Lydia of the Pines

of the ground. The old pine know

he arm and pulled her toward him. He could feel her muscles s

, my child," he said, huskily, "if he

hen she gave a little gasping sigh, her lip

hment. I want you and Kent to teach Margery how to swim and how t

her let her?"

swered Da

aid Lydia, wit

ll interpreted the sigh quickly; "th

t. I'll see to

This is between Lydia

di

'll boss Margery and Kent," s

Marshall rose. "Go

ight, M

ia heard Kent's whistle in the back yard. She joined h

in a low voice. "What's he going to do to

," groaned Kent, "I'd rather had another

," agree

said Lydia, "I hit her an awful smack in the face to-day

always turning it up at everybody. We saved somebody's life

y now. O gee, Kent, I've got two pennies! One's Pa

n spite of the fact that he owned a second-

onger," sugg

spruce or white

can c

most juice. Come on, Lyd,

nded the h

a quarter of a mile below the Willows. Here any bright day from the last of June to the first week in September, a dozen children might be found at play in and out o

he could have the use of his bicycle one day a week till snow came if she would undertake the disciplining of the banker's daugh

self and though there seemed to be an inherent snobbishness in the little girl that returned to her as soon a

the town. She forced Margery to float face downward in the water, again and again, while she counted ten. Aft

oon, after banking hours, Marshall was seated on his front porch, with Elviry and Margery, when Lydia appeared. She stood on the steps in her bathi

Mr. Marshall, please, won't you com

ur bathing suit, dau

, want

ge to get so dirty, when to my positive knowl

ankle behind the other. "I think you

you are, Lydia! I guess I'll have

ather watched and applauded from the shore. When they had finished and ha

me in to supper

d. "Mr. Levine's coming to supper

hn Levine do at yo

cs," answered Lydia, innoce

cher," Dave spoke carelessly. "I don't see why Levine wan

nce at having real news to impart, "he's goin

e is!" excla

y's voice was exact

He kissed his little daughter when he lifted her from the buggy and bade her run to the house. Before he lifted Ly

ut God, you can't get swans from barnyard fowl." He continued to study Lydia's face

squi

e said hastily, "so I don't have

hat do you mean? Don't you wa

s to, but I mean I don't have to go

you to sort of keep an eye on her and get her dirty onc

ed eyes, L

d definitely to move the following week. Lydia cried a little over it, reproached God in her prayers and then with a child's resigna

ling, her cheeks scarlet with excitement and the warmth of a hot September morning. The cottage was a mile from the old home. They drove along the maple shaded street for the first half of t

houted th

pretty!" exc

ake. There were five acres or so of ground around the house, set off by a white picket fence. At the gate a pine t

cried, as the driver lifted the baby down and

" He set the perambulator inside the fence, then balanced the d

road, where an occasion

t if they don't, baby and the lake are company en

oom and beyond this a kitchen of generous size with a wonderful view of the glimmering lake from its rear windows. A comfortable-sized bedroom opened off each of these rooms. Lydia ran throug

the kitchen, 'cause you can see the

Better take the middle one," he remarked,

have that. Well, I'll beg

ey shared with the driver. He good-naturedly set up the kitchen stove and the th

the beds were made, dishes unpacked and in the china closet, the table was

flat on her back on the little front porch. Her curly head was wet with perspiration; face,

king down on his famil

di

back's broken!

avy things, child! How

til I g

o's I can do a little playing before school op

mos was as excited and pleased as the children and Lizzie, s

he stairs. And the garden'll be fine," she said, failing to call attention to t

leaner than we did the other," said Am

Lydia, "I'm too ti

mos, "but your mother w

see where y

garbage man," suggested Lydia, sl

oking in the yard and planning the garden for next year, waited in vain to hear "

asked as the old lady came

t yet. Maybe she's

ience, fast asleep, and beside her, on top of the covers, fully dressed, l

f and cover her and leave he

ghters, at the chaotic room, did not answer exce

work. The schoolhouse was a mile away and the nearest trolley, which Lizzie

ramble-grown acres he intended to turn into a garden in the spring. He could not afford to have it plowed so he spaded it all himself, during the wonderful bright fall Sabbaths. Nor was this a hardship

ble. After his spading was done in late September, Amos, with his wheelbarrow, followed by the two children, began h

ays clear. Fields and woods stretched away before the cottage, crimson and green as the frosts came on. Back of the cottage, forever gleaming thro

her back, in a sort of ecstasy. She was inherently a child of the woods and fields. Their beauty thrilled her while it tranquilized her. Some

ut for at least one visit a week. He and Lydia discovered a tiny spring in the bank above t

ished by October and Lydia b

with her carpentry when a surrey stopped at the gate. Little Patience, in a red

ardy!" and started down the walk

a to herself. "Hello

sha

at and sat down on the steps. "Gone into house building, eh, Lyd

shaped roof. There were two shelves within, making three floors, and Lydia was no

olled to her elbows, her curly hair wind-tossed,

o sell you, I'm in the market." He looked at the nails hammere

hats, Lydia. We stopped

ok her head. "I can't! The bread'

e's L

the marketing! Darn it!

ce and Margery, walking up and down the

"Mrs. Marshall'll be glad I'm not coming, and some

e to his with such a look of mature understanding, that he ended by nodding as if she had ind

ometimes she looked on the world that other children lived in, with the wonder an

pot of baked beans, at the baking of which Lizzie was a master hand, and there were always biscuits. Lydia was expert at making these.

sleep and Lydia was established with a copy of "The Water Babi

bag of tobacco t

d up in there is something to dream of. Why, there's nothing like it left in the

ver had time. It's a God-awful tri

n it for what he can get, I guess. Don't know as I blame him. The soon

tter with 'em?

e kind of eye di

vered and her

ater Babies,'" said John. "Has

mirror," answered Lydia, burying he

y," said Levine, his b

cool, clea

shallow and

*

, for the

the in me, mot

saying, Amos, that timber isn't going to stay up the

asked

ill get a permit to go through, eh? There a

ook his head. "You will but I

os. Where's

silently for a moment.

e. And if she isn't in heaven,

story with a quick flas

to be rich, Amos, Lydia does. I'll give her the cottage her

'll buy a cow and a pig and some chickens an

est. All you've got to do is to keep your nerve, and any one

lways on my deaf

ly, "I'm going to buy a ship and sai

e, "hanged if I don't sell my Indian lands

ell you'll get some Indian

laimed toget

t repeated her conver

ay the wind blow

said Amos. "Lydia, you're old enough now not to repeat conversations you hear at home. Don'

rmured Lydia, fl

." Levine's voice was impatient. "Just explain

kes a bachelor to bring up k

catching her hand as she passed and drawing her to him. "Good night,

tear-dimmed eyes. "We

amily rose in the dark. Amos, with his dinner pail, left the house an hour before Lydia and the sun was just flushing the brown tree tops when she waved good-by to little Patien

, grew more so as the end of the year approached. It was perhaps a week before Christmas on a Sunday afte

antly and came to her father's side. Her heart thumped heavily.

was very careful of the children's hair. Like many New England farm lads

won't have to cut it any more, Lydia. It's coming alon

care-lined face uneasi

that dress, my

answered the child. "It isn't made so awful go

" said Amo

as a sailor suit, and the color fought desperately

Christmas, except perhaps a little candy and an orange. That note with Marshall comes due in January. By standing Levine off on the rent, I can rake and scrape the interest together.

avered Lydia. "Won't we e

ed just to put a litt

big to hang up you

esolate plain of silvery gold touched with great shadows of purple where snow drifts were high. As she looked, the weight on her chest lifted. The trembling in her hands that always

ng to look forward to. I've got the doll house to give ba

relieved sigh, then went on with h

a joyous 24th. All the morning she spent in the woods on the Norton farm with her sled,

Lyd

lder than Lydia. He seemed a very homely sort of person to her, yet she liked his face. He was as fair as Kent was dark. Kent'

n the clarity and steadiness of their gaze, that his square jaw and mobile mouth were full of fine

n to Lydia before and she was

race of duck? A lot o

t and I've got mo

and began to separate two birds from

quickly. The Dudleys co

tmas

w how I could

y?" asked Bil

," returned Lydia, her eyes still on the duck

Lydia's thin little face to her

father let y

self," replied

ll, let me have the evergreens and you go back

ughs into the snow. She tied the brace of duck to the sled and s

hundred times

deal. No thanks n

stood for a moment looking at the li

t that load of

er her shoulder. "You will

back reluctantl

more extreme than Lydia's. She thawed the ducks out and dressed them, after dinner

ckier than I am or has better things happen to '

duck," commented Patience, he

laughed Lydia. "Wo

h. The base burner in the living-room was clear and glowing. The dining-room was fragrant with pine. He was not allowed to take of

t for you, Daddy, from yours truly, Lydia!" She seized the baby's hands and the two did a da

ne! If Levine comes out to-morrow we can ask

at this. I was going to keep it for a s

en Mason jar u

med. "Why, Lizzie, wher

o months. Ain't it grand?" offering a smell to

ared with two stockings which she hung on c

d the candy," she explained

roduced half a dozen ora

ose spirits to-night were not to be qu

master builder. "I colored it with walnut ju

he cigar box furniture. He chuckled delightedly. "I swan," h

" mused Lydia, "then I'll have that to look forward to.

urner. Without, the moon sailed high. Wood snapping in the intense cold was the only sound on the wonder o

anyhow." Then he filled up the st