The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1930-01-30


that they would not exchange the
experience for anything in the
! world, although they would not
! care, as one soldier expressed it,
to give thin dime to go through
| it again."
THE TOW LINE TO ROMANCE
John Lester had never had time
to take vacation. Being the oldest
son of widowed mother with,
four younger children who were
always needing a pair of shoes, or
something, John had tended strict
| ly to business in the glove factory
ever since he was fourteen. Re
| ligiously, ever since, he had turned
over the weekly pay envelope to
his mother. Now he was twenty
and he craved vacation.
Friends there were in the fac
to try who had been allowed time
off to go abroad and sojourn few
weeks in their native land; others
who received a day or two off now
and then to crafty fishing hob
by in the nearby ponds and lakes;
but he, John Lester, had stuck to
the job. His only Saturday after
noon and Sunday relaxation was
his old fiivver of the vintage of
1921.
A dangerous curve near the
Main street of Johns old New Eng
land home town had yielded what
was left of the car There had
been a collision; result: the partial
wreck of this early flivver. John
happened to pass by, on foot. The
owner and driver of the damaged
motor, shaken and disillusioned,
had hailed John and told him he
could have the shaky remains for
the taking away. Then the dis
gruntled survivor had hoped on the
first bus heading Hartford way,
leaving his wreckage and his cares
behind him.
i, For John Lester all events wore
the cloak of opportunity, and this
chance donation was no exception.
For year the MANNED and musty
fivver had been blocked up in the
backyard of the Lester home. With
John it became a passion to re-
habilitate the crippled car.
Johns working companions at
the factory, his boss, and all the
neighbors came to regard Johns
hobby with warm interest. Stop
ping at the boys bench one day, the
boss said:
"How's she COMM John-the
fiiver, mean?"
She'll be o. K in a week."
''Well, let me know when she's
right, John. You've got a two
weeks vacation with pay coming
when you want it. You've been a
mighty steady hand"
Before seven one morning, while
the sunrise birds were still chirping
and chattering in the tall naples
John Lester stepped on the starter
button of his home made car and
rolled proudly down the road on
the first vacation of his life after
years of earning and striving to
swell the Lester family budget.
Near-evening Of Johns day Of
dreams, after spinning over every
Inviting country road that present
ed itself at many little crossroads,
John nearly rammed the rear end
of an expensive, heavy touring car
parked just around a bend. A
smartly dressed, slim young man
leaned from the driving seat and
called to John as he was endeav-
oring to pass.
''Will you be so good as to try to
tow me to the nearest state road
garage?" the request registered in
high, distressed tones. "My ignition
or something, is dead-please!"
"Do my best" was Johns quick
reply.
He fished an old tow-rope from
under his back seat and attached
/ it to the touring car-all the while
wishing that he had had the lotion
| luck to find a beautiful girl in dis
tress instead of this delicate look
ing young man.
All went well until the process
sion struck low, long grade. Part
! way up vicious upstart in the
shape of a high rock in the left
hand road track spelled the newt
able-the old towline parted with
an angry twang. Bad enough; but
the shrill, feminine shrek that pen
etrated Johns ears, instead of the
disguised expletive he instructive
ly expected, caused him to turn
around in complete wonder.
The violet blue eyes of the per-
son he was attempting to salvage
met his appealing, and he was still
further amazed to note a distinctly
girlish gesture of the trim head,
bidding him come back.
An instantaneous survey of the
slim, well-contoured figure in
fchecked lumber shirt, knickers and
golf shoes was completely revealing
to John.
81 know" her words leaped out,
I'm a girl-got my brothers
clothes on. Trying to run away
they want me, my mother, anyway,
wants me to marry some one
don't like. Listen! Whoever you
are-help me out of this, won't
you?"
IF this old can assembled from
a roadside wreck will carry on. I'll
be back in half an hour with a
mechanic that'll know your car
how'll that do?"
"Oh, fine! Only hurry! OF course
your car will make it. Why, it
looks like new. My dad makes
cars, and if you can do that well