Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-06
The Argus Daily Short Story
KITTY, SAM AND THE PEACEMAKER BY COLIN S. COLLINS
Copyrighted 1908 by Literary Press.

When it has been "Sam" and Kitty"
from babyhood it is rather difficult to
pass suddenly to the Mr. Hastings"
and Miss Norwood" stage. Both Sam
and Kitty felt the strain. though each
took mental obligation to do nothing
that in any way might be construed
into an overture of friendship.
1t had all started innocently enough.
Kitty on her way to the postoffice en-
countered Jim Saunders. She regarded
Saunders as a persistent pest, but she
could not very well refuse his sugges-
ton that they stop in at the drug store
and have glass of soda.
Then it happened that they turned
into Bedding street in animated con-
versation, and Sam could not know
they had met just around the corner.
Of all the summer visitors to Au-
burnville Sam disliked Saunders the
most, and Kitty knew it. 1t looked to
him as though she had deliberately ac-
cepted Saunders attentions to punish
him for trivial quarrel of the night
before.
Kitty was just finishing the last tiny
lump of ice cream from the bottom of
the tall glass when Sam entered the
store with Belle Paulding. Kitty's
dearest enemy.
He had bowed stiffiy in .salutation,
and Kitty had responded with Good
morning, Mr.. Hastings" emphasizing
the name as sweetly and as coldly as
the frozen delicacy she had just con-
sumed
That had been the start of the trou-
ble but the end had been slow in COM
ing. That afternoon Kitty went mo-
motor cars, and Belle went buggy
riding with Sam to punish Saunders
for his imagined disloyalty.
Saunders and Miss Paulding had
quickly patched their quarrel up. but
Kitty was unyieldng, and there was a
<squareness 20 Sans chin that did not
argue in favor of pIiability of person
atty.
With ceremonious politeness each
stroye to show the other how little it
mattered, but Kitty cried herself to
sleep night after night, AMI Sam swore
softly, but fervently, at what he was
pleased TO term the foolishness of wo-
mankind.
So matters stood when the excursion
of the Auburnville cornet band was
announced. The boys needed new uni
forms, end Dick Potts had promised
to learn the euphonium if they would
buy him one.
All public spirited citizens purchased
tickets. Sam bought two through
force of habit and then viciously tore
them up. whereby the band profited
another 90 cents, for. Sam was de-
termined to go on that excursion if
only to show that he gould go without
Kitty.
He had never gone on an excursion
alone save once, when Kitty was
spending 4 week with her aunt over in
Cadyyille, and lie had had a miserable
time. Now he did not look for enjoy
| ment. but Kitty needn't think he could
not so alone if he wanted to.
Much the same sentiment animated
Kitty. though she arranged to go with
a married sister, and it so happened
that they passed over the gangplank
together. with the formal greeting that
| was now customary.
| The picnic was held on Paddle is
| land, out in the lake, a favorite picnic
| ground. A narrow strip of land con
nected two rough oval extremities that
| by an abuse of the Imagination might
be said to resemble a paddle. Bobby
Seaton, who was in the primary class
aptly, il improperly, described it as "a
/ peninsula with an island at each end
| AS soon as lunch was disposed OF
the elders settled themselves near the
baskets, while the young folk wander
ed off ito either end of the island, fol
lowed by a fusiIlade of injunctions tt
hurry back the moment the first wits
tie sounded.
Sam and Kitty followed suit, bu
| Sam made certain that Kitty was
headed for the southern blade of the
paddle before he started north. 1t was
ireary work sitting all alone on the
point, and presently the fresh air ant
he soft bed of pine needles combined
20 bring sleep to the worried brain.
1t seemed to Sam that he had en-
ioyed only brief nap. but by the
time he had hunted up the cabin some
of the boys had built for use in the
duck season and had borrowed the
bathing trunks he found there he was
in the cool water Il few minutes whef
the warning whistle blew.
heart. This is the reward | will pa