The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-10-27


enough TO caper before them. to
smile blandiy at Juanita's Jfudeness
Not today. But she did want a
party. Now! II some ono would
come In this afternoon. some one
who liked her-vlda or Mrs. sam
Clark or old Mrs. Champ Perry or
gentle Mrs. DIR. Westiake. or Guy
Pollock. she'd telephone
No. That wouldn't be IL They
must come OF themselves
Perhaps they would
Why notf
She'd have tea ready. anyway. II
they eame--spiendld- II not--what
did she carer She wasn't going TO
yield to the village and let DOWN
she was going TO keep mp a belief in
the rite OF tea. TO which she had
always looked forward as the sym
Dol OF lctsurrly fine existence. And
" would be just a. much fun. even
IL II was SO babyish. to have tea
by herself and pretend that she was
entertaining clever men. II would,
She turned tho shining thought
nav oAtt1N< civ 6ArAlE3 w tff*
kitchen. stocked the wood-range, sang
Schumann while shc boiled the kct,
tie. warmed up raisin cookies on
Newspaper spread on the rack In the
oven She scampcred upstairs 20
bring down her filmiest tea-cioth.
She arranged silver tray. She
proudly carried II into the living.
room and set II on the long cherry.
wood table. pushing aside a hoop Of
e. volume OF Conrad
from the library. copies of the sat
urday Evening Post. the Literary
Digest. and kennicott's National
Magazine.
She moved the tray back and
forth and regarded the effect She
shook her head. She buzily unfold.
cd the sewing. table. set II In the
patted the tra-cioth TO
moved the tray. 'Some
time I'll have a mahogany tea
table, she said happily.
She had brought In two cups two
plates For herself. a straight chair.
but for the guest tho big wing chair.
which sho pantlngiy tugged to the
table.
She had finished al tho prepare.
ions she could think Of. She sat
and waited. She listened for the
ioor.belI. the telephone. Her eager
ness was stillcd. Her hands drooned.
Surely Vida sherwin would fear
The summons.
She glanced thru the bay.wtndow.
Snow was sitting over the ridge OF
The Rowland house like sprays OF
water from a hoee. The wide yards
icross the street were gray with
moving eddics. The black trees
sbivered. The roadway was gashed
with ruts OF ice.
She looked at the extra cup and
plate. She looked at the wing chair.
Il was 80 empty.
Tho tea was cold In the pot. With
YEARLY dipping flnger.tip she tested
L Yes Quite cold. She couldn't
wait any longer.
The cup across from her was icily
lean. glisteningly empty.
Simply absurd to wait. She poured
ier own cup OF tea. She sat and
Itared at Il. What was II she was
going to do now? Oh yes; how
diotic; take a lump OF sugar.
She didn't want the beastly tea
She was springing up. She was
IN the couch, sobbing.
III
She was thinking moro sharply
han she had for weeks
She reverted 10 her resolution 70
.hange the town--awaken IL, prod
/. reform" II. What IL they were
wolves instead OF lambs? They'd
at her all the sooner IL she was
neck TO them. Fight or be eaten.
I was easier to change the town |
than TO concllate ~ She !
ould not take their point OF view:
was a negative thing; an intel. |
ectual saualor; a swamp of preJu-
Ices and fears. She would have TO
make them take hers. She was not
! Vincent de Paul. to govern and
mold a people. What OF that? The
iniest change in their dlstrust OF
,eauty would be the beginning OF
he end: a seed TO sprout and some
lay with thickening roots to crack
heir wall OF mediocrity. IL she could
lot. as che desired, do a great thing
iobly and with laughter. yet she
reed not be content with village
She would plant one
eed in the blank wall.
Was she just? Was II merely a
flank wall. this town which to three
hohsand and more people was the
enter OF the universe? Hadn't she.
cturning from Lac.aui.Meurt. felt
he heartiness OF their greetings? |
30. The ten thousand Gopher |
'rairies had no monopoly OF greet |
ngs and friendly hands. Sam Clark |
vas no more loyal than girl UbrarI. |
ms she knew In st. Paul. the peo |
lie she had met in Chicago. And |
hose others had so much that Co
her Prairie complaccntly lacked
he world OF eaicty and adventure,
4 music and the integrity OF bronze,
{ remembered mists from tropic |
sics and Paris nights and the walls
I Bagdad. Of Industrial justice andf