The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-12-01
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The Story of Carol Kennicott
SINCLAIR LEWIS
Copyright 1899, Harcour, Brace & Howe Inc

'oh. dear me. he's got button
unbuttoned." worried Erik. knceling.
Carol frowned. then noted the
strength with which he swung the
baby IN the air.
May | walk along a piece with
your"
I'm tired let's rest on those
ties. Then | must be trottlng back 9"
They sat on a heap OF discarded
railroad ties. oak logs spotted with
cinnamon. colorei dry-rot and marked
with metallic brown streaks where
iron plates had rested. Hugh learned
that the pile was the hiding place OF
injuns; he went cunning for them
while the elders talked OF unlnlerest.
Ing things.
The telegraph wires thrummed.
thrummcd. thrummed above them.
the rails were giaring hard lines.
the goldrnrod smelled dusty. Across
the track was pasture Of dwarf
clover and sparse lawn cut BY earthly
COW. paths; beyond It's placid narrow
green, the rough immensely Of new
stuhhie. Jagged with wheat stacks
like huge pineappies.
Erik talked OF books: fiarned like
a recent conRrtsto any faith He
exhibited as many titles and authors
as possible. hating only TO appeal.
Have YOU read his last bookg Don't
you think he's terribly strong
writerG"
She was dizzy. But when he In.
sisted. You've been librarian: tell
me; DO I read too much fictionf" she
advised him loftily. rather discurslve.
ly. He had. she indicated. never
studied. He had skipped from one
emotion TO another. Espcciaily--shc
hesitated. then flung II AT him--he
must not guess at pronunciation;
he must endure the nuisance OF stop
ping to reach for the dictionary.
I'm talking like "a cranky teach.
err" she sighed.
mol And I win study Read the
damned dictionary right thru" lie
crossed his legs and bent over, clutch.
ing his ankle with both hands. II
know what you moan. I've been
rushing from picture 10 picture. like
Kid let loose In an art gallery for
the first time. You see. IT'S so awful
recent that i've found there was a
worid---weil. a world where beautiful
things counted. was on the farm
an | was nineteen. Dad Is a good
farmer. but nothing else. DO you
know why he frs, sent me OF to
learn tailortngf I wanted to study
drawing. and he had cousin thaf'd
made lot Of money tailoring out
In Dakota. and he said tailoring was
a lot like drawing. so he sent me
down TO a punk hoi. called Curiew.
70 work In tailor shop. Up TO that
time ia only had three nonths'
schooling ypar---waiked TO school
two miles. thru snow up to my knees
and Dad never would stand for my
having a single book except school.
books
II never read novel MI 70,
Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hail. out
Of the library at curiew. I thought
u was the iovelIest thing in the
world Next read 'f,nrricrs Burned
Away and then Pope's translation
OF Homer. Some combination. all
right When I went to Minnea polls.
just two years ago. guess ia read
pretty much everything In that Cur.
lew library. but I'd never heard %
Rossetti or John Sargent or Baizac
OF Brahms. But Yump. III study.
Look here, Shall get out Of this
tailoring. this pressing and repair.
ingg"
Il don't see why a surgeon should
spend very much time cobblinr
shoes"
But what IL find cant really
draw and design, After fuEssnr
around In New York or Chicago. ia
feel like q fool II had 10 70 back
to work in gents furnishings
store.''
Please say 'haberdashery.'
'Haberdashery7 All right. III re-
member" He shrugged and spread
his fingers wide.
She was humbled by his humility;
she put away I'm her mind. 10 take
out and worry over later. spccula.
ton as to whethr II was not she
who was naive. She urged, what
II you do have TO go back7 Most OF
us do We can't all be artists--my.
self. for instance. We have 10 darn
socks. and yet we're not content 70
think Of nothing but socks and darn.
lng-cotton. I'D demand all could
get-whether finally settled down
to designing frocks or building tom.
pies or pressing rrsn's. What II you
do drop back7 You'll have had the
adventure Don't be too meek to
ward life' Co You're young. you're