Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-14

1t was poised on the rolling green
turf of the west meadow and with its
outspread wings looked very much like
a great white butterfly.
st call it an air fiier,'" explained HI
ram Butler to the little crowd of men
and women who had gathered about
the machine. ~ feel justly proud Of
her too. Made every bit myself except
the engine"
Must have cost a pretty penny"
drawled james Lummox enviously
IF it'd been me I'd rather have an
automobile. You can take the hull
family out in one of them cars"
'It do seem sort of a selfish con-
traption," put in Mrs. Deacon Skinner
For instance, suppose you wanted to
take Ellen out on a Sunday afternoon
Where the land would she sit?" She
peered cur1ously at the broad leather
strap that served as the single seat in
the flying machine.
az wouldn't want TO CO." snapped
Ellen Butler, with an angry glance at
her husband. Catch me trusting my
self in the air with any manP'
All the while that her husband was
demonstrating the wonders of his in
ventton and even while he made
short experimental fight above the
clover tops Ellen was thinking bitterly
Of the money that had gone into the
useless machine. The bank account,
savings Of years, had been drained to
its last dollar, and the mortgage which
Hiram had placed on the house to get
more money to perfect his patents
seemed to Ellen like some huge blotch
that would never be eradicated.
When the onloo6ers had gone away
Ellen stln remained, silently watching
Hiram's movements about the ma
chine. Presently he looked up, and
his gaze met her hostile eyes. He
Strengthened Immediately.
81 wish you didn't feel so bitter
about this, Ellen" he said soberly.
You know I wouldn't have taken the
money out the bank or mortgaged the
place If didn't expect to make a hun
dred times as much with this inven-
ton.
''If it's a failure, Ellen" he went on
quietly, ''I'n take a job in the pin fac
tory to DodgevilIe till I've earned
enough to put the money all back.
I'll do it and run the farm too. But
I'm not going to fail. Do you think
I'd put that money in it if 1 hadn't
felt pretty sure of success? I'm going
up tonight too. Don't you want to see
meT"
mo, I don't. Hiram Butler, and 1
wish you wouldn't fly over the house.
The pesky thing might fall on it and
knock of a chimney or come through
the roof. Land knows. I'd like to keep
a roof over my head even If l starve
to deathY' Ellen turned and proceed
ed toward the house without one back
ward glance at her husband.
Hiram stood by the machine, his
shoulder dropping slightly, his broad
forehead knitted thoughtfully. His
brown eyes seemed to peer anxiously
beyond the low lying hills as If timor-
GUS of the results of this evenings ex-
pertinent. Budauet, the aviator. had
an estate there, and he had promised
Hiram he would buy the patent out
right if the "air fier'' would make
successful fight across the twenty
miles of country that separated their
respective homes.
Now, as he stood there in the pas
ture, his invention the public topic of
the community, Hiram spoke as II in
self defense against his neighbors'
disapproval and his wife's bitter res
ignation.
''I may be a farmer born and bred"
he said slowly, still with that farsee-
ing glance across the hills. and may
be that's the very reason I've invented
a flying machine when 1 couldn't con-
trive a corn shelter or a moving ma
chine to save my life. It's the birds
have done it. I've studied 'em till
believe could almost fly myself"
The supper bell tangled noisily from
the front porch, where Ellen awaited
his coming. He was quick to catch
the note Of impotence in its brazen
tongue and FASTENED toward the house.
AS he entered the kitchen his wife
passed into the dining room and sat
down at the table.
1t was a silent meal. as had been all
the meals in that house since the mort
gage had rested thereon. At last Hi
'---- --'-hAd his plate aside aud arAsA>