The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-03-16
Come In Handy
By CORONA REMINGTON

by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
wNU Service
I'm ALLEN shivered as he stood
- in the jostling group and waited
dumbly for the big doors to open
and the crowd to rush in. Slowly
he counted the men around him
twenty-eight of them, all trying to
get the same job.
As the moment approached for
the doors to open, Jim's tension
grew. If he failed this time he
would have to beg or steal, for Sally
had to have food and warmth !;
there were exactly thirty-three cents
left in the worn pocket of his trou
sers and he had had no breakfast.
They had been neighbOrs back
homeland had fallen in love as
naturally as any other denizens of
the forest and had spent a blissful
month planning their future. Then
Sally had suddenly developed q
streak of restlessness.
"Just seems like I couldn't settle
down till got chance TO see a big
city," she had told him. IL Amt
never seen a street car nor any big
fine houses or nothin'."
Jim had tried TO dissuade her, but
in vain. Sally was determined. The
adventurous spirit Of her pioneer
ancestors had seemed to crop out in
her. On a bright fall morning she
had taken wings unto herself and
had flown away, carrying with her
a crash covered telescope" full of
homemade clothes and $3.50 in her
cheap little purse. Jim had heard
from her regularly, but the letters
had brought little news; few la
boriously written lines of stilted
sentences: 81 am well and hope you
are the same. like il here fine,
but do miss you heap. Hope all
the folks are well" Then at last
had come note: 81 am bad off
sick. Can you come? Don't tell
Mommy and Poppy"
Half frenzied with terror lest she
should be desperately i'll, Jim had
dropped his work and rushed to
town. After a bewildering search
he had found her in an unspeakably
dreary rooming house, in an unheat-
ed room. Her face was pinched
then and her cheeks flushed with
fever. When he first saw her he
was so shocked that he could not
speak, but he carried In his heart
for years afterward the memory of
her face as it lighted up at sight of
him.
When the people In the rooming
house heard that Sally's friend had
arrived they helped him find the
things he needed. They directed
him where TO get food and where
to buy fuel for the empty CRATE. Al
most Immediately the girl began TO
show improvement. Jim spent his
few dollars with Joy, then suddenly
found his pockets nearly empty and
the search for work began. Day
after day he allowed himself only
two meals day, then only one meal
until finally. he did not dare permit
himself even cup Of coffee. If he
didn't get this job
The doors In front of him opened
noiselessly. A well-dressed man
stood at the entrance.
Sorry. boys. but we hired a man
yesterday afternoon"
The crowd turned away growing
down the unfamiliar street. At q
big store window Jim was attracted
by display of homespuns. These
are woven hack In the hills by the
mountain folk card informed
him. II would be warm inside. and
he felt that he could not endure the
cold another minute, so he turned
In the door.
"Can I wait on your? mans
voice inquired.
81 was. just lookin' at the home.
spun you got in the window. Nom
my used to make me weave that
stuff when / was youngun."
Can you still do it?"
Jim nodded listlessly.
"We've got a loom and spinning
wheel and we're thinking of putting
on window display for a week.
Could you find a mountain girl to
spin?"
| Something like an electric current
swept through Jim as he grasped
the import of the others words.
Sure could" he answered ca.
gerly.
"All right. Tomorrow's Saturday
You come on down and get the loom
set up and. Wen start the display
on Monday"
So the Sunday papers carried an
advertisement to the effect that
Sally Lane and Jim Allen of Bear
Wallow would give demonstration
of weaving and spinning at Whit.
tington's all the following week.