White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-01-09

shops rose the mighty red wall of thu
canyon, weathered and buttressed In
to shapes Of exceeding strength ant
beauty. After his gaze had swep
from base to summit, he turned, ant
diving under the shelf, he brought W
a slab of rock which he slid care
fully onto the counter. Hugh stared
at it, then examined it infinitely
scarcely seeming to breathe as he did
| so.
by Jove. it might be the skin OF
a trachodon! Where did you get it
Uncle Booker"
"A young Sioux brought it in this
winter. l snapped him an illustrated
couy of Gulliver's Travels for 1t. He
wouldn't tell me where he found it.
You'll have to get that information
through old Red Wolf. All l hope is
that it's near enough to Fort Sioux
so you want have to be gone long to
dig 1t up"
Hugh, suddenly reused from his
absorption in the fossil by certain
drop in the old mans voice, turned
and repeated thoughtfully, You hope
| won't have to be gone long to dig 1t
up? Why do you say that, Uncle
Booker"
Bookie smiled, but did not reply.
Hugh took a turn or two up and
down the room. Then he paused and
put long, sinewy brown hand on the
old mans shoulder.
Uncle Bookie, you're lonely"
well, supposing l am! Most peo-
pie are, as I've said before. You are
lonely yourself"
mo man is entirely lonely who
loves his work as l do mine" Hugh
still scrutinized the older mans brown
eyes.
I doubt if you love your dinosaurs
any more than l do my books"
ooh, books" exclaimed Hugh in
his gentle modulated voice. Books!
Just paper and print, all of them!
Me, l live with the giants. While you
are coming old fairy tales, I'm actu-
ally resurrecting the past. Pm max
ing dead ages live again. I'm ma
gician whose magic you en- put your
hand on and feel"
"Perhaps!" Bookie smiled. But
I'm consorting with the great lllak-
ers of all ages"
Hugh dropped his hand from his
foster uncle's shoulder and walked
back to look at the river from the rear
window. 1t was brimming It's banks,
but its overflow was done for the
year. An airplane dropped to the
canyon floor west of the river.
"The mail Is early today" said
Bookie.
Hugh did not hear him. II have the
feeling" he said without turning from
the window, that I'm making a
mighty poor return to you for all
you've done for me. You supported
me from the time l was ten until l
finished college. / married against
your wishes. You're dissatisfied with
my profession. And 1t hurts me-"
"A man has a right to choose his
own work and his own wife," replied
Bookie. You'll have to put up with
my growing. I'm like any other old
hon with one chicken"
Hugh glanced at the cot back Of the
stove where Bookie slept. Il think
I'll move another cot in here, Uncle
Bookie, and stay with you between
trips"
The older man shook his head. at
will Just cause talk, and anyhow, I'm
not lonely that way. Mines just the
loneliness Of one kind Of old age. The
loneliness of looking back at wasted
years and forward to-nothing. You
stay with JESSIE" He paused and
shook his head. you young fellows
of this generation are running your
women. My generation of women was
worth twenty of yours. We were all
pioneers and we expected the women
to work as hard as we did. And they
rose to the scratch. They were won
ders! Why, even Mrs. Morgan in
her younger days up on the old Bar X
did the work of three people. And
even now, In spite Of all her faults,
she's dray horse for work. But this
new generation Of town women that
you fellows keep In dleness-Huh
You get about what you deserve for
your softness!"
You'd better let me move In with
you," repeated Hugh Il have feel
ing that you don't look we'll"
ANY man unlucky enough to sur
vive the grub at the Indian Massacre
for ten years has right not to look
WE'LL" retorted Bookie. you stay with
your wife. A generation ago 20,
wouldn't have thought OF leaving her
| You'd have needed her work toe
much. Go on up and take look al
the new bone ranch l know you're
honing for It,"
Hugh, curiously enough Bookie
thought, went out reluctantly.
Customers were even fewer than
usual, II possible, that day, and the
old man though great deal about
himself and his boy.
Before the day was over, he regret
ted his refusal to allow Hugh to bring
his cot to The Lariat. After all