The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-06-08
CHAPTER III.
Nantrl, A Wife

Nnntsu n WIZ
wid. cabin Itself was in gunerul
appearance no better. IL no worse.
than the average In tho Two Forks
Valley. There was q bed on rude
pole frame-little moro than a heap
OF blankets as they had been thrown
aside that morning. The table atill
held the dishes which had been used.
and there was thrown across them
what had served as dish. towol. a
washed and dried. fairly clean flour
sack which had been ripped out and
turned into a towel There was a
eox nailed up behind the stove which
srrvoi a. q sort af store room for
IN. sennt supplies, and this had n
Zap at the top. so that n WA partly
egrtainod Oft Another box nailed
against the wall behind the table
served a. book case and paper rack.
holding. among a rcant array NJ an.
cient standard volumes, q few dog.
cared paper backed books OF cheap
ard dreadful sort. some illustrated
journals showing pictures OF ac-
tresscs and film coiebruos--prscise.
~ tho sort OF literature which may
b, found In mart wilderness bachelor
homes.
At one end OF the upturned eax
which served n, q sort Of reading
table lay q pile Of similar magazines.
not OF abundant foiios. but appar.
emily valued. for they showed moro
care than any Of the owners treas
urcs. II was. curiously enough. TO
this little heap OF literature that
Wild Gardner presently turned.
Wild turned pas, after paE-.
gruntlng as he did 20. until a, Ar,
/ he tossed tho magazine upon the
| top of the box and 80 went about
his evening chores. Thus the title 81
I the publication was left showing 10
any observer. The headline was done
In large black letters. advising alt
who might have rad that this was
copy OF the magazine known NJ
Hearts Alamo
curiousiy enough. on the front
pays the headline ~ a certain al.
vertsseu~nt showed plainly. II read.
Wanted: A Wife,
From this II may ~ OWNED that
horo wnr one OF thoas periodicals
printed no one knows where. circu.
lated no one knows how. which none
/ the less after some fashion % their
own DO find their way out In all the
wornanless regions Of the world -
Aiaska. South Africa. the dry plains
OF Canada and our Western states.
mining camps far out In tho outiy.
ting districts beyond the edEe OF the
Housekeeping ianis--it In IN regions
such as these tina, periodicals such
ns the foregoing may b. found.
Their circulation IN among thore
who se~k. -seauaintanco with . view
10 matrimony."
VIA Cariner finished his own
brief work about the corral. came
In, washed his hands. and b~ran 20
cook for himself his simple supper
Then he washed his dishes. thr~w
the towel above them as before. and
wen, 10 bed. since he had little else
10 10.
Early the neIs morning wid had
finished his breakfast. and was ~
the edge OF tho main valley road.
which passed near 10 bis own front
gate. He lighted q pipe and sat
down TO smoke. nov and again
riancing down the road AZ a slowly
approaching figure.
IL xas the sohooims'arn. Mr..
Davidson. who daily presided At the
little log schoolhouse a mile further
on W the road. where some 20 chill.
dren found their way over varying
distances from The surrounding
ranches. This lady was % much dig
nifty aud OF much avoirdupois a,
well.
She had been the only applicant
for this school. and perhaps ~'ns 'hs
only living being who could have
contented herself in that talslcity ~