Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-05-11
Come In Handy
By CORONA REMINGTON
e By Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

counted the men around hlm-tWenty-
eight of them. all trying to get the
same job.
AS the moment approached for the
doors to open. Jim's tension grew. Ii
he failed this time he would have to
beg or steal, for Sally had to have
food and warmth; there were exactly
thirty-three cents left in the worn
pocket of his trousers and he had had
no breakfast.
They had been neighbOrS back home
and had fallen in love as naturally
as any other denizens of the forest
and had spent blisSful month plan
ming their future. Then Sally had
suddenly developed streak of rest
lesSnesS.
Just seems like l couldn't settle
down till got chance to see big
city," she had told him. 81 amt never
seen a street car nor any big 1ne
houses or nothin'. They say they got
houses down there twenty or thirty
stories high. just piled one on top of
the other 1t must be sight"
Jim had tried to dissuade her, but
in vain Sally was determined. The
adventurous spirit OF her pioneer an
cestors had seemed to crop out in her.
On bright fall morning she had
taken wings unto herself apd had
flown away, carrying with her crash
covered telescope" full of home made
clothes and $3.50 in her cheap little
Surse. Jim had heard from her reg
ularly. but the letters had brought
little news; few laboriously written
lines of stilted sentences: IL am we'll
and hope you are the same. / like it
here fine. but do miss you heap.
Hope all the folks are we'll" Then
at last had come a note: Il am bad
of sick Can you come? Don't tell
Mommy and Poppy"
Half frenzied with terror lest she
should be desperately ill. Jim had
dropped his work and rushed to town.
After a bewildering search he had
found her in an unspeakably dreary
rooming house. in an unheated room.
Her face was pinched then and her
cheeks flushed with fever. When he
first saw her he was SO shocked
that he could not speak, but he car
ried in his heart for years afterward
the memory of her face as it lighted
up at sight of him.
When the people in the rooming
house heard that Sally's friend had
arrived they helped him find the things
he needed They directed him where
to get food and where TO buy fuel for
the empty CRATE Almost Immediately
the girl began to show Improvement.
Jim spent his few dollars with JOY,
then suddenly found his pockets near
ly empty and the search for work be-
gan. Day after day he allowed him.
self only two meals a day, then only
one meal until finally. he did not dare
permit himself even cup Of coffee.
If he didn't get this job
The doors in front Of him opened
noiselessly. A well-dreSsed man stood
at the entrance.
Sorry. boys. but we hired man
yesterday afternoon"
The crowd turned away growing
down the unfamiliar street. At big
store window Jim was attracted by q
display of homespuns. These are
woven back in the hills by the noun
tain folk" a card informed him. Il
would be warm inside. and he fell
that he could not endure the cold an
other minute so he turned in thu
door.
Can | wait on you? mans voice
inquired.
.T was just loOkin' at the home
spun you got in the window. MOmm!
used to make me weave that STUFF
when / was yOungun."
"Can you still do it?'
Jim nodded listlesSly
"We've got loom and Spinnin,
wheel and we're thinking of puttini
ON a window display for week
Could you find mountain girl t
spin?"
Something like an electric curren
swept through Jim as he grasped tn
import of the others words.
"Sure could" he answered eagerly
"All right TOmorrOw's Saturday
You come on down and get the loon
set up and Wen start the display o.
Monday"
So the Sunday papers carried an &C
yertisement to the effect that Sail
Lane and Jim Allen Of Bear WallO,
would give a demonstration of wea,
ing and spinning at WhittingtOn's a
the following week.
Ry the time the store opened MOI
day morning people were alread
crowded around the big window,
watch the mountain girl and man q
work Every hour they came out
the show window and talked to tn
customers in the store.
They're the quaintest things | eve
saw and you ought to hear them talk
said one customer to another. M
Wilmington says he's going to kee
Sally to sell the goods because sh
can explain how it's made and ever.
thing, and Jim's going to do som
kind of work around the store. Sail
told me all about it. She's the hal
piest little thing-and so pretty-lOOk
Just like wild fiOwer!"
Jim laughed that night for the fir:
TINA In x-aal-S ho hold colIy olns