The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-11-08

That evening she did not merely
consent to play cribbage with Kenni
colt; she urged him TO play: and abe
worked up hectic interest In land.
deals and sam Clark.
VIII
In courtrhip days Kennicott had
shown her q photograph Of Neis
Erdstrom's baby and log cabin. but
she had never seen the Erdstroms.
They had become merely patients
OF tho doctor" kennicott tclephoned
her on a mid December Afternoon,
Want to throw your coat on and
drive out 20 Erdstrom's with meg
Fairly warm. Neis got the jaun.
dice"
'oh ye.r' She FASTENED to put on
wooden stockings. high boots. sweat.
or, mufficr. cap. mittens.
The snow was too thick and the
ruts frozen too hard for the motor.
They drove out In a clumsy high
carriage. Tucked over them vas a
blue wooden cover. priskiy 20 her
wrists. and outside Of u buffalo
robe. humble ana moth.eaten now.
used ever since the bison herds had
strcaked the prairie q few miles TO
the west.
The scattered houses between
which they passed In town were
small and desoiatc In contrast 70
the expanse OF huge snowy yards
and wide street They crossed the
railroad tracks. and instantly were
in the farm country. The big pie
bald horses snorted clouds OF steam.
and started to trot. The carriage
saueaked In rhythm Kennico.t
drove with ciucks Of There boy.
take II easyr' he was thinking lie
paid no attention 10 Carol. Yet II
was he who commented Pretty
nice. over there as they APP
preached an oak grove where shtfty
winter sunlight auivered In the hol'
low between two snow.drifts.
They drove from the natural rrsi.
rte 70 q cleared district which 20
years ago had been forest. The
country seemed to stretch unchang
ing to the North pole: low hill
brush-scragxly bottom. recdy creek,
muskras mound, fields with frozen
brown ciods thrust up thru the
snow.
Her ears and nose were pInchcd
her breath frosted her collar: her
fingers ached.
Getting colder she said.
"yup.-
That was an their conversation
for three miles. Yet abe was happy
They reached Nch E.rdstrpm's II
four. and with n throb she recog
nized the courageous venture which
had lured her to Gopher Prairie
the cleared fields. furrevs among
stumps. = log cabin chinked with
mud and rooted with dry hay. But
SeIs had prospered. He used the
LOG cabin ~ . barn: and q new
house reared up. . proud. unwtse
Gopher Prairie house. the morv
naked ana ungraccfui in It's glossy
white paint and pink trfmminxs
Every tree had been cut down. The
house was 20 unsheltered- 80 bat
tered By the wind. 20 bieakiy thrust
out Into the harsh clearing. that
Carol shtvered- But they were wei.
coined warmly enough In the kitrh'
en-. with tn crisp new plaster. It's
black and nickel range In cream
separator In . corner.
Mrs Erdstrom begxed her to VII
In the parior. where there was .
phonogynph and an oak ana leather
davenport. the prairie farmers
proofs OF social progress. but she
dropped down by the kitchen stove
ana insisted. ~Piease don't mind me "
When Mrs. Erdssrom had foIlowe
tho doctor out Of the room Carol
glanced In q friendly way al the
grained pine cupboard. the framed
Lutheran Konfirmations Attest. the
traces Of fried eggs and saurages on
the dining table agaDst the wall.
and = jewel among Calendars. pre-.
scnfing not only iithographlc
young woman with cherry lips. ami
= Swedish advertisement Of Axri
Egsc's grocery. but also q Their.
momcter and . mssehholdsr.
She saw that . boy Of four OF
f1ve was staring At her from the
hall; a boy in ginghnm shirt ana
faded corduroy trousers. but large
eyed. firn-moushed. wide-browcd. He
vanished. then pecped In again. bit.
ing bis knuckles. turning his should
cr toward her In shynexs.
Didn't she rcmcmber--what was
it7--kennieoft sitting beside her at
Fort Smelling. urging. See how
scared that baby Is. Needs some
woman like you"
Magic had f1uttered about her
thcn-magic of sunset and cool air