Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-03-08

headedness! I'm seriously thinking
Of asking him to come home again.
Might as well. He'll never change.
And it makes your mother so unhappy
his being awayi'
"And the id gossip it makes!" st.
Croix frowned.
"What put this idea into your head,
that he might marry a county teach
err" Mr.. Creighton anxiously asked.
IF he'd go that far-disgrace me with
low marriage"
st. Croix realized. as he told his
father the grounds of his fears, that
they sounded rather insubstantial.
"But he must have been closeted q
long time with that girl this after
noon, for 1t was nearly two hours
after closing time" he explained.
"And he seems to haunt her school,
house,"
"She's young and pretty, supposed"
"Young and pretty, yes, but deadly
common"
SLOW do you know? Ever met her
yourselfy
eyes. She's a relative of the farm
er, Sam Schwenckton, and boards at
his farm. I met her that night Sam
Schwenckton SWITCHED my watch"
"Attractive?"
st. Croix nodded. 'sBut an impos-
sible little vulgarian. can't imagine
why they let such illiterates teach our
schools. She murders the English lam
guage as terribly as any uneducated
Pennsylvania Dutch girl doesn'
81 scarcely believe, st. Croix, that
Marvin could be attracted to such q
girl as you describe He doesn't usu-
ally let his senses blur his judgment"
'Td think, too, but for what I've
seen with my own eyes, Father. If he
could tolerate her for two hours
alone in her schoolroom with her
and then walk home with her for q
mile-I should think he must be pretty
far gone!"
at wouldn't matter how far gone
he were if it weren't that the young
fools apt, as you say, to marry her.
Consideration for his family, for his
mother-trifles like that would not
stop him! Well, I'll nip it! I'll In
vestigate the thing and if there's any
thing in it, I'll bride the girl to go
away"
"But wait-we haven't much evil
dence; 1t would be pity to let her
hold you up for pile Of money II
there's nothing in it."
"I'n soon find out whether there's
anything in it."
"But how?"
"If 1 can contrive to get in touch
with her, the rest will be easy!"
'The danger Of interfering is that
It often starts just what you meant
to prevent"
II wasn't born yesterday, st. Croix.
Once meet the girl, I'll soon find out
enough to guide me. If 1 waited for
indisputable evidence, might be too
late. I suppose could drop in to see
her at her school just at closing time.
don't you think? Do you know what
time in the afternoon the school
clOses?"
'ADOuC TOUR O'CLOCK.
'Pll look her over on Monday. It
won't do to daily with such POSSIBLE
fly! I'm fast coming to the point Of
resigning myself to the fact that Mar
win can't be coerced. Very well, then.
we've got to circumvent him."
Connected, obstinate ass !" NUT
tered st. CrOix.
Nothing of the kind! He has one
of the few qualities in which men diff
fer from sheep. Backbone. He has
backbone. Stands upright on his own.
Refuses to get down on all tours and
run after tinkling leader!"
"Steps out from the herd and
throws the whole works into diSOr-
der!" st. Croix contended.
"He would say he was starting them
on a better pathway from the
slaughter house."
Sounds as if you agreed with him,
FatherI"
"You know better. But I respect
his backbone. Gets it from me-" Mr..
Creighton concluded, as at this mo-
ment the waiter presented the bill
and st. Croix rose from the table.
Continued next weekly