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

One day Lydia said, 81 wish we had
hardwood floors like yours"
what kind are yoursw inquired
Margery.
"Just pine, and kind Of mean, splin-
terry pine, too.
upstairs at Olga's all the floors
were that way" said Margery, "and
they had q man come and sandpaper
'em and put kind of putty stuff in the
cracks and oil and wax 'em and they
look f1ne."
Seer said Lydia, thoughtfully.
"pn do It'll And I'll cut our old liv-
ing-room carpet up into two or three
rugs. Lizzien have to squeeze enough
out of the grocery money for fringe.
I'd rather have fringe than a fall
coat"
Amos, coming home night or so
later, found the iving-room floor bare
and Lydia hard at work with bit
Of glass and sandpaper, scraping at
the slivers.
Saint it awfulY' asked Lizzie from
the dining room. "She would do It."
'Lizzie's complained all day." said
Lydia. "She doesn't realize how our
house looks like poverty and destruc-
ton compared with other folks. I'm
going to get some style into 1t, II I
have to tear it down. Oh, daddy, don't
you get sick of being poorT
EYES," said Amos, shortly, "and /
think you're silly girl to wear your
self out on this kind Of thing"
Lydia sat up and looked at him. She
was growing fast and was thinner
than ever, this summer. IF mother
was alive" she said, "she'd know ex-
actly how feel"
Suddenly there came to Amos mem
DRY q weak and tender voice, with con-
tralto notes In it like Lydia's.
Lydia" he said, abruptly, make the
house over If you want to, my DEAR"
and he marched out to the kitchen to
wash and take off his overalls.
It took Lydia several days to COM
plete her task. When it was done the
cracks were still prominent and the
oily finish was spotted. But in Lydia's
eyes it was a work Of art and she cut
the old carpet into three parts with
enthusiasm. She sewed the fringe on
the rugs, on the front porch. Sitting
so, she could see Margery when she
appeared far down the road. On the
afternoon on which she finished the
last Of the rugs Charlie Jackson and
not Margery appeared.
He admired the rugs and the CLEAN
of the shining floor through the door
way. Then, without preamble, he
asked, did you talk to Levine,
Lydia?"
EYES," she said. "He-he just
doesn't see it any way but his, Char
lie! He insists, that the only way to
save you Indians is to make you work
for living"
"He's doing it all for our good,
huh?" sneered Charlie.
"He doesn't pretend He says he
wants the land. He's paying for 1t,
though"
Paying for ftp cried the Indian.
FLOWS he paying for 1t, do you
know?
"No, and l don't want to know!
I'm tired of hearing things about Mr..
Levine"
ct don't care If you are" said Char
lie, grimly. "You might as we'll decide
right now whether you're going to take
him or me for your friend. You can't
have us BOTH"
81 wouldn't give up Mr.. Levine for
anyone on earth" Lydia's voice shook
with her earnestness. "And I don't
see why I have to be dragged into
this business. I've nothing to do
with it."
"You have, too! You're white, and
it's every whites business to Judge in
this. You'll be taking some Of the
profits of the reservation II It's
thrown open, yourself"
81 will not I" cried Lydia. II
wouldn't want an inch Of that land"
Then she caught her breath. Some
thing within her said, "Wouldn't, eh-
not the vast acres of cathedral pines,
you thought Of as yours, at campT
She flushed and repeated vehemently,
"Not an fnchw
Charlie smiled cynically. Listen,
Lydia, I'll tell you how Levine pays
for his Indian, lands"
(Continued)