Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-05-05


acres Of land of the Indian reservation.
Lydia finally agrees to accept this
property, overcome by the importuni-
ties Of her father and Kent
CHAPTER xK.-Billy succeeds in
convincing Lydia that her heart really
has always belonged to him. She an
stead Ii her indian land, finally winning
her father over to her view. Lydia is
elected a member OF the Scholars
club" the highest honor the school can
love and the knowledge that in homes
stealing her land she Is in q measure
making up for the dubious methods By
which Levine had obtained It
CONTINUED from last weekly
They opened the kitchen door and
stepped in. Pa Norton was sitting in
his stocking feet, reading the evening
paper. Ma was putting away the days
baking. She paused with loaf of
bread in her hand as the two came in,
and pa looked over his glasses.
Mother and dad" said Billy, un-
certainly, 1--we brought Lydia home
to you'll! Look at her, dad! Isn't she
peachl''
Lydia stood with her back against
the door, cheeks scarlet, golden head
held high, but her lips quivering.
Ma dropped her loaf of bread. "Oh,
LYDIA" she cried, 81 thought that
numbskull of Billy never would see
daylight! I've prayed for this for
years. Come straight over here to
your mother, love-"
But Pa Norton had dropped his pa
per when ma dropped her bread and
had not paused for comments. He
made three strides to Lydia, and gave
her a great hug and kiss. Then he
said, "First time / saw you carrying
that milk for Billy's books l said,
there's the wife Billy ought to have.
Ma, wasn't she the dearest"
But ma showed him aside contemptu-
ously. Get over and talk to Billy.
This is woman's affair. Who cares
about "reminiscences now. Oh, Billy,
do you remember / used to worry be-
cause she didn't keep the back of her
neck clean!"
"Who's reminisencing now?" asked
pa belligerently.
Everybody laughed. Then pa
sighed. "Well, l feel almost recon-
ciled now to Bill's giving up farming
When're you going to be married?'
Lydia blushed. ooh, not for a long
time. Now, let's 60 and tell my people,
Billy"
Out in the night again! Curious
how long the short walk to the cot
tage could be made! Curious how
near the stars were-heaven just over
the road where the lovers strolled.
Not strange that such ecstasy cannot
last forever. The human mind could
not bear that heaven-born rapture too
long.
Lizzie was mending. Amos was sit
ting in his arm chair, with bit OF
paper on which he was figuring.
Lydia flew across the room and
dropped on her knees beside him.
ooh, daddy dear, look at me! Billy's
here and he's always going to be here.
Tell US you're glad"
Amos looked up with jerk. First
at Billy, standing stalwart and grave
by the table, his deep eyes as steady
as the hand he held out to Lizzie.
Then at his daughter, with her trans
formed face.
But" protested Amos, Il thought
1t was to be Kent"
"Oh, it couldn't have been Kent" ex-
claimed Lydia. eve never would
have understood each other. Kent
was for Margery."
A frown gathered on Amos face. He
did not really want Lydia to marry
anyone. ALI That had reconciled him
to the thought Of Kent had been
Kent's relation to The Indian lands.
And now he discovered that he didn't
want to give his daughter to anyone.
He threw a jealous arm about her.
"No, you can't have her, Billy" he
said. Nobody shall have her. She's
too good for the best man living"
Eyes, she u.s." agreed Billy. but
that isn't the point. The point Is that
Lydia actually wants me. I don't. un-
derstand it myself, but she does. and
1 know Team make her happy"
81 can make her happy myself" said
1
Amos, gruff1y.
"But you haven't" retorted Billy.
Look at the way you've acted about
this land matter. And, God knows,
she deserves to be happy at any cost.
Good heavens, when I think Of her,
1t seems to me that nothing could be
too much for her. think Of her
trudging those miles In her patched
old clothes to buy her school books
what a thin, big-eyed kiddie she was.
Why, even as a cub, used to appre-
ciate her. And then when she stood
up before the hearing, the bravest
| man among US, and when she got sick
trying to earn those silly prom
clothes My God, Amos, Ii Lydia
wants me, or the moon, or town lot
in South Africa, it's up to you to give
| 1t to her."
Amos did not reply for moment.
Down through the years he was watch.
ing a thin little figure trudge with