White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-11-23
The
Dude Wrangler
By Caroline Lockhart
SECOND INSTALLMENT
SECOND INSTALLMENI
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"The Happy Family"
The guests of the Colonial Hotel
arose hrisky each morning or moth
ing. After night of refreshing and
untroubled sleep they dressed and
hurried to breakfast after the man
uer of travellers making close con-
neotions. Then each repaired to his
favorite chair placed In the same
spot on the wide veranda to wait
for luncheon. The more energetic
sometimes took a wheel-chair for an
hour and were pushed on the Board
walk or attended an auction sale OF
antiques and curies, but mostly their
lives were as placid and eventful
al those OF the fnmatNs Of an insti-
tuition.
The greater number OF the male
guests Of the Colonial had retired
from something-banking wholesale
drugs, the manufacture Of woolens.
The families were all perfectly ia
hfIiar with one another's financial
rating and histories, and although
they came from diverse sections OF
the country. they were for two
months or more like one large, SUI
premeiy contented family. In truth,
they called themselves facetiously,
"The Happy Family" and in this
way Mr.. Cone, who took an immense
pride in them and in the fact that
they returned to the hospitable roof
summer after summer, always re-
ierred to them.
Strictly speaking, there were two
branches of the Family: those
whose first season antedated 1900,
and the newcomers" who had spent
only eight. or ten. or twelve sum-
mers at the Colonial. They were
ali ON the most friendly terms mag
Unable, yet each tacitly recognized
the distinction. The original Hap
ny Family" occupied the rocking
chairs on the right-hand side Of the
wide veranda, while the newcomers
took the left, where the view was
not quite so good and there was 9
trife less breeze than on the other
The less said Of the "transients'
the better. The few who stumbled
In did not stay unless by chance
they were favorably known to one
Of the "permanentsr OF course
there was no rudeness ever-merely
the polite surprise Of the regular oc
chpants when they find stranger
la the pew on Sunday morning.
Wallace Macpherson belonged il
the group of older patrons, as hi
aunt. Miss Mary Macpherson, hat
been coming since 1897, and he him
self from the time he wore curl
and ruffled collars, or after his aun
had taken him upon the death Of hi
parentso
"Wailie.| as he was called by eN
erybody, as the one eligible man III
der sixty. was, IN his way, ats muc
Of an asset to the hotel as the n
torfously wealthy Mr.. Penrose.
an amiable and obligIng disposition
he could always be relied upon
escort married women with multi
Gus husbands, and ladies who ha
none, mutinous or otherwise. II
was twenty-four, and In appearance
credit to any woman he was see
with, to say nothing Of the two hui
dred thousand 1t was known b
would inherit from Aunt Mary. VIII
now supported him.
The morning on the veranda prom
ised to be lively one. since, in a.
aHion to the departure Of old M
Penrose, the return from the war I
Will Smith. the gardeners son, ws
anticipated There was bunting ovt
the doorway and around the pi
lars. with red, white, and blue IL
cream for luncheon, and flags on tt
menu, not to mention a purse
SITES collected among the CUES
that was to be presented in Apr
citation Of the valor which. 1t WI
understood from letters to has fathe
Will had shown on the field
battle.
The guests were in their usu
places when Wallie came from brea
fast and stood for a moment in IL
spacious double doorway. A chez
full chorus welcomed him as soon ;
he was discovered. and Mrs. G.
Budlong put out her plump hand al
held his. He did not speak
stantly, for his eye was rowing ov
the veranda as If in search Of som
body, and when it rested upon MI
Spencely sitting alone at the far Ell
he seemed satisfied and inquired &
licitously of Mrs. Budlong: ID
you sleep we'll? You are lookil
splendid"
There were some points of resel
blance between Mrs. Budlong al
the oleander in the green tub b
side which she was sitting. H