Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-01-10
Bulbs and Bill
By AMY CAMPBELL
q. Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.
ssN OTHER" her older daughter

queer little shock of an announcement
for the first time. when 1t still should
have been a request. Bettlna hau
grown up.
Harriet marshalled her subtlest
common sense and blandest histrloMc
ability.
Sounds pleasant to plant bulbs to-
day. Who is Bill. where is the cot
tage and what kind are you planting!
She felt there was the exactly perfect
degree of motherliness in every de-
tail of word, tone, and material OF In
Quiry.
Meanwhile she adroitly hid her In
ward turmoil. Bettina must not es-
cape her with the wrong boy to the
wrong place alone at sixteen for In
definite hours. And Bettina must new
er suspect it was a really vital de-
cision.
bill? Don't say you haven't seen
him round here-Bil Moore. His
mother knows you"
Describe him." suggested Harriet
cheerily as If her attention were only
slightly captured.
ooh" impatiently- "that's not my
line. He's taking the convertible and
a load of bulbs in the rumble. We may
90 to the picture at the Pat tOnlgnt
If we feel like 1t when we get back.
Bill says gardening Is a trihe ex-
hausting at first. I'm to stab In the
bulbs while he digs and shows me
where. Don't fuss If we're
late. Nom, for it may take hours"
"Sorry l didn't pay proper atten-
ton to your plans. Bet. How many OF
you are going and where is 1t? Bulbs
and Bill, you said-what else?
Were going to their cottage at the
beach," Bettina said. with the degree
of belated respect for her mothers
opinion that Harriet had waited for.
"Who is with you beside Bill,
Sweet?" Harriet felt the affection
which she allowed to creep into the
little name.
"Why, just the two Of US, why?-
and then. suspiciously-
"Say, Nom, just what is this all
coupe and question Bill when he comes
and say we must have chaperon or
we can't CO."
So it had to come to crisis.
She said: Dear, don't be upheaved.
Quite naturally you can't wish, when
you come to think Of it, to go without
wanting Bill to take his mother or
someone else, on such heavenly aft
ernoon. She'd probably like to oversee
her own color scheme anyway. Why
not phone and investigate with her
first? She would be flattered and val
ue you at the same time"
Harriet hated herself for being Of
ficious.
Bettina's voice pierced her with its
grave intensity.
Don't be so jittery. OF course
Bills mother isn't going. She Is can
did about effort of any kind. LOathes
1t. The cottage is locked, barred and
winter-bound. The distance. twenty
miles. Work will take perhaps two
hours Wen tea at the hotel grill
which is still open. Be back for din
ner and a later show. There's pro-
gram. Take it or leave it,"
Movie stuff. darling. But uncOn-
vincing. You can't talk to your host
ess like that and remain a popular
guest. Plan something else at once
and not waste the day. The other is
naturally off. Sorry l can neither take
1t nor leave 1t just yet. Not at six
teen, Sweet. Not and be your proper
mother"
"Well, If that isn't cool! And heavy.
Maternal solicitude indeed" Bettina
said this with deadly deliberation.
Harriet hid her anger successfully
as she said. Don't attempt to be Dor
ingly clever. darling" and walked with
assumed serenity into the sunroom.
Bettina called after her: "Tll phone
Daddy, that's what I'll do"
Anything you like, Bettina." was
the smooth assent. II like your Dads
judgment about anything and every
thing"
Then Harriet appeared to become
lost In bit Of writing she was do
ing. In exactly five minutes she heard
her daughter dulcet tones at the
telephone.
bill, don't think l want to delve
in the soil today and l forgot a date
for tonight. l really want to surprise
Mons with a tray of afternoon tea
today"
Harriet blinked away the sudden
moisture from her lashes. Bettina
had her fathers quick forgiving ma
ture. In few minutes she would APP
pear proudly penitent and atoning,
anxious to show Harriet how she val
ued her mothers favor, really
At sixteen. Harriet thought she too
had believed her mother a kill-joy.
Yes. that was the old significant word
they had for it.
At that moment she heard a tumul-
tuous arrival. distinctly male and very
young and robust.
"Say. Bet" roared a fine unmodu-
lated boyish voice. I've just thought
Of the hunkiest idea. Let's take your
mother planting to the lake and we
could all have tea at the grill instead
of pOttering about here. You ask her
for me. will you:"
Harriet thought, $50 that's how they
r,anapo these fhinyS pow Dist;potIy