Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-18
The Argus Daily Story
Maria's Fishing-By Clarissa Maclie.
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau.

ten garden l became aware that Lucy
Drake was moving listlessly among
her gorgeous chrysanthemums. Her
delicate face, with its long. thin, pink
nose, was dolorous enough. l went
out of the gate and walked along the
fence by Lucy's flowers.
Your chrySanthemums are lovely,
Miss Drake" / ventured socially.
Lucy turned toward me- They are
pretty" she admitted, her weak eyes
filing with tears.
You have a cold?7 asked.
mo, oh, no. but have suffered-a
loss" She came close to the fence
and leaned over, speaking freely as
though glad Of listener.
Il am sorry, Miss Drake. May
ask what it isT'
MY fish," she whispered The love-
Hest bluefish you ever saw. The cat
stole it"
what catT' asked mechanically.
II am not sure whether 1t was my
Snowfall or Maria Weeks Ginger.
You see, it was all ready to fry for
dinner-setting right on the shelf in
the butt'ry window, and the window
was wide open. When l went to get
1t 1t was gone" She spoke as tragi-
cally as though she had lost q dear
friend.
"a blueishT I was thinking guilt
lily of the one I had eaten at dinner.
and l had a mental vision OF Miss
Maria leaning from her buttery win
dow and coolly fishing for Lucy
brakes fish with the late Mr.. Weeks
boat hook. / wanted to laugh, it was
all so funny and so unaccountable.
why should Maria st-Maria's cat
steal your bluefish?' asked to cover
my embarrassment.
TO eat. l would not have cared
only Lucy blushed painfully and
turned away her head.
| 1T is too bad. Perhaps Captain
| Barnabas could catch another one"
| suggested.
/ He doesn't seem to have very good
luck tlshing." she said and hurried into
| the house without ceremony.
| walked down to the end of the row
of low. comfortable houses that stray
gled along the beach road, and then
turning went back to my boarding
place. Dinner would be cleared away
by this time and Maria taking her af-
ternoon nap. | wanted a nap myself.
When l reached the front door the
gate Changed noisily and l turned to
see Captain Barnabas tramping heav-
lily up the graveled path. He came up
the steps and stood, grim and unsmil-
ing, beside me.
10 CIR al I'm
politely.
81 believe SO. Come In and sit down,
captain" And l ushered him into Ma
, ria's sitting room.
To my surprise she was in there, sit
ting very pale and unhappy looking in
/ big rocking chair.
"Mariar Numbered Captain Barna-
bas. And when l would have fed Ma
ria beckoned me to remain. Therefore
l lowered near the door, feeling very
| uncomfortable.
) Don't you Maria me. Barnabas
Fish," said Maria coldly.
Miss Weeks, what did you do 1t
t for?" he demanded. fixing his bright
blue eyes on her swapping black ones.
! do what for?" Marias tone was
= surprised.
? you see my schooner down there?"
Captain Fish pulled back the window
curtain and pointed horny forefinger
at the graceful lines of the Indus. an
3 chored opposite the Weeks cottage.
Yes, | see it. l don't see how / can
E help seeing it, planted right there in
front of Lucy brakes cottage" Maria
l was jealous. Now l began to under
E stand.
t II was sitting out there Just before
/ dinner, and | had the glasses. 1 was
looking at your house. was Cap
tain Barnabas blushed and cast about
for an excuse for his lovers foolish
" ness. II was wondering If Miss Tel
ham had gone for walk. | was look
+ lng, when l saw you, Maria Weeks,
steal Lucy's fish Off her-with a boat
e hookw Did Captain Fish chuckleY
: Maria blushed and thea paled. at
: was my fish" she said obstinately.
you had promised it to me"
y 81 promised one to her every day I'm.
y til-until she collected her interest
Z, money. She's been hard up. Fish ain,
so terrible hardy, but they're brain
food anyway, and you know Lucy
) Drake amt got any too many braips
t She needs all the fish she can eat
: The captain was trying to cover his
: own kindness with clumsy joke. "a
promised her a fish every morning.
thought 1t would be easy to ketct
Il e-plenty Of ZEN, but, drat 1t all, never
u caught but one every day, and she
needed It, Marian His tone ended fl
l. an apologize note.
!, Maria Weels arose, conscience strick
- en-. 81 tool: her ashland she's hun
cry. l must go and see her at once
she must come to supper and
:; 81 will go and ask her, Miss Maria,
- I said hastily, and as I went l hearC
!. Captain Fish's voice growing on
some question and Maria's smSfheret
Ihriek of dismay.
!. "Oh. Rarnabas! ] could never keel
house on that schooner"
:, | knew Maria had caught anotne
= sort Of fish this time.