Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-12-19
BY COLIN S. COLLGES.

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 innoccntly enough.
Kitty on her way to the pOstotfice en-
countcrcd Jim Saunders. She regarded
Saunders as a persistent pest, but she
could not very we'll refuse his suggcs-
ton that they stop in at the drug store
and have glass of soda.
Then it happened that they turned
into Bclding street in animated CON
ycrsation, and Sam could not know
they had met just around the corner.
OF all the summer visitors to Au-
burnvile Sam diSlikcd Saunders the
most, and Kitty knew it. 1t looked to
him as though She had deliberately ac-
ccptCd Saunders attentions to punish
him for trivial quarrel of the night
before.
NI'tN NdS just Hlll9iii'S 'HS last 'iii!
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 stitlly in salutation,
and kitty had responded with a Good
morning, Mr.. Hastings" emphasizing
the name as SWeetIy and as coldly as
1,., 1n1i -l,a h.D,l i,tp,t
the frozen deIlcacy She had just con
Sulned'
lh"t had bc'h the start OF the trou-
hIe' but the ehd mad been SLOW IN com
lh2. NAT AFTERNOON Nl''y went mo.
iorlhg with saunders, though She mated
motor cars ana heiIe went buggy
rldIhS with sam TO PUNISH saunders
Tor ms imagined dlSloyaltE
"""''l'FS ana MISS l'uIui"S n"u
qulrkIE pa'fh'd 'hclr qnarreI up put
Nlt'T was uhE'"iolil2' ana lhere was
Sl"'F'h'SS |" sam chIll 'll"t ulu not
argue IN faVor OF pIlablIity or person
AMY
WIN telPlhoilouS po"leheSS each
S'F"Nr 10 SHOW lhe o'Iler no" niue 1t
lG'ii'E"u' hut NlilN crleN herSell 10
SIcrp hl%h' allcr hI2h'' am sam S"oIe
S"l''A' ""' l'' NciI"H' "t ""'t ne was
pI'"Seu TO term 'hc looilSliheSS ol "o-
hlahklild'
80 hlai'erS STOOD "heh 'he excursion
ol tle NupurhNlile corilet Dana was
alIlo''l''e". ne poHS he'"cu ne" UNI,
l"r'''S' "llu h''N i"''S il"u proiliSe1
10 'o"In 'he '"l'"olllu''' IL 'heS "o'llo
"ul III" one
All Pu"II' SPliI'eu cl''"cl'S pul ci'Se''
ll'Ne'S. sam pouShl TWO through
l"F'e "l haPlI ana ihell NlclouSlE tore
'I'eI'i up "h'I'pS inc p'Ilu proN'eu
"H"'Icr 'o 'c''S' lor sam was ue-
l'fIlllAeu l" 20 on 'il't excursion II
olliE 10 snow 'll't ne couId go "l'hout
NI''E.
lie had never gone on an excursion
alone save once Wlleh Nltly was
Sp'ndlnS week win her aunt over IN
'adENlIIc, ana ne mad had mlseraD!e
Ilihe. Now llf did not look 1or ehJo.-
hlcht, but NItty heeuh lhIhk he couId
not go alone II ne wanted TO-
Much the same sentiment animated
NljlN' thou&A She arranged TO go WIN
married SISTER ana 1t so happened
llll lh"E passed over the SahSpIahK
to@Hther' win the formal SreetlhS that
was now customary
The picnic was held on Paddle Is
land, out in the lake, fav0rite picnic
ground. narrow strip OF land CON
hccteu TWO rough oval eXtremltleS that
by an abuse of the Imagination might
be SAID to resemble paddle. Bobby
Seaton, who was in the primary class,
aptIN, II improperly, described it as "a
peninsula with an island at each end"
AS soon rs lunch was disposed of
the elders settled themselves near the
baskets, while the young folk wander
ed off to either end of the island, fol
lowed by fusillade of injunctiOns to
hurry back the moment the first whis-
tie sounded.
Sam and kitty followed suit, but
sam made certain that Kitty was
headed for the southern blade of the
paddle before he started north. 1t was
drcary work sitting all alone on the
point, and presently the fresh air and
the soft bed of pine needles combined
to bring sleep to the worried brain.
1t seemed to Sam that he had en-