Evening star., 1928-04-10
Furnace Tried.

Hard as nails Jason GrayS tones as
he came stalking into the Kitchen, Il
should think when / haul water four
miles twice day you might at least
put some in a pan for the hens once
& in a week. But maybe you're too good
for farm work."
The last sentence was snarl. Ellen.
by the range, caGe-turner i'll hand,
ayerged her ewes from the gray anger
cnntorte6 face of her husband of three
months Words of defense surged to
her lipS-~the silly old chickens over
turned the pan a dozen times in an
hour--hut she checked them. merely
shrueged. That shrug maddened Jason
bevun6 control. Let il. What did she
caree she didn't care what happened
10 her. She was aware of Jason'S hands
Csenchine of the hot scarlet mounting
to his forehead She laughed
She expected to be beaten for that
laugh But she was not She was
suddenly quite alone In the sitting
kitchen. the sound OF door banged
energetically In her ears, She brushed
bead of sweat out of her eyes, glanced
through the window and her lips curled.
e So. this was the beautiful West. The
West. Those words with magic in their
sietterS No rain in this West place since
nDecoration day. and this was the first
of August. For thiS--thiS Death Valley
she had married Jason Gray in the
Tlittle green village in the Ohio hills.
FfreSh and sweet with roses. the sound
Eof flowing water everywhere in May.
hlllies of the valley cool and adorable,
s9inCer the lilacS. She would never sec
sOhio again. She would be cinder,
black and lifeleSs, before she ever
ssnelled again the glorious fresh smell
scf rain falling in garden. She trem-
@hleT With the cNh that f0rASSaS ifSafF
sagainst her throat But she wouldn't
@c3y She wouldn't She hated 1t all
stco much. She wouldn't cry. She
turned, and like an automaton poured
batter on hot griddle, welded deftly
sshe cake~turner
But no breakfast did Jason Gray care
Ter apparently this morning. hot at
so2wn as Ohio st noon. Ellen heard
THE clatter of hoofs upon fiint-hard
#clay. from the corner of her eye saw
ssjaSon'S mules go careening across the
plain toward the black line that was
sShe tree-fringed creek four miles away.
Again she shrugged. She seized the
plate of cakes and flung them out into
f1e red dust of the yard, arouSing into
sG1lon1entary greedy activity the 20 lack
asdaiSical hens. Let him 60 Let him
SO hungry. Cruel as his barren desert
OF country Jason Gray was
IF had some money! If only had
Some money!" Ellen whispered She
taught the CLINT as she stared hope
Jessly about the kitchen at her little
platinum wrist-watch of her small dia-
Enond pendant Jason had not given
these to her. Father and mother and
The girls. She could-oh, she could--go
back. She could go back to Ohio. leave
@l1iS horrible desert forever. How
nate 1T How I hate it all, every bit
pi III" she whispered. Tomorrow I'll
20"
. The hours crawled on. The chickens
sNent about with open beaks and lifted
wings IN spite Of copious and scornfui
AaterangS. The cows stood motionless
aano detected in the parched pasture
= ne yard was fiecked with yellow leaves
from the struggling despairing eIrns
sgason nae set out three years ago when
ne bought his farm. Ellen drew down
Inc SHADES. closed windows and doors
sclil the heat was monStrouS. incredible
s@alIs, furniture. floors hot to her skin.
ne more intense the heat the harder
.Ehens heart. until as If instead of flesh
~ we're so much rigid stone inside a FIRE
a41er resolve to escape crystallized. the
ufIails OF her venture developed in her
naanc swiftly. Nothing. nothing, could
keep her IN is-unmentionable place
mechanically she prepared supper.
opened tins Sometimes she dreamed af
night Of crisp green lettuce. of cold ripe
tomatoes and cucumbers. of sweet corn.
IFnder new peas. she awoke to a gar
Zen CT rafting dry stalks, to cans and
q patent opesser Of cans
Supper-1rom four tins RaIianfly la
beled corn, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and
rherTies-waS silent meal. Ellen made
&c pTetense Of eating paid no heed to
MAe sonber glares of Jason Gray across
p her. Tomorrow-she would not he
Rrrei
She washed the dishes. she washed
The milk things. THE last tirne) Bed
1iFS7e. Mechanically. as part of her eve
9lsng routine, she opened doors and win
Govs- The wind was hotter than ever
1sae had thought wind could be- IT
bley IN fltful soaring gusts The with
cred vines she had planted at the win
COWS ratified ike deal bones The sun
she indineTently noted. had set behind
a long. low eloud-a dust cloud, Of
course. Time and again I'm the last two
months had the sun set 50. And
Rain tonight-sure!" each time Ja-
&on tubliantly prophegied. Nov you'll
ZEE the real West. dearl"
But rainiess. blank, hot day had fol-
bowed day-untn this one. her last.
"Give me some uuilts-T'll try it out
doors tonight" Jason c,irtly demanded
Ellen laid her hot body on her hot
bed. She did not let herself think Of
ire man lying out somewhere among
the animals he had cared for with such
ronatancy.
At last she slept
Eae swoke from a dream Of April in
Ohio. In her dream she was wet and