The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-10-14


q scat and waddlcd out. The station
aren't holstcd a dead calf aboard the
haggagc-car. There were no other
visible activities in Sehocnstrom. In
the quiet OF the halt. Carol could
hear a horse kicking his stall, a
ca'-pcnter shingllne a root
Tho business. centor OF Schocn.
strom took up enc side OF one block.
facing the railroad II was row OF
onestory shops covered with galvan.
ired iron. or with elaphoards painted
rcd and bilious yellow. Tho build.
incs were as ill-aSsorted, as tempo
raryslooking as a mining camp
street in the motion pictures. The
railroad station was one-room
frame box. a mircy cattle rcn on one
side and a crimson whcat-elevator
on tho other. The elevator. with rs
cupola on the ridge OF a shinglcd
roof. rcscmblcd a hroadshouldcrcd
pan with a small vicious. pointed
head. The only hahitahle structures
20 be seen were the fiorid rcd-hrick
Catholic church and rectory at the
end II Main Street
Carol picked az Kennicott's sleeve.
-Nou wouldn't call this a not-so bad
town. would your
These Dutch burgs are kind Of
slow. Still. AZ that See that fci
low coming out OF the general store
there, getting into the biz car?
met him once. He owns about half
the town. besides the store Raus.
kukle. his name Is. He owns lot
OF mortgages. and he gamhlcs IN
farrn-lands. Good nut on him. that
fellow. Why. they say he's worth
three or four hundred thousand dol.
lars, Got a dandy great big yellow
brick house with tiled walks and a
gordon and everything. other end OF
town-can'r SEQ Il from here--l'Vc
gone past Il when I've driven thru
here. Yes sir
Then. II he has all that. there's
no excuse whatever for this place,
II his three hundred thousand went
-Ssack into the town. where Il belongs.
they could burn up these shacSs. and
build dream village. jewell Why
do the farmers and the townpcoplc
let the Baron keep t7~
Il must say don't quite get you
sometimes. Carrie. Let him. They
can't help themselves He's dumb
old Dutchman. and probably the
priest can twist him around his fin
ger. burt when I, comes To picking
good farming land. he's a regular
w.t.
Il see He's their symbol OF beau.
~. The town erects him. instead
81 erecting buildings"
Honestly. don't know what you're
driving At You're kind Of played
out. after this long trip. You'll feel
better when you get home and have
a good bath. and put on the blue
nrglsgee. That's some vampire cos
tune. you witch
lie squeezed her arm, looked at
her knowingly.
They moved on from the desert
stiffness Of the Sehocnstron station.
The train creaked. banged. swayed
The air was nauseatingiy thick
kennicott turned her face from the
window. rested her head on his
>sfouiicr. she was coaxed from her
unhappy mood. But she came out
OF II unwiliingly. and when Kenni-
e0tt was satisfied that he had cor.
rectcd an her worries and had opened
a magazine OF saffron detective
stories she sat upright
Here-she rneditated--is the new.
est empire Of the world. the North.
ern Middlewest. land Of dairy
herds ard exquisite lakes. ~ new
automobiles and tar. paper shanties
and siios Ike red towers. Of clumsy
speech and a hope that j. boundless.
An empire which feeds a quarter Of
the world-yet It's work Is merely be.
gun. They are pioneers. these
sweaty wayfarers. for all their tcie-
phones and bank accounts and auto
matte pianos and cooperative
leagues. And for all is fat richness.
theirs Is a pioneer land. What Is
its fufurc7 she wondered. A future
OF cities, and factory smut where
now are looping empty fields7 Homes
universal and secureg or placid cha
teaux ringed with suilen hutsg Youth
free to find knowledge and laughter7
Willingness to slft the sanctified
-lies7 or creamy skinned fat women.
ameared with grease and chalk. gor-
geous In the skins Of beasts and
the bloody feathers OF slain birds.
playing bridge with puffy pink
nailed jeweied fingers, women who
after much expenditure OF labor and
fsaA fernr~- ~ffu urofow-strfs. r~a.~..