Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-04-25

ri Ser1 sisssS Qs6a @ g M6s&
along iR}eisurely fathion, taking oul
||@ffl epfoSFa 4N8 the wonders Of
4 the 9efi6wstoke, and fishing"
The outlook successful triI
Astas ypstaaIeAisi0g, sAisandJe were
moments when Wallie had his doubts
and misgivings. He supposed that II
was his experience in dry-farming
which. had made. him pessimistic con.
corning all untried ventures. Ger.
tainly 1t had destroyed his beautiful,
child-like faith in the teaching that
the hairs. OF his head were numbered
and no harm could come to him. 1t
was an unforgettable experience, like
q narrow ecape- from lynching.
Pinkey, on the contrary, had no
somber thoughts to disturb him. He
was filed with boundless enthusiasm;
though this condition was chronic
since he. had become engaged to Miss
Eyester. :.
PinkeY. { in: love, was worse than
useless. Escorting Miss Eyester was
now his regular business, with dude
wrangaing reduced to a side issue.
Therefore, it;had devolved upon Wal
lie to buy teepees, extra bedding,
food, and the thousand and one things
necessary to comfort when camping.
1t all had been accomplished finally,
and the day came when the caravan
was drawn up beside the Prouty
House ready to start toward the Vel
lowstones
"A delighted populace blocked the
sidewalk while they awaited the APP
pearance of Miss Gaskett's friend,
Miss Mercy Lane, who had arrived on
la night train according to arrange
ment.
The cavalcade, If not imposing was
at least arresting. No one could pass
| it yawning. There was no one who
had come to see the party start who
did not feel repaid for the effort
I. First, there was Mr.. Hicks, driving
four horses and the grub-wagon;7' and
leading the procession. He handled
the lines with an aplomb reminiscent
of the coaching days of Reginald Van
derbilt, together with the noble bear
| ing of the late Ben Hur tooling his
chariot. Mr.. Hicks dignified the
"grubwagon'' to such an extent that 1t
was treat to look at him.
| Second in place was Pinkey, driv-
| ing the tent-and-bed wagon, with Miss
Eyester on the high spring-seat be-
side him. Behind Pinkey came RED
McGonnigle, driving surrey provid-
ed for those who. should become IA
]tigued with riding horseback. The
vehicle, like the stagecoach, was a
bargain, sold cheaply by the original
owner because Of the weakness of
the springs, which permitted the body
| to hit the axle when any amount OF
weight was put in it. This was a dis
covery they made after purchase.
Aunt Lizzie Philbrick was the only
passenger, though it was anticipated
that Miss Mercy Lane would prefer
to drive also, since she had had no
previous riding.
Behind the surrey was the riding
party, even more startling than when
they had first burst upon Wallie in
their bead-work and curio-store trap
pings. Mr.. Stott was wearing pair
Of chaps" spotted like pinto, while
Mr.. Budlong in fame-colored angora
at little distance looked as if his
legs were afire.
Everyone was in high spirits and
/ eager to get started. Mr.. Stott sur
reptitiously spurred his horse to
make him cavort more spiritedly be-
fore the spectators. and the horse re-
sponded in such a manner that the
rising young attorney was obliged to
cling with both hands to the saddle
horn. IA.
When he came back, slightly paler,
Wallie said CURLY: -.
''You don't heed spurs on that
horse"
I'm the best judge of that" stott
retorted.
wallie said nothing further, for at
the moment crowd parted to per
nit the passing; of the newcomer.
AS he saw her, Willie felt willing to
renew his promise to Miss Gaskett not
to fall in love with her. Wallie was
a charitable soul, and chivalrous, but
he could not but think that Miss Mer-
cy, who was a trained nurse, must
have changed greatly since she and
Miss Gaskett were schoolgirls.
She, wore. a masculine hat with a
quill in it and wooden skirt that
bagged at the knees like trousers.
Her hair was thin at the temples, and
she wore gold glasses astride her
long, foxy" nose. Although no av-
erage cake would have held the can
dies to which Miss Mercy's birthdays
entitled her, she was given to mid
dy" blouses and pink sweaters.
MERCY has such unique person
ality that ! am sure you are going to
enjoy her." beamed Miss Gaskett in
presenting Wallie.