Lydia of the Pines

in being a lute for the wind. But then why the

Day, a cold November d

ay always brings a De

voicing the gene

town was busy in the pay of one faction or the other hauling voters to the booths. The Capitol square was deserted but groups of men, some of the

fellows in muddy moccasins and faded mackinaws who stood about w

ot at all averse to taking in the parade, himself. So nine o'clock found the two at the Square with a great waiting crowd. There were very few women in the cro

her fear of drunken men. She was in a quiver of excitement; torn with pity and doubt when she thought of C

he crowd started toward the sound, then paused as Binny Bates, the barber, in a stove-pipe hat, mounted on a

d two a great line of citizens with kerosene torches. After the torches came the transparencies: "Levi

e last white man strode Charlie Jackson, with a sign, "The land is ours! You have robbed us!" and after

the gem o

the brave an

's sign and a group of college students, with a shout of "Break up the line! Break up th

a side street and upo

chuckling. "John ate

he car he looked at Ly

ou crying

red Lydia. "I'm-glad

You don't suppose

an election night fight! The young India

ians have to get off t

di

n's got to get a bill thr

so was a very long time. She decided to forget th

rces against him were not going to lie down, defeated by his election. But after the fashion of American elections, there were no protes

layed brilliantly in the Thanksgiving football game and

he camping trip would cost. Lizzie was aghast at the size of the sum and didn't approve of the idea of camping a

rton. Ma was sitting in her bright kitchen sewing carpet rags. Ma's hair was beginning to turn gra

perone you children

e rest kicked,

ry slang, my dear," said Ma. "Who

razy to go, only her mother hasn't given in y

"I didn't know you had anything to do

ty! None of 'em would go on my invitation. I-I don't

d Ma. "You've never had time to l

nd the older woman, looking up from her sewing caught on the y

," said Ma. "You've had so little to do with children yo

t some one in to help you clean house. If you'll do it in Easter vacation, th

hrough for her every spring. And she thought of the winter's butter and egg money (nearly forty dollars it amounted to already) that she was saving for new parlor curtains. Then sh

e instead of old Job and I

asked Billy. He had come

ion. Billy listened attentively

said Lydia, "I could work here Saturdays

rowled Billy. Lydia and Ma Norton

ake, Billy, why n

ts. It was bad enough when she was little. But folks'll never for

longer a boy but a mature man, and a very handsome one at that. As a matter of fact, although Billy's gaunt frame was filling out and his irregular features were maturing

red girl for your mother, B

nswered the young man. "You ea

lly's big hands, rough and r

k for your father. How'

n to blush. "I'm a

ly quivered. "Then h

rld. Put some for sale in the University book

hing!" crie

re a duck!" s

I go out to milk," said Billy, wit

se and middleman for Lydia and though the demand for fudge was never overwhel

having made good his threat to call in the note. She saw herself gradually developing an enormous trade that finally should demand a whole store for itself. The store

Lydia had an exciting hour. Amos had brought the package home from town with him, and supper had been held back while Lydia tried on the clothes. Amos and Lizzie smiled when the young girl pranced out before them. The suit was ch

they're just gran

ing in that crowd

er's given in-'Gustus Bach. I told y

little girl's growing up to be a pretty woman. I wish I could have bought y

" she exclaimed, "I'm a pig to spend all this money on

on yourself. You've earned it in more ways than one. I wish John Levine could see you in

nce marks and final averages were of little importance to h

he three girls were to be at Lydia's gate with their suitcases at nine o

a, at half past six. "It's your first trip, Lydia. Do

nderingly, then threw

nt to go off and leave

k out now. Go on and

inner pail. Lydia watc

ow lonely her father mu

to go, Lizzi

ave to tell us when you get ho

a carryall. The driver was the same man who had moved the Du

, Lydia? Where's the re

Olga!" cried Kent. "Marg

and at nine-twenty the carryall was off to the north in

elf sowed, replacing the pine long since cleared off. For the last five miles there were few farms. The rolling hills disappeared and low lying lakes, surrounded by marshes took their places. The young rice bordering the lakes wa

again, that's the res

" asked Lydia. "I tho

's over. Just beyond that group of

everal miles. A two-story, unpainted frame house with several barns an

ey clattered by. "For goodness' sa

cried Olga. "Why, they must have a lot of maid

s Towne an ap

cher. "Why look at that when you have these beautiful hills

I camp every year. Margery, di

"I wonder how old I'll have to be bef

ritically. "Well, when

, but Olga's a young lady now," said Kent. He was eying the girls wi

three," objected Gustus

ed and looked at Miss

Towne herself was blush

are good looking when

're so frig

ooked charmingly young. Her youthful charges looked her over with frank amazement. It was a tradition in the school to fear and dislike Miss Towne. Charlie had asked a number of teachers to act as chaperone before he had approached Miss Towne. She too

en my old age very much. Look at

Charlie. "This one be

y Indian farms

s to farm. The Agent is their middle

, "don't begin any funeral oration! We're no i

said Gustus. "Can I

German and with thin hawk-like features that went with his hollow chest. His father was a rich brewer and G

chest like yours, I wo

t do as yo

"Thanks," Gustus l

aining all summer, C

summer I'll be through with foot

ines!" shr

curving around a hill, had withou

brown of needles and the green of June undergrowth: aisle on aisle, green arch on green arch, flecke

fs, the carryall moved soundlessly for t

hat were perhaps half racial. She never had been in a pine wood before, yet the hushed sense of solemnity it wakened in her was perfectly familiar. Its inc

ed beyond the far aisles and the carryall drew up with a flou

gent, as well as the seven canvas cots, the dishes and the cooking utensils. The middle tent had been arranged with a rough slab-ta

He'll pocket it, you bet. Everything's clean," he added hastily in answer to Miss Towne's lifting eyebrows. "Blankets

Miss Towne. "Come girls, get out your

un. Charlie, Gustus and me do the cooking. You ladies are company and d

. "I'd rather cook tha

dishes," pro

it either,

cook?" asked Miss Tow

an school, even baking, you know, and he's taught me a l

ned but mad

t," decided Miss Towne. "Come girls,

ring the entire holiday consisting of fish, caught in the lake, potatoes, baking powder biscu

mselves about the dish-washing and Gustus was inclined to complain over the number of

er time in a hammock. She saw to it that the girls were in bed by ten o'clock and that all were accounted for at meal time. Apparently, beyond this, she left he

y spent the day in a birchbark canoe on the lake. Gustus and Margery were the least strenuous of the party and caused Miss Towne, as a consequence, more uneasiness than the rest. They spent long hours sitting side

s on the reservation, she gave little thought to the riddle. This adventure was affecting her deeply. There was the sudden freedom and relaxation from hom

she would creep from the tent and steal beyond sound and sight of the camp. There in the cathedral beauty of the pines she would stand drawing deep breaths and staring as i

on the Indians were the occasional government wood cruisers. These wick-i-ups were hovels, usually in the last stages of poverty and desolation. A squaw, braiding reed mats, a buck returning with a string of fish, a baby burrowing in the moss-all of them th

hat lay at the foot of a tree. Charlie picked up the fish and he and Lydia helped the old

l winter and she'd have starved to death only one of he

for her at the camp

st prolong her agony. She's nearly dead now. The old

where there were three children, besides the father and mother. Two of the children were half blind with eye trouble. The who

they couldn't get work. They lived on fish and potatoes. The Catholic priest gave them some wild rice. The baby

hat's the Govern

eliberately sold off a big block of it and deposited the money at Washington. The income from this was to be given to the Indians. There's over two million dollars there. But by th

voice, "Charlie, I can't stand it! Think of that baby that froze to death. And all these beautiful woods are full of

feel that bad! I just wanted you to see, because you're Levin

ned eyes to his, "I was just thinkin

you to see. I don't care what girl understands as

dia looked up at him, thrilled by his

" said Charlie, "I'd ma

and sooner or later I'

I can play the white m

y. "But we'll be frien

o the wick-i-up, yo

hrough her head the half whimsical thought, "Queer kinds of men want to be frien

ian conditions. That night he resumed a mild flirtation with Olga that

get you!" growled Kent

the canoe, the next m

had a

ck of investigating the reservation.

ent interrupted himself with a yawn, "with

grinned. "All right, I can stand it if you ca

r head and settled herself in her hammock. "No eight mile walk for me. I'm ta

peeling something fierce," s

beet," returned Lydia. "Come on