Rock Island Argus., 1903-01-27
DAILY SHORT STORY
Fisherman's Luck.


"WelL my boy, your catch isn't very
big today. is it?''
June Devore was interested in the
long line of boys fishing on the pier.
She glanced down in amusement from
under her ruffied parasol, not at the
kneeling figure in knickerbOckers, but
at the small box, nested in seaweed.
where squirmed some two inch killies.
This isn't catch; it's bait" came in
peculiarly smothered tones from under
the golf cap.
y pair of twinkling, boyiSh eyes
scanned with great interest the dainty
arch of the colonial clad foot beside
him. with the flaky foam of lace bill
lowing above, while his brown fingers
busted themselves with the bait.
But the sweet voice above him broke
with pain and pity.
"Oh, some of them are alive. and
they're such tiny baby fish. Please
put them back in the water. Won't
you, please?'
Now. Frank Truitt had procured the
bait at considerable expense of time
and trouble over in Shark river, some
distance inland from the ocean, so he
naturally hesitated. Seeing this, the
girl opened her purse.
''See here" she said. with a winning
| smile; III give you this if you do 1t
will buy enough taffy to make you and
all your friends here ILL.," And she
held bright coin down toward the
bashfully bowed head, her plying
eyes still intent on the baby killies.
Franks friends were wont to say
that his bump of humor was the most
fully developed OH his Uranium. Any
how at this particular juncture it
strangled his conscience.
by Jove, it's worth it-such huge
joke 10 recount at the club"' he thought
as with apparent reluctance he dropped
the innocent fresh water killies into
their supposedly native element.
''The rest, you see, are quite dead"
said he humbly, with the air of a re-
morseful culprit.
ITS too bad, but thank you so much.
You are a nice boy" And for the first
time she looked at him squarely, hold
ing out the coin once more.
A slender brown hand stole up and
grasped the money greedily. Then
1.-THE nice boy rose to his feet, unfold
ing before her dismayed eyes as he
did so five feet ten of masculine stat
ure, while he doffed the cap and dis
closed a clear cut, mustached face.
whose mirthful eyes shot laughing
glances toward her flaming cheeks.
"Oh, thought never dreamed"-
And she fed down the pier toward the
hotel.
When last hutter of her white frock
had disappeared in the crowd along the
board walk, he replaced his cap and
turned the half dollar affectionately in
his hand, shaking the while with quiet
laughter.
From examining the prize he fell to
scrutinizing the hand which held it. 1t
was fine, rather small, but deceptive.
as some of his college opponents had
learned to their sorrow.
''It is a kids hand,' he said in dis
gust, cor woman's, but doctors often
have understood fists-I wonder why"
The question in biology remained un-
solved, for his small nephew ran up
with a catch, exclaiming:
"See, uncle, what kind of fish is
this?"
blue, with brown splashes in 'em,"
was the reply which mystified Frank
junior. "Come, my lad. / promised
your mother to have you at the hotel
by 5''
AS the little fellow trotted by his
side, carrying proudly aloft his string
of three small weakfsh, his uncle
glanced down and said quizzically:
my boy. your catch isn't very big
today, is it?''
"More'n you've got" was the sturdy
reply.
at don't know about that" And the
mans eyes softened with gracious
remembrance. 81 caught great deal
today"
.swhat was itT' asked the boy breath
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