Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-28
DAILY SHORT STORY
SHE sUDDEo ON THE FOURTH.
[OriginaLl

Fourth Of July at the Clifford country
place. "we shall be very quiet" she
wrote. you mustn't expect any gay
ETY.. There will be no one here eA-
cept the members of our family. Sorry
1 can't have a young lady for you, but
l don't want the trouble of one
The Clifford children were Grace and
Charlie. When l had last seen them,
Grace was a sweet little girl seven or
eight years of AEGEAN ethereal child
whom an artist would choose for spir-
ltuelie model purposes. Charlie was
three years younger. What luck for
me, tlIIs opportunity 10 turn my back
on the cracking. booming city and
spend the day with this quiet family.
When l arrived-in time for dinner
on the evening OF the Sd was re-
minded how time flies. Grace Clifford.
though she still wore her dresses quite
short, was as tall as she was likely
to be. Charlie was nearly fifteen.
Grace seemed to have retained her
childish gentleneSs. and Charlie also
seemed a quiet, retiring boy. devot-
ed, so his mother told me, 10 books.
We dined undisturbed by the sound
OF a single cracker. the children so
well behaved that neither of them
spoke during the meal. Indeed 1. be-
ing youHg man considerably under
thirty. remembering that Grace must
be eighteen. felt inclined to have some
words with her. especially as she was
very pretty. But she maintained her
reserve in presence OF the father and
mother at table and after dinner. /
saw her no more during the evening.
The next morning l was awakened
by the sDlteful snap OF tirecracker. l
turned over and slept again. l was
awakened by second snap, this time
for my watch and noted the time-5
o'clock. had been told that breakfast
would be at g. -Four hours interval,
and felt hungry. 1 must get another
nap. / shut my eyelids and resolved
that 1 would sleep despite the daylight
streaming in at my window. l was
doing OF when there came another
crack-nOt a good round noise. but a
spiteful, malicious, malignant little
snap, not big enough to fully awaken
me, but to disturb the slumber into
which l was drifting. l continued to
keep my eyes closed tightly, hoping to
fall asleep, but there came a succession
OF cracks in monOtonOus regularity and
volume l covered my ears with the
sheet and persevered. Ny efforts were
OF no avafl. The contemplate snaps
continued, and at last gave up. open
ed my eyes and looked at the window.
/ saw a little brass cannon resting on
tha Of q a lannV which
room opened. a hand projecting from
a coat sleeve, With a lighted match, was
thrust forward to touch off the cannon,
but the flame was blown out by the
wind before it reached the vent. l
waited and watched. Another match
was tried and failed. Then a bit of
lighted firecracker was tried, and this
time the wrist of the hand that held it
wore a bracelet. / also heard a girls
giggle. The cannon was fired.
1t was still but half past , O'Clock.
Should | endure this annoyance or
make an attempt to stop Il? l got up
and, looking into the hall. saw the door
OF a bedroom opposite standing open.
want In. closed the door, threw myself
on the bed and succeeded IN getting
few minutes slumber before being
called Meanwhile / presume the chill
dren kept on with their firing. suppos-
ing they were annoying me. At break
fast Grace looked demure enough for a
nunnery. / made no reference to my
discovery.
The children kept their crackers ex-
pIoding all the morning. IL l went on
TO the front piazza they came with
\ IA the hack
piazza they also changed for my new
position We diDed at / O'Clock, and
after dinner | sought the library for
a nap. l expected to hear more crack
ers. but i did not. l was doing OF
when an immense bee came tumbling
on to my nose. / made a frantic grasp
for it and failed. / settled myself
again. and again came the bee. This
time l saw that IL was a bit OF paper
hanging by a thread to II stick. l shut
my eyes and pretended TO sleep. The
bee climbed all over my nose, but 1
paid no attention 10 it. Finally /
snored Out of the corner OF my eye
/ saw Grace Clifford steal softly from
behind a screen with a plant sprayer
in her hand Reaching forward, she
gave me it's contents. Almost before
the water reached me ] sprang up,
seized her In my arms and covered her
face with kisses.
LET me go or TIL call papa!' she
cried. struggling vigorously.
call as loud as you like"
You're not a gentleman"
Nor are you a lady"
How dare you say that to meT
mo lady would FIRE a brass cannon
under a guests window to keep him
awake"
She gave a spasmodic giggle.
''Or sting his nose with a humble
bee
Another giggie.
Now, I've taken the kisses to pay
for keeping me awake for three hours
this morning. and I'm going to take
pay for the bumblebee."
hor half daxa7 luaaCka