Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-02-03


anyhow"
Billy rose with dignity, and without
word strobe down the path to the
gate and thence up the road. Lydia
stared after him Indignantly. "That
old farmerl" she said to Adam, who
wriggled and slobbered, sympathetic
ally.
She was still indignant when John
Levine arrived and found her toast
ing herself and the waffles for supper,
Unfortunately. Perhaps 1t was this
sense of indignation that made her
less patient than usual with what she
was growing to consider the foibles
Of the male sex. At any rate, she pre-
cipitated her carefully planned con-
versatfon with Levine, when the four
Of them were seated on the back steps,
after supper.
The others were listening to Lydia's
account of her Investigating tour with
Charlie.
81 shouldn't say it was the best idea
in the world for you to be wandering
through the woods with that young
Indian" was Levine's comment when
Lydia had finished
81 don't see how you can speak So"
cried Lydia, passionately, when this
minute you're taking his pine wood"
Lydia! !" said Amos, sharply.
LET her alone, Amos" Levine spoke
quietly. "What are you talking about,
Lydia?"
"The Indians are people, just like
u.s." she cried, "and you're treating
them as If they were beasts. You're
robbing them and letting them starve
Oh, saw theml Charlie showed the
poor things to me-all sore eyes, and
coughing and eating dirt. And you're
making money out of them! Maybe
the very money you paid our note with
was made out of starved squaw. Oh,
can't stand it to think it of youl"
Lydia paused with a half sob and
for moment only the gentle ripple
Of the waves on the shore and the
crickets were to be heard. Levine, ell
bow on knee, chin on hand, looked
through the dusk at the shadowy
sweetness of Lydia's face, his own
face calm and thoughtful.
you're so good and kind to me-"
Lydia began again, show can you be
so hard on the Indians? Are you
stealing Charles logs? Are you, Mr..
Levine?"
II bought his pine" replied Levine
quietly.
"He doesn't believe It. He thinks
you're stealing. And he's so afraid
Of you. Why does he feel that way,
Mr.. LevineY'
Lydia! What're you saying" ex-
claimed Amos.
keep out, Amos" said Levine.
We've got to clear this up. I've been
expecting it, for some time. Lydia,
years ago before the government be-
gan to support the Indians, they were
a fine, outstanding race. The whites
could have>learned a lot from them.
They were brave and honorable, and
moral, and in primitive way, thrifty.
Well, then the sentimentalists among
the whites devised the reservation
system and the allowance system. And
the Indians have gone to the devil,
Just as whites would under like cir
cumstances. Any human being has to
earn what he eats or he degenerates.
The only way to save those Indians
up there is to kick them out The
strong ones will live and be assimf-
lated into our civilization. The weak
ones will die, just like weak whites
do"
But how about Charles pinesT' in
sisted Lydia. "What makes him think
you're stealing them? And he says
that when the pines 60, the tribe will
die"
81 paid for the pine" insisted Lee
vine. IAN Indian has no idea of buy
ing and selling. It's cruel incident,
this breaking up of the reservation,
but it's like cutting off leg to save
the patients life Sentiment is vast
ed"
Lydia was turning over in her mind
Tic SCSuc LII LIc WOOuS UcLWoSu join
and the half-breeds. That, then, was
a part Of the process of removing the
patients leg! The end justified the
means.
She heaved q great sigh Of relief.
"Well, then, don't have to worry
about that any more" she said "Only,
I don't dare to think about those
starving old squaws, or the baby that
frOze to death"
THAT'S right" agreed Levine, COM
fortably. Don't think about them"
II there was still a doubt in the
back of Lydia's mind regarding the
reservation, for time, at least, she
succeeded in quieting it.
One of the not unimportant results
of the camping trip was that Lydia
rediscovered the pine by the gate. It
was the same pine against which she
had beaten her little fists the night
Of Patience's death.
She liked to sit on the steps and
stare at it, dreaming and wondering.
For the Indians and the pines were
now unalterably associated in Lydia's