Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-24

1t ,UGs eUcn better than If arc had been
ordinary tourists.
see their Persian rugs and their silver
things and their dozens of meer-
schaums and their curiosities from all
over the world.
/ asked Potter what he would do
when he was ordered away
THAT depends on where I'm or
dered," said he. IF l don't like the
place, III resign and be mere cit
1t would be easy to get back again
| into the army If there We're any fun
going"
What kind of fun?" / wanted to
know.
"a war with somebody, of course"
said he. Men have the most extraordi-
nary ideas of fun. But they seem to
be alike about that in England and
America. They are never so happy
as when they are killing something or
in danger of being killed themselves.
can't imagine how it would feel to be
| like that but l know if they We're
| different we should hate them. And
1 Potter looked so nice III his soldier
| clothes (Which he got into while we
were making ourselves pretty for
lunch) that I couldn't help thinking it
would be pity for him to leave the
army.
| His friend was invited to lunch with
us, TO make up for sacrificing his
house. He is nicer than Potter or
even Mr. Doremus. but not half so
handsome or brave looking, or with
such q charming voice as poor Jim
Brett. who is not. suppose. gentle.
man except by nature; otherwise he
couldn't have been in the steerage.
I thought it was silly to have wire
nettings in all the doors and windows.
just tokeep away a few Innocent midges,
until we sat out after lunch There is a
! pleasant balcony with an upstairs and
| downstairs, which Potter and Captain
Collingwood call the piazza" and it
would have been delightful sitting
there while the men smoked If appall-
ing little animals with a ridiculous
number of thin, stick out legs hadn't
come buzzing around us. They were
saucy looking things, got up in loud
suits of black and gray stripes, not in
the least like our quiet, respectable
midges Mt home, and they weren't even
honorable enough TO wait until sunset
before attacking you. They pricked
horribly, like pins your maid has stuck
in the wrong places, and they had q
horrid penchant for your ankles.
was sorry / had on clicked stockings
And l apologized heartily to Potter fol
poking fun at his wire nettings.
Though 1t was so hot, the air was
delicious. 1t smelt of new mown grass
and lilies, with a sharp little spicy
tang of the thick Virginia creepers
which made a shadowy green room OF
the piazza" Birds were simply roar
ing with JOY in the trees that over
hung the house, and Potter and l al
most quarreled because he would in
sist that some huge creatures hopping
about on the grass were robins. They
; would have made three of ours ant
were much more like quails that hat
split strawberry juice on their breasts
BY and by Captain Collingwood ask
c ed If 'Lady Betty didn't want to q
g and see things"
3 "Shes booked to me for Filtration
: Walk" said Potter, before could an
! swer. ''Three's a crowd there, oil
r chap" On which regret to state Cap
. tain Collingwood suggested that Pot
ter should teach his own grandmothe
something about nourishing hersel
with an egg diet.
!. Anyhow, / suppose You don't oh
;. ject to a rearguard for inspection o
camp and other features of. prblic in