Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-01-27
Mamma From,
Heaven
Copyright,

ried so-ambushed in the grape arbor
at the very foot of the garden she had
felt SO safe and happy until across
! the lifting notes she heard: "Stop
that DEVILS noise!"
"She calls herself a Christian! My
Aunt Pen. Only a step-aunt, thank
Fate" Peggy muttered.
Margaret, go see about the big yell
low peaches. It's time they were
turnin'. They'll all squinch up to
nothin' If you try to dry 'em real
rfpe,' Aunt Pen doomed. Peggy was
glad-she wanted to keep away from
her guardian tormentor as long as
possible. But she dared not leave the
hddle-no telling what would happen
to 1t If by chance Kiddums spied it.
Hugging it tight in her shrouding
| apron, she. almost ran through the
gate, and lost herself under the bur-
dened peach trees. She laid down the
| fiddle and clambered nimbly up the
| fifth tree of the row.
Daringly she reached for the finest
peach upon the farthest tip of long
twig-lost balance, and went swishing
down, getting no worse hurt than to
| her pride. But the man suddenly
awakened from sleep in the long grass,
| of course, could not know that. He
| rushed toward her, saying eagerly yet
hushedly: "Are you hurt? Sure?" as
she shook her head. ''Lucky-falling
| at least fifteen feet Old trees like
these should be headed in, more than
half. 1t would cost only one CROP"
'You wouldn't say that if you knew
the owner" Peggy answered. "She
raves when late frost costs her even
half CROP"
with my spirits eye, of course, I'd
like to see her." said the stranger
gravely. "Think you could persuade
her to let me stay a fortnight?"
"NOt a chance. She'd call the dogs
if took you home with me-" said
Peggy. "Still, If you came a good
while after dinner-time, asking just
for bite, offered pay for it, which
she won't take, though she'll want to,
and praise her cookin' and her beau
| tifully clean house, she'll ask you to
stay to supper, then to stay on over
night; after that it's up to you how
much longer"
"a diplomat wasted" the stranger
| said, smiling. 'I'm Royal Reed-at
| your service
"And I'm Peggy Fane-be sure you
forget it. l don't tell you any more.
Aunt Pen loves to introduce herself
so well doing it will help your cause"
Peggy interrupted.
A week later Peggy said to him in
very early encounter: "You are a
loss to the stage. A great one. How
have you charmed the uncharmable?"
Lets see. l think it is by I'M
awareness of your presence" Reed re-
turned, his eyes twinkling. Honestly,
| think she regards me as mama from
heaven" he went on. Cant say I
blame her either. Doubt if ever be-
fore She has had the joy of feeling
that she completely eclipsed youth,
beauty, charm. She's felt she had it
in her thirty years at least. Now, to
have it come true-well! Imagine it.
She's not a bit infatuated with me
don't think it for a minute. But her
vanity is so swollen she sees nothing
in right perspective. I'd be sorry for
her if she were only little kind to
you"
''Never you mind about me-" Peggy
flung back valiantly. "Just watch out
for that imp, Kiddums. He trusts no.
body. If he saw us talking together
the tale he would tell Aunty Pen!
He's fightin' mad because she's giving
me the peach money, since I'm doing
all the work of drying"
"It hurts to think of your hands all
stained and rough" Reed said, catch
ing them in his own. " dare not ask
you to go away with me now, but
shall come back soon-and so vouched
for, 1 hope you will be glad to go.
How about it,"
Il think you knowl" Peggy MUIR
INJURED, roster than the fading dawn
had been. 1t was too much-heedless
Of all else he clasped and kissed her,
murmuring softly: my own darlingl
My very ownr'
"She amt yourn-she b'Iong ter my
Nanny Pen," Kiddums, in night shirt,
barefoot, tousled, his eyes cleaning
rat-like through his thatch of tow,
shouted. "I'm goin' ter fetch her right
away-so's she kin see you two AGAR
ryin' on"
Ten minutes later they got the sur
prise of their lives, in the shape of
Aunty Pen, not raging but smiling
at them, and holding out a hand to
each as she said: "WeH, l done it!
All comm out just like 1 thought.
Minute I clapped eyes on you, young
man, knew you for rich John Reeds
boy. 1 went to school with him forty
years back. Know men-how they al
ways wanted worst way what they
thought they had no chance to get. SO
l Tended you off from Peggy-all the
time wantin' you to have her. She's a
good child. love her for all my scold-
in"