The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-11-16

Jewish stories. Irish stories. German
stories. Chinese stories. and Tenn.
essec mountaineer stories. most OF
which Carol had heard.
A lady olocutionist" who recited
kipling and initiated children.
A lecturer with motion.pic OF
an Andcan exploration. excellent
pictures and a hating narrative.
Three braSs-bands, company OF
six opera singers. a Hawaiian sex.
tet. and four youths who played
saxaphonca and guitars disguised as
wash-boards The most appiaudcd
pieces were those. such as the
Lucia inevitability. which the
audience had heard most oi.sn.
The local superintendent. who TO
manned thru the week while the
other euiishtcners went 20 other
ChautAuqu,s for their daily perform
ances. The superintendent was a
bookiah. undrrfed man who worked
hard at rousing artificial enthusiasm.
az trying 10 make the audience cheor
by dividing them into competitive
squads and telling them that they
were intelligent and made splendid
communal noises He gave most Of
the morning lectures. droning with
equal unhappy facility about poetry.
the Holy Land and the injustice 20
employers In any system Of profit.
sharing.
The final item was a man who
neither lacturcd. inspired. nor enter.
tained; a plain little man with hh
hands in hls pockets. All the other
speakers had confessed. II cannot
keep from telling the citizens OF
your beautiful city that none of the
talent on this circuit has found a
more charming spot or more enter.
prizing and hospitabie people" But
the little man suggested that the
architecture OF Gopher Prairie was
haphazard. and that Il was scottish
TO let the lakefrnnt be monopolixed
By the cinder.hcaped wall OF the
railroad embankment. Afterward
the audience grumbied. Maybe that
guys got the right dope. but what's
the use Of looking on the dark side
u things all the timer New ideas
are first rate. but not all this critL
ciam Enough trouble In life with.
out looking for H."
Thus the Chautauqua. ms Carol
saw IL. After II. the town felt proud
and educated.
Two weeks later the Great War
smote Europe.
For n month Gopher Prairie had
tho delight OF shuddering. then. as
the war settled down to business Of
trench.fighting. they forgot.
When Carol talked about the Bal.
kans. and the possibility OF Ger.
man revolution. Kennicott yawned.
'Oh yes. It's great old scrap, but
here are too busy growing corn to
monkey with any fool war that those
foreigners want 10 get themselves
into"
II was Miles BJornstrom who
said. II can't figure II out. I'm OPP
posed to wars. but still, seems like
Germany has got 10 be licked be
cause them Junkers stands In the
way OF progress"
She was calling on Miles and Bea.
early in autumn. They had received
her with cries. with busting of
chairs. and running to fetch water
for coffee. Miles stood and beamed
at her. He fell often and joyously
into his old irreverence about the
lords OF Gopher Prairie, but always
with a certain difficulty--he added
aornething dccorotie and appreciative.
Lots Of people have come to see
you. haven't theyY" Carol limited.
why. Bea's cousin Tina comes In
right along. and the foreman at the
mill, and Oh. we have good times.
say. take look at that Beai
wouldn't you think she WIS a can
sry.bIrd. 10 listen to her. and to see
that scandahoofian tow.head Of hers?
But say. know what she is7 She's
a mother henl WHY Way she
fusses over me--way she makes old
Miles wear a necktiel Hate 10 spoil
her by letting her hear II. but she's
one pretty darn nice--nice--- Hell!
What do we care II none OF the dirty
snobs come and callg We've got
each other"
Carol worried about their struggle.
but she forgot II In tho stress OF
sickness and fear. For that autumn
she knew that baby was coming,
that at last life promised TO be in
teresting in the peril OF the great
change.