Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-09-06
Mending Socks
BY ALBERT WESTON
g. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNIJ Service

was TIC eACuSe she gave, anu THAT
to her was final.
"But l don't care about the old
Socks" cOuntered Lily, with voice
pitched high In argument. when
you came to work here 1t was on the
understanding that you were to come
regularly from one to FIVE every day
and for dinner any time we wanted
you to. And we pay you more an
hour than is usual"
"YeS, Miss Lily, but I've got them
socks to mend for one of my young
men, and he's only got just enough
and I've got to mend them"
But l tell you that everything de-
ponds on this little dinner. My brother
didn't let me know until this noon that
he was bringing this gentleman home,
and l can't get anyone else now, and
besides no one else would do"
So they argued until, at last, Lily
learned that the socks and other ap-
parel in need of mending were now
resting in large bag that hung In the
back hail. Katrina had done her usual
round of work for her young men, as
she called the three or four bachelors
whose apartments she kept in order
during her morning hours. She would
take the things home with her, mend
them that evening and leave them for
the young man when she went to his
apartment the next morning.
Let me have the socks and things.
I'll mend them," said Lily. And you
stay and finish dinner and serve it."
Lily made very neat patches on
three pairs of pajamas, sewed missing
buttons on shirts and underwear and
then turned her attention to half
dozen pairs of socks. And then it
occurred to Lily that she had better
be dressed and ready and might then
go on with her darning until her
brother and his guest arrived. 1t was
fortunate, too, because instead Of ar
irving at half past six, as she had
expected, they arrived before six.
She met Julian Bates and rather
liked him, despite her brothers warn
ings that he was bullet proof as far as
girls were concerned. Hes all for
waste your pretty tricks on him. Any
way, you're not his sort. He likes
'em simple and domestic That's why
he's girl-proof. There aren't any SIM
pie, domestic girls nowadays"
Marvin excused himself and his
friend and took him to his study ad-
joining the living room where he had
some plans he wanted to show him.
So Lily drew a sock from the work
basket-a rather vivid, striped golf
sock much in need of repair. With
feverish haste she worked over it,
weaving evenly back and forth over
her darning ball. But Marvin and
Julian Bates returned from the study
and were standing beside her before
she had had time to finish the sock
and tuck it out of sight.
pretty domestic scene" grinned
Marvin. But really she isn't like
that, Julian. l told her you liked old
fashioned girls-so she's doing this for
effect
Marvin always tries to say some
thing that he thinks is funny" said
Lily, flashing q dark glance to Marvin
and smiling up to Julian. But she had
tucked the stocking into the basket
and had no intention of going on with
her work. 81 always mend Marvin's
socks" she said, but l am afraid he
doesn't appreciate it,"
.'Was that one of Marvin's socks?'
asked Julian abruptly.
1T must have been," was the way
Lily answered his impertinence.
After dinner Lily excused herself
said she wanted to help Katrina in the
kitchen. But she took her mending
basket with her and worked furiously
away to get the darning done before
Katrina wanted to leave. Lily never
helped Katrina in the kitchen, Marvin
knew perfectly well. He suggested
making a tour of inspection. They
entered the kitchen just as Lily had
begun to work on the last sock and
had the others all laid neatly out on
the kitchen table. Julian saw them
as they lay there-saw and noticed
before Lily had time to ram them into
Katrina's ample bag.
Much to Marvins surprise his friend
Julian Bates became decidedly atten-
tive to his sister when they returned
to the living room. And when he left
he asked permission to make his party
call very soon and said that after that
he would beg her to dine with him.
When Marvin saw Julian the next
day In the course of their business
activities, Marvin spoke with big
brOtherly lightness of his sisters
charms. "She's kidding you, Julian"
he warned. Trying to make you think
she's the sweet, simple old-fashioned
sort Of girl"
"But the amazing thing" said
Julian, "is that she was darning my
socks. You'll have to admit that if
you met pretty girl and the first time
you saw her you found her mending
your old socks you would be-well,
rather touched. Do you think l could
drop around tonight for few min
utes-just to finish solving the mys-
terry"
"SOlve ahead" said Julian. I'm
going out myself"
The mystery was, Of course, very
easily solved, and so more time was
left for discussion of personal tastes