The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1922-01-12
A Lost
Quixote
Boy in Search Of Father Who
Deserted Wife and Family
Wins on Wheel of Fortune
But Does Not Find Parent
By EARL oERR eIaeERs.

0y EMIL OEhn oioS6hS'
Landlord Benny Sharp of the
Crystal Palace hotel lounged in an
ample chair and regarded lovingly
three friends of his on the shelf be-
hind the bar. These three were
brandy, rum. and gin. all so disrepu.
table and time-stained as to label that
Sharp alone knew one from the oth-
ers
Turning from an inspection of his
three cronies to that portion of kiowa
Junction visible from the window. Mr..
Sharp was confronted with less hap
by picture In the merciless blaze or
the Arizona sun, the town seemed to
crinkle and turn up round the edges.
The false fronts of the shacks amia-
bly, referred to as business blocks
dropped as If weary of the pretense
they preserved the squat red station
crouched close, seemingly for protec-
ton, to the redder water-tank. The
scattered adobe houses lay blistering
in the heat.
Inevitably this scene of parched
desolation drove Mr.. Sharp back to
his liquid friends on the shelf. Sigh
ing heavily. he pried himself from his
chair and toddled behind the bar.
II say, it's hot" he muttered, pour
ing out that which would make him
hotter
Doc" Haywood. doing in his ac-
customed corner, displayed his usual
animation at the sound of tinkling
glass
"Hot!" he sympathized. ITS hot:
ter than Tophet." And then. his dis
corning eye noting no second glass on
the bar. he dropped back into a stu
por.
Thus fortified, Landlord Sharp re-
turned to his chair and faced again
the dusty prospect from his window.
From time to time his thick lips
moved in whispered protest against
the heat
Mr. Sharp was sight at which the
gods might weep. Beelzebub. flung
from heaven. could have fallen no fur
Their His face was that deep shade
of red that emotion readily converts
to purple The fire through which he
brows. leaving mercilessly defenseless
before the world pair of watery eyes
long ago washed destitute OF color. In
that dollhouse climate his nose bios
s0med the year round. regardless of
the seasons. Sole testimony Of his
ancient state. his hands remained thin
and girlish, with long. slender fingers.
at the sudden sight of which men
about to play the faro layout in the
corner had been known to restore
their money to their pockets and turn
away
AS Mr.. Sharp gazed DULY out at the
sun-struck town, bob-tailed train
crawled into view and paused Wheel
fly at the station. From this husky
young man alighted. and. after word
with the station agent. climbed the
burning street toward the Crystal Pal
ace hotel.
Mr.. Sharp made no move to rise
and. in his capacity of landlord, well
come possible guest. Instead. as the
young man mounted the steps. he
called out to Indicate his whereabouts,
down the hallway, past the hideous
ladies parlor," to appear finally In
the barroom doorway.
what can do for your" Mr.. Sharp
inquired.
The young man sank into a chair.
Benny Sharp noted that he was big
and good to look at. with the manner
OF one who has spent his days in the
open fields of Gods country"
Nothing" he answered. you can't
do nothing. take the 2:10 train back
East"
1T don't stop here" grunted Mr..
Sharp, parsimonious Of words.
\ They'll flag 1t to slow down, and !
can grab 1t. guess. Yes-Im goin'
Blackjack home :
The laws of hospitality seemed to
demand of Mr.. Sharp some slight in
terest.
where's that?" he inquired Ian
gufdly
Indiana" returned the boy with
feeling. "Say, don't you ever get to
longing for snow storm out in this
furnace? Don't you banker for chill
II morning. when the wagon wheels
creak and your breath's white with
the frost?''
Il was a disconcerting picture. Mr.
Sharp ran his fingers through his hall
"a dirty gray In color.
"Now and then, he admitted. So
you're from Indiana. hey? I've knowet
. good many from there in my day."
The boy leaned forward quickly.
"Maybe you can help me-. he salt
hopefully. You're my last chance.
came out here to find man who lef
Indiana fifteen years ago. I've tracked
him from Seattle down here. and nov
the trail leads up to Oregon. and m!
moneys gone. So I got to go back
without him. l got to go to her
alone"
He sat gazing unhappily out, pas
the huddled shacks OF the Junction Z
the silent desert beyond. Regularly
. a. 49,