Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1939-11-02

stately butler, riding on puffy cush-
ions behind a stately chauffeur, sit
ting beside a man who was ever
lastingly and punctiliously polite.
Oh, half the fun in the world was
in the tussle with hard things. She
knew that now. Life in the little
house had been at times desperate
ly difficult. But it had been like
facing stiff breeze, and coming
out of it thrilled, with the battle
against the elements.
Yet how could she tell these things
to Frederick? He was complacent,
comfortable. She was young and
he liked that. He never dreamed
that he might seem to her somewhat
staid and stodgy. For moment,
in Chicago, he had been lighted by
almost youthful fires. But in these
days of daily meetings, she had be-
come aware of his fixed habits, his
fixed opinions, the fixed programs
which must be carried out at any
cost.
She had found, indeed, that she
had little voice in any plans that
Frederick made for her. When he
consulted her on matters of redec-
Grating the big house he brought to
the subject a wealth of technical
knowledge that appalled, her. Jane
knew what she liked, but she did
not know why she liked it. But
Frederick knew He had the lore of
period furniture at his fingers ends.
Rugs and Notwithstanding and
porcelains He had drawings made
and water-color sketches, and
brought them out to Jane. She had
a feeling that when the house was
finished it would be like some ex-
quisitely ordered mausoleum There
would be no chintzes, no pussy-cats
purring, no Philomel singing!
AS for clothes! Frederick's mind
dwelt much on the subject. Jane
was told that she must have an err
mine wrap, and one of Persian
lamb. Most of her things would be
made in Paris-there was a man
over there who did things in just
the right style for her-picturesque
but not sophisticated. Frederick was
already having certain jewels set
appropriately. Gray pearls and en-
eralds-he had even gone to the
point of getting samples of silk and
chiffon that she might see the
smoke-gray and jade color-scheme
he had in mind for her.
Samples!
A mans mind shouldn't be on
clothes. He should have other
things to think of.
There was Evans, for example.
He had described the other night
the boys club he was starting in
Sherwood. In the old pavilion,
Jane. 1t will do as it is in summer,
and in winter We'll enclose it. And
we are to have a baseball team,
and play against the surrounding
towns. You should see my little
lads"
She and Badly had been much in
terested. The three of them had
put their heads together as they sat
on the porch Of the little house,
with the moon whitening the world,
and the whippoorwill mourning far
away in the swamp.
They had planned excitedly, and
every word they had said had been
warm with enthusiasm. They had
been flushed, exultant. 1t would be
a great thing for Sherwood.
That was the kind of thing to live
for, to live with. Ideas. Effort. She
had always known it. Yet for
moment, she had forgotten. Had
thought of herself as-Curlylocks.
She flung up her hands in sort
of despair. There was no way out
of it. She was bound to Frederick
Towne by the favors she had ac-
copied from him. And that settled
it.
She went on feverishly with the
packing of her shabby suitcase. She
rather glorified in it's shabbiness. At
least it is mine own, was her atti-
tude of mind.
AS she leaned over it, the great
ring that Frederick had given her