The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-08-02


up. When We had made our mad
dash to rescue the canoe he had
set his work aside and laid the
brief case on IL. moro TO keep 1t
from blowing away than 10 keep
II from being read. 1t didn't occur
TO either Of as that people. who
had no way OF knowing whether we
were writing a private letter or
public document. would meddle
with our belongings We were
wrong,
Another Storm Coming
On our way hack 10 the house
from our bout with the canoe we
noticed three auioloads OF visitors
pull up to the house. so we were
prepared to put up our tent down
on the river bank rather than
crowd the house We didn't want
another night in that bed anyway.
The only thing that bothered Us
was the fact that a bad follow-up
storm was coming in fast from the
west and it was filled with wind
clouds
As we neared the house the
rancher. on horseback. bore down
on us at galiop. He hadn't seen
us come up and was on his way
to the river to intercept us. He
brought the horse to a slithering
halt in front of US and looked us
over.
I've got a little story to tell,
folks" he said slowly.
We glanced al the crowd of WISH
tors and assured him that we I'M
derstood perfectly and had already
made plans to throw up camp
down on the river bank. and that
we were thankful for the shelter
of the night before.
"zella. here he went on, mo-
tioning to his young daughter who
was standing nearby. lis like a
deer or an antelope. She doesn't
know how to mind her own bust
ness and she gets into everything.
She got into your writing stuff
and read what you wrote about last
night. bawled my wife out for
giving you that bed because we
knew there were bedbugs in the
wallis. It's the only room that's got
them. Wed a got rid OF them long
ago but my wife's been sick and
she can't stand the smell of the
spray"
"Oh, that's alright" we said
rather sheepishly, not knowing
whether TO be apologetic because
we had offended the good farmer,
or to be offended ourselves because
the good farmer had meddled with
our own private papers. That's
liable TO happen anywhere"
Used Ugly Word
we might never have known
about IL II leila hadn't been such
a snoop," he went on. But must
say you were pretty strong in the
way you had II typewriter there.
Just plain He'll was what you
had written, and now listen here.
you're welcome TO eat here and all
that, but you're not going 10 spend
another night In this house"
His vehemence stunned US and
left us with nothing TO say but a
+ mumbled, After all, the bedbugs
did make the night miserable for
MS" Thinking TO ourselves that
though he might have objected to
what we had written, we were out
to report the truth. the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth. and he
shouldn't have been shopping in
our papers, anyhow
Gathering our dignity closely
about us We returned 10 the house.
wading through battery Of un.
friendly stares from the visitors.
and gathered up our belongings.
just before we left the house. the
rsncher came In. and In con-
cilistory tone, said that we might
bring up our own bedding and sleep
in corner Of the room. We polite
ly. firmly. and exultantly refused
the offer. thanked him heartily for
his past hospitality. and went forth
into the cruel. cruel world.
Night and the storm would soon
be upon us and we had 20 work
fast loading our muddy equipment
in our still muddy canoe. As we
dropped dosnriver the first Of the
storm began dropping down on us.
We put ashore on the first tow
head we came 10 and literally cut
out a csmpsite in the willows. The
sounds Of our hacking attracted
an old fisherman and his wife. who
had little cabin hack IN the vii
Io1s. After glance At our tent
he looked up At the vhitish wind
clouds, shook his head. and Insisted
that We spend the night with them.
Real HIdezway
Remembering the run down.
sIoyenly novels that the other