Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-10
The Argus Daily Story
Balloon No. by Clarissa Mackie.
Copyrighted. 1914. py Associated Literary Bureau

same chubby faced. apple checked lit
tie boy | went to school with years
ago"
What did Walter say to that?" Mrs.
Pomeroy's face was grave. though her
brown eyes were shining, too, and they
looked much IKE Maisie's.
He didn't say anything. He Just
nodded his head in that awkward way
of his and went off. The next heard
he was In New York studying TO be a
doctor You know he has never been
home since" Maisie's tone was I'M
consciously wistful.
The days before the great event that
was to transform Bloomfield from
sleepy country village into fashion,
able rendezvous for n day were filed
with preparations for the balloon
races. As if by magic all the daisies
I'm Cabot'S field were laid to the
ground and grand stands were erect
ed and huge gas tanks put in place.
School was ended. and Maisie walked
in other directions when she chose to
be outdoors Now. she only remem-
bered Cabot's field as the place where
Walter had met her one day and con-
fessed his love among the daisies,
which are supposed never to tell low
ers' secrets.
Maisie was disturbed by these memo
ries that forced themselves upon her.
She did not wish TO think of Walter
Avery. and she had dismissed him
from her mind for four years and re-
scented that she could not Danish him
from her memory. She felt sure that
out there in the big world there was
waiting for her an ideal lover. hand
some. courtly, polished. rich.
At last came Bloomfields great day.
The road to Cabot's field was black
with vehicles Of every description. by
10 o'clock every seat in the stands was
filled. and the four sides of the great
field were lined with carriages. motor
cars and farm wagons. Maisie and her
mother were there and by good for
tune and the kind offices of Emma
Risey had secured front row seats In
one of the stands. Ten big balloons
swayed slowly, Juggling at their anchor
ropes. There were a smell of escaping
gas, the music Of band and the
| sound of many voices Maisie found
herself enjoying the excitement. IL
this was life she would ike a taste
of it,
Emma Risley leaned across Maisie
and spoke to Mrs. Pomeroy. II hear
Walter Avery's going up in one of the
balloons. You know he's quite an
amateur balloonist. Mrs. Avery is wor-
ried almost to death about it."
"Ballooning is a dangerous sport"
returned Mrs. Pomeroy's calm voice,
but l suppose Walter finds it a re-
Taxation from his professional work"
II guess he deserves all the fun he
gets. They say he worked like Tro-
jan to get his degree, and now he's to
go in partnership with a city doctor"
Emma Risley sat back in her seat
There. they're off. Maisie. l wonder
which is Walters balloon. Let me see
your programme. that's u lucky
number, anyway, DR., Avery! Isn't
that funny? Seems as IL l could see
Walter as he was when he came to
school to me years ago. Think OF his
being DOCTOR"
Maisie was thinking entirely too
much for her own good. She was thor
oughly frightened at the idea OF Wal
ter Avery's ascension in the balloon.
She could see No. now. That was
Walter. tall, slender. supple OF form,
his dark hair blowing back from his
forehead. He was looking their way.
Was he looking at her? She told her
self that he could merely see the crowd
of white faces; that he could not pick
out individuals. Still he stared, and
then. just as the anchors were cast
adrift and he started up. ne waved n
handkerchief toward them. Suddenly
Maisie's little handkerchief broke into
fIutterng signal The fresh breeze
tore 1t from her hand. and it whirled
upward with balloon No. Z.
Walter leaned out, deftly caught lie
bit of white tucked it in his breast ard
amid the cheers Of the crowd went NJ
to an altitude that caused hearts to
throb and cheeks to pale with appre
hension. When the last airship had be
come a mere speCk in the sky the
crowd dispersed TO other diversions
and Maisie and her mother went home
fore the balloons might be sighted on
the return trip. provided they were not
driven before adverse winds. Their
their return would be uncertain indeed
There was an excellent chance thai
some of them would never come back
Maisie Pomeroy never forgot thai
waiting time. In those hours died al
the foolish longing and discontentmen'
that had possessed her There was only
one thing she craved. and that was the
; life OF Walter Avery. whether he loved
her now or not. She knew that SHE
loved him.
With the evening came the return o.
the ballOouists. every one safe. Walter
D Avery winning the second prize. which
he did not care ig for. because
e greater prize awaited him in Mrs Pom
e eroy's old fashioned garden. Bloomfield
D is a thriving suburb now. and life Their;
e Is by no means dull and commonplace
T The balloon ground is now a baseball
fed