor has let him read
my letters"
Presently the conversation turned to
agricultural topics, and we were more
at ease.
my blowing" Spool explained, has
gone better since discarded my COM
pass The bullocks never took kindly
to the compass No doubt it was a
foolish notion Of mine that furrow
should run either east and west or
north and south, seeing that the whole
farm has to be plowed anyway. / now
let them veer and tack as they please.
and we are making considerable head
way"
"Any crop int"
mot this year. A chap IL Regina