Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-09
. ARMERS' wives at the close OF
- voiceless day have been
known to turn stark mad. ST.

zSlTdUSt SIlcDScS. w mere thc uSSS@S -
stillest mems bones lie bleaching.
Prairie dogs bay loudest in that
soundless moment before the dawn,
and as if they would rend to ribbons
the mysterious veil of silence. But
the prairie has no secrets; 1t Is ike
an open hand, palm upward.
Across the great upturned palm Oh
Illinois dusk fell sadly over miles ana
miles of close-bitten prairie lands ana
runtv corn fields that met the gray
horizon with the fluid, easy 1olnoer %
a river meeting the sea. last tinse
of sunset. pink behind regiment OF
black-stemmed trees, cooled ana dleo.
An arrow shaped flock OF swallows
flew low and southwark. Alongside an
isolated watering station the inter-
state accommodation slowed. snrieh-
ed on it's rails, stopped.
Miss Lola Laladay protruded shln,
ing head out of a coach window ana
shifted to the evening. Her eyes were
full of restless glancings and hard as
Listen, AL. to the stiffness out
there, will you! Ugh. its SO thick you
can cut it,
Her companion on the red plush
seat beside her, unwound his long.
agile limbs. and leaned across her
slim figure and out into the moody
evening and the plains sweeping
away to the horizon.
"Looka them birds. will you. 10
scooting south like an arrow shot out
of bow. Gee!"
He followed their course, his eyes
level beneath level brows.
IF this is the great middle west, Al,
that you been labelling Gods country
all along the circuit, give me ninety
nine-year lease on Statan Island or
rd time Gee rid
ing five hours straight and not even
an ant hill to muss the scenery! Don't
shove, AL. Don't shove"
He withdrew his heavy head and
shoulders and slumped back to his
position, feet perched on his dress
suit case and knees high.
The peculiar Quiescence OF rapid
motion suddenly arrested descended
over the coach voices monotonous as
the droning of bees rose languidly.
The noises of travel that lay beneath
the song of the rails sprang out sud-
denly-paper rafting, leather hand
bags that squeaked in the opening and
closing, the every mysterious creak-
ings of woodwork, the engine cough
ing at even intervals. Miss Laladay's
red plush inert. She famed her moist
little face with lacy fribble of hand
kerchief.
"Whew. Gods country he calls
this
SAY, a little kid like you that's
never been west of Trenton don't
know enough about the map to find
her own home town il it's got a pin
stuck through it. Wait till you been
doing coast to coast long as / have.
If you think this is tank circuit
we're playing. wait till we get on the
wrong side of Kansas City"
Say. they don't come no dinkier
than the last four we played"
He leaned to her and placed =, a
the shadow of his overpowering
shoulders her own slenderness was
wispish.
you're all wrong. Lo. There's
little tanks in this part of the coun-
the station and Main street paved.
and white frame houses set inside OF
white picket fences. and shady streets
with trees meeting right over them
and-well. I tell you there's tanks
out here that makes 42d street look
like a bad dream"
She crumpled up against the win
dowsill. her chin cupped in her palm.
Like the dump We played in last
night. eh?> Where the white frames
was all shacks and the hotel up over
the grocery store makes the Briggs
House in Newark look like the Ritz"
"Higginsville is a rotten dump. Lo.
You don't find it on any of the vaude-
vile circuits, but leave 1t to extrava-
CANA every time not to overlook
though: there Just amt a prettier
little town on the map than Adalai.
Lo."
She squinted her little face into an
amazing erimace.
"Adalai"
'Yeh! know a young fellow. Ben
Ceilings. started there an errand boy
in a box factory and now owns half
the town-two box factories OF his
own. the opera house. half OF Main
street and nearly every cottage on
way lint of my coat tomorrow to
settle down in a pretty little tank
like that. I've told you often enough
my feelings on the small-town stun.
Lo."
when 1 read it on the route list.
tank or a new BREAKFAST food?'"
tits a great little town. Lo: II
been there three times and lived
once for two weeks right t, with Ben Ben
gimme his shirt IL I asked him
that's what he thinks of me. Only
met him on a train once too. He's
seen some of nv wood carvings and
box factories doing the high-class
handwork any day in the week I
wanted: That's the kind of friends
We are"
lips. then blew at them lightly as II
she would watt him a rose petal.
$3.50
GRAVE on AL Rave on
IN He leaned to her with an en-
tire fattening of tone. you're the
only thing in the world that I can
rave about. 10: you and your tan
talizing ways. Ever since I ran away
from a orphan asylum in Utica to
join a show I've had a picture of
little girl like you hung on my heart.
j can't see this or any other country,
hon. without you the biggest part Of
the scenery. You're the only thing
ever had time to rave about IN my
She threw him a smile that was
full OF quirks.
"Me and the meadows. The
meadows you're always piping about.
the grass growing"
The train jolted. jerked. moved for
ward.
A porter passed down the swaying
aisle. lighting lamps. A gassy turbid
the darkening landscape. and the
windows suddenly reflected the murky
interior.
"You-you sweet little kid. you.
You sweet little. soft little kitten"
prostration against his shoulder. her
cheek. the quality Of thick. cream
colored velvet. crushed against the
grain Of his coat"
How that boy loves me-"
He withdrew sharply.
Always kidding. Amt you nothing
but a doll: amt you got nothing but