Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-02-01
"shan't cook You some bacon"
asked Wallie, contritely.

81 doubt if 1 ever feel like eatin'
agin, but if the cakes thawed out
I'll try chunk of it to take my
mind off that stuffin'."
In former days Wallie had wished
for yacht, his own stable, and such
luxuries, but now he wanted well
with far greater intensity than he
had desired those extravagances.
The all-important question had been
whether he could at present afford
it, with his money vanishing like a
belated snowbank. Then, while he
had been debating, Rufus Reed ap-
peared at such a timely moment that
it had seemed providential.
Mr.. Reed, lately arrived from Illi-
nois, was now sitting with his feet
on the stove-hearth and so close to
the Goals that the cabin was strong
with the odor of frying rubber, and
declaring modestly:
II may say, without braggin', that
/ have made an enormous success
since gave up my flour and feed
store and took to well-diggin' as a
perfession. BY accident I discovered
that was peculiarly gifted"
Watching the smoke rising from
Rufus's articles and specializing as
to what might be the composition of
his soles that he could endure so
much heat without discomfort, Wal
lie inquired politely:
"In what way, may I ask?"
Mr.. Reeds tone became impress
sive:
II ana water witch"
Wallie looked puzzled.
Some call it magic, but the fact
is, am able to locate water with a
forked wi1ler and you can call it
anything you want to-"
Wallie regarded the worker of mir
acles with fresh attention. His be-
lief in his own powers was evidently
so sincere that even a skeptic could
not fail to be impressed by him.
He continued:
with my divinin' rod have flew
in the faces of the biggest biologists
in the country and found water where
they said there wasn't any"
"Will the divining rod tell you
how far you must dig for it?"
Pretty close to it. 1 count foot
to every bob of the willer.'
"In a state like Illinois where there
is a great deal of moisture l pre-
sumo it would be possible to get
water anywhere If one went deep
enough, but in Wyoming
should not like to rely on the divin-
ing rod in Wyoming, Mr.. Reed"
Mr.. Reed looked somewhat offend
ed and declared with spirit:
"I'll tell you what I'll DOLL make
you sportin' proposition. I'll test
the ground with the willer and if it
says we'll get water at certain
depth and we don't strike it, I'll dig
till we do, for nothin', if we have to
go till we hear the Cinnamon gibber.
That's fair, amt it?"
Wallie could not gainsay it.
II got my willer on my saddle and
it won't cost notl1in' for demonstra-
ton. Say the word" persuasively,
"and you've good as got a fine flow
ing we'll of water"
1t would do no harm to let the
water witch make his test, Wallie de-
cided, so he followed sheepishly in
the wake of Rufus and his willow as
he walked over the greater part Of
the 160 acres.
"'Taint nowise plentiful" the lat
ter admitted, as with each hand
gripping prong of the willow he
kept his eyes fixed upon it, But if
it's here I'm bound to find it so don't
get discouraged"
Expecting nothing, Wallie was not
disappointed.
At the top of draw some hundred
and fifty yards from the cabin Rufus
suddenly halted.
II felt somethin'," he said, hope
fully.
"Where?" Wallie asked, interested.
I'm my arm-like pins and needles
its a symptom. She's going to
bob!" Excitedly. "You watch and
count along of me-"
The willow bobbed Enthusiastically.
"Sixty-eight!" They finished to-
gether.
II told you!" Rufus cried, trium-
phantly. He stamped his foot:
fright here is where you'll strike
it." His tone was as positive as If
he saw it flowing beneath the sur
face.
Impressed in spite of himself, Wal
lie endeavored to be conservative.
Gould it have been your subcon-
scious mind?" he asked, doubtfully.
II amt any. Rufus Reed is right
out in the open. I'll stake my repu-
tation there's plenty of water if you'll
go after it."
tits rather far from the house for
convenience" he objected.
water in Wyoming is like whisky,
you have to take it where you can
get it and not be particular"
II wac termination and tho cost