Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1943-01-07
Basil, the Man
By BARBARA BENEDICT
Associated Newspapers.
WNU Features.
BASIL WINTHROP's father had

always iHdue Ills OeClSlONS, Hdu
conducted the boys affairs, organ
lied his life, superintendent his do
ings. Basil was an only child. His
mother was dead.
. His father was wealthy and gener-
Gus, so why not let the old man run
the show? Basil thought.
He ceased to think thus when
he met the girl with the red
hair and blue eyes. She was
selling kisses at q U.S.O. ba-
zaar. Five dollars a kiss. Basil
only had thirty dollars in his
pocket, but he stretched out the
six kisses that amount would
buy.
After the bazaar, he drove the girl
with the red hair to the hotel where
she was staying. He didn't ask her
name; she didn't volunteer it. But
they made date for the next night.
Drunk with emotion Basil went
home.
AS he entered the front hall his
father called to him.
Winthrop, senior, seemed in a
good mood. ''I've just met an old
friend of mine, son. Sarah Morti-
mer. She and her daughter, Elaine,
are spending few days in town.
Son, I want you to meet them. Moth
ing would please me more than to
see you and Sarah's daughter mar
ried."
Basil stared. This, he thought,
was the payOff. His father had
arranged everything else in his
life, but by gOlly he wasn't 60
ing to pick his wife!
dad, you're taking too much for
granted. can't marry Elaine. L
I'm in love with someone else"
Someone else? Who?"
"I-er-don't know her name"
81 see." Winthrop, senior, rose and
patted his son on the arm. 'I've
arranged dinner party for tomor-
row. You'll meet Elaine then"
But Basil didn't meet Elaine then.
For the first time in his life he felt
the electrifying qualities of man.
hood warming his blood. Instead Of
attending the dinner party, he held
clandeStine meeting with the red
head. They had a swell time to-
gether. BY mutual and silent agree
ment they decided not to confide to
each other their identity.
Winthrop, senior, was furious. He
called Basil on the mat. But Basil
stuck out his chin and Grated in his
own behalf. He felt like he'd had a
shot in the arm, and because the
feeling was new and thrilling, his
defiance amazed the old man.
"Son, can't understand you.
Something's happened. You don't
need to tell me what it is, but if
you continue to ignore my wishes,
I'll be forced to take such drastic
steps as firing you from your job,
cutting off your allowance, disown-
ing you, striking your name from
my will"
"Swell!" cried Basil. "Then
I'll be my own man, free to do
as l like, with no obligations"
Afterward, Basil had some re-
grets. His father was a powerful
influence. He could make things de-
cidedly uncomfortable. And the red
headed girl who, apparently, had
been used to nice things, might not
be so interested in him if she knew
he were penniless.
~, thu ~ I4,l 80
ior, hadn't expected such a reaction
from his son. The boy had looked
serious. The old man regretted his
haste. But he was stubborn and a
stickler for principles. He couldn't
retract his words, no matter how
much he might want to.
Time passed. Basil continued to
see the red-headed girl and each
time he saw her he loved her more.
But he lacked courage to explain
the situation to his father. If she
refused to marry him, he'd feel like
ending it all.
Winthrop, senior, arranged anoth-
er meeting with Sarah Mortimer
and daughter. 1t was, he decided,
to be the test. If Basil refused to
follow his wishes this time-well,
he'd have to get under way in TAX
ing his drastic steps.
When Basil heard about the
arranged meeting he came to
a decision. He would meet this
Elaine and tell her in front OF
his father that he loved another.
Then he would keep an appoint
ment with the red-headed girl
and propose marriage. That, he
decided, was the only manly
thing to do, and Basil had sud-
denly become man.
So with his father Basil went to
the hotel where the meeting had
been arranged: Mrs. Mortimer and