The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-05-04
CHAPTER XIII
Calamity Coal OH.


ment had been stormy ones In hel
home, but through neighborly persua
sion and intercession. Mrs. Percy haC
raised no permanent obstacle. Lo
rene's friends felt certain that her re
lease from home rule was assured.
1t was the evening before the mar.
rage ceremony. All the little Pen.
fields had long since retired to their
sleepIng-boxes and that they might
not be disturbed by the light, Mrs
Penfield was sewing in the kitchen.
1t was late and she was very tired.
Twice she had caught herself nap
ping and had gone to the back door to
breathe in the fresh air and get thor.
oughly awake again. The moon was
full; the sky was intensely blue ex-
cept where quilts Of white cloud were
laid across 1t the back yard was filed
with soft radiance that transformed
the ugly clothes-poles into slender
shafts of light.
what a beautiful world it isl" she
said to herself. "And we all go so
fast that we don't haTo TINE to look
at 1t the way it is wonder why we
| get fretted up over lot of pesky de-
| tails that we forget all about In a
week, when the universe is calm and
happy. Looks like we amt in har-
mony with 1t. 1 wish l had time
No, I don't What l wish is that /
can stay awake and sew an overcoat."
Resolutely she went back to her
chair and fitted sections of the coat
together.
Footsteps sounded on the board
walk. There was quick knock. The
door opened.
"Oh, 1 knew something would hap
pen. I just knew it would. And 1t
has. Oh-oh p
Mrs Penfeld sprang to her feet.
The voice was familiar, but she
would hardly have recognized. with
out this evidence, the figure that con-
fronted her.
Lorenzo she gasped.
Look at mel" cried the girl. Her
tragic tone emphasized her ludicrous
appearance. Her face and hands
were covered with fine SCOT, in fiecks,
in streaks; her fair hair was curiously I
darkened, as If thin black veil he'd |
been drawn over it; her light blue
house dress looked greasy and soiled.
"Why, my dear, l can see you've
had a little accident" said Mrs. Pen
field briskly, "but 'twon't take long
to get you washed up again. I'll help
YOU. Oil heater, | s'pose."
The girl nodded. "My-Mrs. Percy
lighted 1t and put it in my room. was
going to pack. She said I'd take cold
If the room wasn't warmed. And-and
when l went in a few minutes later,
| couldn't see. The air was full of
black verywhere-clouds of it.
Oh, dear; oh, dear, what can l do?"
"Why, Lorene, I'll help, We"
Mrs. Penzie," shrieked the girl,
her hands in distress, you
lon't understand. Everything is ru-
ned"
'Ev'rything?"
"Yes, everything. All my clothes
had them all laid out, ready to pack
m the bed, the chairs. The clothes ,
,ress was open. They're all black, ,
ticky, spo-oiled." She threw herself
IN the wash bench and broke into
Wild sobbing. "Why. by the time I'd
cen in there two minutes-look at
1ei"
"Oh, my dear" begged Mrs Pen
ED, "don't cry. We've got to think J
( something"
10 cd nj ri
mt anything to be-begin on. They
ERE all there-everything l own in
he world, everything I've been saving
Or all these mo-months." She lifted
err head and looked at Mrs. Penfield
18th streaming eyes. "Yes, l suppose
ley can be cl-cleaned, but there isn't
me before tomorrow. There isn't
-ti-time," Her voice broke. "Dick
rs his leave of absence and the tic
ckets and all the de-details arranged.
e can't put ii off and-and we can't
can't be m-m-married like this, can
- she threw out her arms in ges-
re of hopelessness.
Mrs. Penfield could not restrain a
nile as she gazed at the forlorn
ide-elect, huddled on the wash
nch. too abject to realize her own
pearance at the moment or to care
out 1t compared with the greater
lamity at home.
what can / do. Mrs. Penzie?
MT ask Dick to take me like this"
mo, dear, you aren't going to-" Mrs. l
nfield put her hands on the girls
oulders and gave her a gentle shake
1t was half reproof and half caress
rab your nerve, Lorene. and wen I
rk a way out of this. So long as
re amt nothing more vital in the
IN than SCOT and cinders, / predict Q
IRE going to be married tomorrow
IN, as scheduled-and all fresh and g
nty, too. You left your windows :.
N. didn't your =
Oh, yes, but" :
Then the air must be clear by this "
e. I'll turn out the lamp, and