Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-11-09
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
Painters Pie
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK. =

Mrs. Sparks sat in the window OF the
little fiat darning. Tommy Sparks,
aged four. had been allowed TO go
alone to play in the great yard that
lies between the apartment building
and the swell private residence which
faces the drive. Mr.. Sparks was at his
office, and all the young Sparkses, bar
ring Tommy, were at school. From
Mrs. Sparks vantage point in the little
Lay window she could catch occasional
glimpses of n painter in the big yard
reXt door. who was moving along
slowly from stone TO stone painting
the foundation of the house of their
rich neighbor a subdued sort of red
color. Mrs. Sparks was dreamily won
dering why the foundation. which had
been pretty in It's natural hue. needed
painting at all. when Tommy Sparks
toddled in through the doorway lead
ing from the kitchen. Tommy had
come up from the yard the back way.
Tommy had some streaks OF red run
ming diagonally down from each cor
ner of his mouth. and his linen dress
was spotted in places with the isame
color.
Tommy Sparks demanded his
mother. what on earth have you. been
eating?"
Tommy climbed into a chair. swung
his legs in his infantile way and said,
Mamma, painters pie good
Mrs. Sparks gave one hurried, hor-
rified glance through the window at
the red paint which was being daubed
on the neighbours house and then turn
'Tommy''-her voice was a pleading
wail-"did you eat the painters stuff
out of the pail?'
Yes. out of pail; painters pie good
answered Tommy.
Mrs Sparks shrieked. The maid rush
ed in from the kitchen. Get the doc
tor, the druggist and Mr.. Sparks
screamed Mrs. Sparks. "Tommy's eat
en- paint aud sugar OF lead and every
thing. Go. girl, CO. Susan rushed
the door, sent the corner drug
gist flying up to the house. ordered the
clerk to telephone Mr.. Sparks and then
set out on chase for the doctor.
In the meantime Mrs. Sparks was
moaning over Tommy, who was taking
the unusual commotion which he had
created as blandly as would most four
year-olds. He insisted on occasional
~ reiterating that painters pie was
good" and at each reiteration the
heart sank.
The druggist rushed in. Tommy has
eaten paint. Heaven alone knows how
much. 1t must have had sugar of lead
In it. and that's sweet and that's why
he ate it,
The druggist grabbed up Tommy.
half threw him on to a lounge and then
turned to the mother.
Control yourself, Mrs. Sparks. Life
depends on instant action. Get me salt,
potash and soft SOAP Luckily Mrs.
Sparks had all three articles in the
house. and she rushed to the kitchen
and brought them back. Tommy as yet
showed no sign of collapse. The drug
yist put two tablespoonfuls of salt in
half a glass of lukewarm water and |
forced Tommy to swallow 1t, Sputter- |
ing. This dose was followed up With a |
heroic one of potash, and then Tommy |
was made to swallow large coffee cup |
full of soft soap. With the soap down |
and Tommy's eyes hanging out of his
head and well down over his cheek |
bones. the druggist turned the young
;ter over on his stomach on the couch /
md shook him.
The only thing about Tommy that
lidn't rebel at this treatment was his
stomach. That held on to it's unaccus-
.omed load with a pertinacity worthy
y something better. At this 5urcture
he painter appeared o. the scene. He.
.5==..tted 70 tie fearful Mrs Sharks