The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-01-09

that the Bradstoops saw her safely
enineshed in marriage that at least
carried with it the undeniable tincture
of responsibility, even though young
Leland was known for certainty to
be anything but conservative.
Ten years after his marriage 10
Aileen IL did. And of all ironic acct
dents! Leland. the daredevil. the ace.
the aviator: Leland. who loved fast
horses and fast polo. was TO die in
bed of blood poison from an infected
toe-nail.
Six months later. there returned 70
America. practically penniless. Aileen
and her four children. two robust boys
and pair of frail girl twins.
The quick and stormy and impetu-
ous years had left their mark on
Aileen. Leland had broken her. as
the saying goes. Her spirit lay a
dead thing within her. Gone was the
ice-glitter from her eyes. and the
shoulders that had always defied. were
tanned somehow. II was a different
Aileen who came home.
Leland had fulfilled the Bradstoop
prophecies. Gradually IT was all to
come out. Not so much from what
Aleen was ever TO say. But piece by
piece. the whole sordid story was IN
consciously to reproduce itself before
her family.
Leland had been a rotter, both as
husband and a father. His children
had lived in terror of him. That was
what had broken Aileen. Leland had
once struck his little four-year-old
twins in a drunken fury. There had
been scar along one small arm for
months. His sons had cringed from
him. These small children had come
TO know terror early.
And Aileen brought home with her
one desire: indeed ii might he said
that Aileen brought home with her
one obsession. She wanted for these
pallid children of hers the kind of
youth she had known in the old brown
family mansion of her childhood. She
not only wanted for them that kind of
youth. but the identical setting. She
wanted the old house on Pine street
which her parents had long since sold
10 a Catholic school and which was
now used as the dwelling place of
twelve monks who conducted the in
stitution.
At first the idea seemed too fantas-
. I'll
brothers and sisters of Aileen rose in
a unanimous mass against the idea
of the parents ever being asked to re-
sumo any of the duties of home and
household.
II must also he said that Helen and
Lazarus themselves, who were con-
templating a long-dreamed trip to the
Orient drew away from the prospect
In way. Aileen bowed her head
before the selfshness of her demands
and the unanimity of the decision
against her. She took up her resi-
dence. at the willing bounty of her
family. in the same hotel with her
parents. There her children. strange
youngsters reared in the French fra
dition sought to adapt themselves to
new environment.
There, Aileen. so sobered that there
was pathos in her very aspect. sought
to cause to shine upon these starvel-
ing offspring of hers. some of the
radiance of the kind of children that
had been hers.
In way she succeeded. Even in
arus were TO fill niche in the lives
of their grandchildren that was vital
and important
They lived in closest proximity.
fabric of each. And vet there came
a time when Helen realized that there
was TO be no trip to the Orient. no
continuance of the carefree life that
contained no household worries, no
problems of upkeep
Aileen's children needed a home.
Each and every one of the brothers
and sisters rallied around to combat
the determination. even Aileen herself
protesting as she contemplated the
worn. lined faces of her parents.
But in the end it was the determin-
alton of Helen, finally aided and abet-
ted by Lazarus. that won the day.
At no small difficulty the Brad
stoops succeeded in buying the brown
old home on Pine street hack from
the Monks. who surrendered it reluc-
family. but succumbed to the pres
sure brought to bear.
The Bradstoop home is going again
full blast. Tradespeople hurry in and
out during its busy days, general
housekeeping comes and goes, and
the children of Aileen race in and out.
to school, from school. on roller skates,
on roller coasters.
The grandparents are as hard put
as they ever were in their lives. The
house is filled with the hurry of feet,
the demands of small voices, the cries
of childish alteration.
Helen is beside herself with duties;
Lazarus full of mild scolding ways
and admonitions to grandchildren.
There is no time for travc.
Aileen has finally succeeded in
bringing home to her brothers and
sisters the fact that. with all their
trials, the years have fallen away from
her parents in a fashion that is
amazing.
Secretly Aileen blesses her capacity
for always managing TO get her way.