Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1929-11-22
CHAPTER

There are two whole columns on
the disarmament conference-all fig
ures, and quotations, and simply tre-
mendous big words" said Ginger Ella
In a discouraged tone "Oh, here's a
little bit Of column about the Elks'
May day fete and beauty pageant"
She settled herself to read with
SNUG little flounce Of eagerness.
"You may skip that" said her ia
Their. 1--WE know all about the beauty
pageant"
His daughter sighed resignedly. II
suppose you want Lloyd George and
the Communists, although 1t does not
look very churchy to me-"
She read patiently. in a low clear
voice, paragraph after paragraph, sit
ting on the couch beside the reading
lamp, little, eager and slim-with
eyes that just would wander, despite
her best and most daughterly inten-
lions, from the stupid newsprint to
the simply fascinating goings-on In
the opposite corner of the wide room,
where Marjory, the pretty twin, love-
Her than any picture, stood on low
stool, like goddess lifted up, with
her bevy of worshipers at her feet,
while down on their knees before her,
were Miriam, the brainy twin. and
Helen, who was quite old and engaged
to be married, and Miss jenkins
clipping stray threads here and there,
tucking, patting and pulling. in a vain
endeavor to add greater charm to her
girlish beauty.
But although Ginger's eyes would
wander, the memory of her father.
sitting still and limp, so patient, in
the big chair at her side, his kind
eyes closely bandaged, quickly brought
her own straying orbs back to the
onerous news. By rights, It was
Miriam's job to read the papers to
her father. But Miriam, being a
twin to Marjory, would naturally wish
to assist in preparing her to win the
Elks' club beauty prize.
"'And this in spite of the frank
warning Of President Coolidge that
the United States will regard any
such move with extreme disfavor.'
finished Ginger, with flourish.
"Here's a paragraph On Mussolini and
God. In my opinion 1t would look
lot smarter If you took that lace off
the shoulders entirely. Oh, excuse
me, father. I'm so sorry. Here's para
graph on Mellon cutting the tax
melon-three hundred billions, no mil
lons-Well. 1t doesn't interest US
either way. Oh, here's lovely write
up Of the buffet supper that is to be
served at the Elks' club fete at ten
o'clock-bouillon. chicken sandwiches,
tomato aspic-"
Reverend Mr.. Tolliver smiled indul-
gently. He might nor see, but what
father but could feel the wandering
eyes and the truant thoughts of six
teen-year-old daughter on the eve of
a beauty pageant
"Put the paper up now, Ellen. I'm
full Of news Suppose you play little
bright-eyes for me, instead, and tell
me what is going on over there, with
all that shipping of scissors. and oh
ing and ah-ing."
"Oh, fatherr" Ginger doubled her
self up rapturously. enfoldlng both
her slim knees in her arms. "Oh,
father, It is goriousl Marjory-hon-
estly, father, Marjory Is so pretty 1t
doesn't seem possible. Miss jenkins
is down on the floor with five pins in
her mouth, and her dress pulled up,
over her knees to keep from soiling
It"
Miss jenkins, with guilty haste, GOV.
cred the offending members.
"They weren't her best ones-they
had Isle tops. But saw a silk ruff
fe, Just the same. You're really miss.
ing quite lot, you know" continued
Ginger wickedly. You'd better take
those five pins out of your mouth,
Jenky dear, If you're going to gasp
like that"
Only Ellen dared to call the sedate
spfnster "Jenky," ana even she did It
only in her more trrepressible mo.
ments, when she was most thoroughly
a Ginger Ella. It was sixteen years
ago, at the birth of this same ellen.
that Miss Jenkins had first come into
intimate contact with the parsonage
household, then In another pastorate.
And upon their later transference to
other charges, she had arranged her
small matters and followed after them,
living her own life, keeping her own
small home, teaching in the primary
schools for q livelihood, but keeping
in close and helpful touch with the
Tolliver family. to which, In its en-
tirety, she had given all the stored-up
love Of her lonely heart. With Helen
and with the twins, she remained to
the end firm and unyielding. But
she was from the beginning surpris-
ingly pliable in the hands of the
wheedlesome Ellen.