Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-06-24
The Lure ! IF Luna
By R. RAY BAKER
20 1871. by Mcclure Ne w.paper Syndicate.

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10 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicste.)
At the north end OF the double row
of rickety structures stood one more
pretentious than the rest. Its pre-
Righteousness consisted in its bigness IN
contrast with the others, an archeu
formation of boughs at its entrance
and cluster of three electric hghts
in front.
The pretentiOus building was not
brilliantly lighted in fact, the interior
did not appear TO be illuminated at all,
although those three lamps blazed
beckoningly in front Yet there was
no questioning the fact that every
Rocky Riverite was there, including
Colonel Westbrook. self-styled mayor,
the school teacher, the sheriff. the
towns two lawyers and the justice of
the peace.
It would have beer propitious time
for burglary, with the guardian of the
law and all his official relations shut
up in the dark structure-only oil the
bad men were there also.
1t was IL o'clock when lights fiared
in the building and It began emptying
crowds into the street. Among them
were Fred Adams, miner. and his wife.
wasn't it grandf' she exclaimed.
radiating enthusiasm, as they walked
toward a building less pretentious than
the rest at the south end of the double
row of rickety structures.
Eyes. it was all right" he responded;
not SO enthusiastically.
Her hair was so black it blended
with the night. while her eyes, which
also were dark, danced with light
that would have been vivaciOus had
not Rocky River been a mining camp
and had there been an excuse to be
vivaciOus.
His hair was red and freckles by the
multitude almost made themselves
lank, with a thin face in conformity.
He unlocked the door of their dwell
ing and they went in. He found an
oil lamp and presently had feeble
illumination spreading itself about the
plain but neat and coy apartment.
Lighting his pipe, Fred Adams seat
ed himself at crude desk In a corner
Of the room and fondly handled FIVE
little nuggets which he had produced
from drawer. They represented all
the wealth he possessed, the product
Of ten weeks steady panwashing in
the river.
His wife went to him and kissed
him and retired to her bed i'm the next
room, to dream.
Fred Adams came of a long line of
miners, all of them real toilers, most
Their he inherited sufficient funds for
college course; but one year there
satisfied him and he went back to the
family vocation and grubstaked him
self out of the money that was left.
His wife was a waif. brought to
Rock River by band of pilgrims who
found her at Pearsop's Gulch. hun
dred miles away, just after the village
people laid her mother to rest in the
cemetery.
There were stories that the mother
had been an actress. but they might
have been just stories. The girl owed
her education to the Rock River
schoOlteacher, a former instructor in
seminary In the East, who had come
among the mountains to repair broken
health and with whom the waif lived
until Fred Adams came along.
The movie had invaded Rock River
only three months before. and now it
was regular semi weekly treat. Twice
a week Fred Ada ms was dragged by
his wife to the pretentious structure
at the north end of town. Not once
did he think of refusing her the little
extravaganza he loved her too much
for that, and he realized he had not
much to offer her In the way of recre
alton. But how Fred Adams did hate
the movies
He knew there must be climax be
fore long, because he could see that his
wife was fast in the clutches of the
films. so to speak, but he hardly was
prepared for her announcement:
Fred, I'm going to be a movie star.
She had emerged from the bedroom
and was standing beside him as he ga,
at the desk with his moody dreams.
"What did you say. Helen?" III
asked. thinking he could not have
heard Alright.
IL said was going to be a movie
star. was asleep, and ] dreamed
that the man Up the moon looked
through the window and opened hi,
huge mouth and said, You should e
In the films. Your mother was al
actress and you have her talent. 70,
can be n STAR l had been thinking o.
Just that thing for long time. and tn,
moon nude me decide. So, Fred. Tn
going to be movie star--if you dom
object"
Objectf or course he couldn't ct
that. He could not object to anythin,
she suggested. However. he did no
quite understand how it was to b,
done.
ITS simple" she explained. "I'v,