Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1939-06-15
CHAPTER 1

blessed with easy accessibility Until
encroaching trolleys swept the tide
of settlement away from it, and left
it high and dry-its train service,
unable to compete with modern mo-
tor vehicles, increasingly inefficient.
Property values, inevitably, de-
creased. The little suburb degener-
ated, grew less fashionable. People
who might have added social luster
to it's gatherings moved away. The
frame houses, which, at first had
made such a brave showing, be-
came a bit down at the heel.
The Barnes cottage was saved
from the universal lack of lowell
ness by it's simple lines, it's white
paint and green blinds. Yet the
paint had peeled in places, and the
concrete steps which followed the
line of the two terraces were
cracked and worn.
Old Baldwin Barnes had bought
his house on the instalment plan,
and his children were still paying
for it. Old Baldwin had succumbed
to the deadly monotony of writing
the same inscription on red slips
through thirty years of faithful serv-
ice in the Pension Office, and had
left the world with his debts behind
him.
He had the artistic temperament
which his son inherited. Julia was
like her mother who had died two
years before her husband. Mrs.
Barnes had been unimaginative and
capable. 1t was because of her that
Julia had married an architect, and
was living in snug apartment in
Chicago, that Baldwin Junior had
gone through college and had some
months at an art school before the
war came on, and that Jane, the
youngest, had sense of thrift, and
an intensive experience in domestic
economy.
AS for the rest of her, Jane was
twenty, slender as a Florentine
page, and fairly pretty. She was in
love with life and liked to talk about
it. Young Baldwin said, indeed,
with the frankness of brother, that
Jane ran on like babbling brook.
She was running on" this No
vember morning, as she and young
Baldwin ate breakfast together.
Jane always got the breakfast.
Sophy, a capable Negro woman,
came over later to help with the
homework, and to put the six
o'clock dinner on the table. But it
was Jane who started the percola-
tor, poached the eggs, and made
the toast on the electric toaster,
while young Baldwin read the Wash
ington Post. He read bits out loud
when he was in the mood. He was
not always in the mood, and then
Jane talked to him. He did not al
ways listen, but that made no differ
ence.
Jane had named the percolator
'Philomel," because of it's purling
harmonies.
"Don't you love it, Baldy?"
Her brother, with one eye on the
paper, was eating his grapefruit.
''Love what?"
'Philomel."
''Silly stuff"
cit isn't. l like to hear it sing"
elm my present mood I prefer a
hymn of hate"
She buttered slice of toast for
him. "Well, of course, you'd feel
like that"
''Who wouldn't?" He took the
toast from her, and buried himself
in his paper, so Jane buttered an
other slice for herself and ate it in
protesting silence-plus a poached
egg, and a cup of coffee rich with
yellow cream and much sugar.
James thinness made such indul-
gence possible.
II simply love breakfast" she
continued.
SIS there anything you don't love,
Janey?" with touch of irritation.
eyes"
"What?"
"You."
He stared at her over the top OF
the sheet. 81 like that!"
well, you won't talk to me,
Badly. 1t isn't my fault if you hate
the world"
mo, 1t isn't" He laid down the
paper. "But I'll tell you this, Janey,
I'm about through"
She caught her breath, then flung
out, "Oh, you're not. Be a good
sport, Badly. Things are bound to
come your way if you wait"
He gave short laugh and rose.
II wish l had your optimism
81 wish you had"
They faced each other, looking
for the moment rather like two
young cockerels. James bobbed hair
emphasized the boyish effect of her
straight, slim figure. Badly tow
cred above her, his black hair
matching hers, his eyes, too, match
ing-gray and lighted-up.
Jane was the first to turn her eyes
away. She looked at the clock.
you'll be late"
He got his hat and coat and came
back to her. "I'm blamed sore
head. Give me kiss, Jane
She gave it to him, and chung to
him for moment. Don't forget
to bring a steak home for dinner"