The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-06-01
CURBING OF CHARLIE
BY LAURA HOOVER.

i
BY LAURA HOOVER.
Miss Stelter finished arranging the
last Of the display cards OF buttons.
and then gave a final pat to the large
wads Of hair plastered over each of
her ears as she warily located the dis
4 tant form of the floorwalker.
Mame!" she called across the isle.
"Seen them airships?"
"Sure!" responded the girl at the
handkerchiefs. Art he said last
night he'd take me up in one. only he
was afraid I'd yell. He knows a
man who is cousin to man who
cleans an airship garage-an''
Charlie took me down Michigan
avenue yestidday," Interrupted Miss
Stelter. ruthlessly. Charlie always
wantsme to be in on everything. Say,it
was great! nearly broke my neck
Those r ten cents q card No,
we amt got none bigger for ten cents.
Wouldn't some people frost you.
always wanting more'n their moneys
worth! Well, we looked at them
things floating around In the sky till
] was dizzy. Then grabbed Charlie
by the arm. Don't you never said
to him, don't you never go up III one
OF them machines as long as you know
me, Charlie Johnson! You've got to
promise'! !"
"What'd he say?" inquired the girl
at the handkerchief counter.
Il ought-a-known better" pursued
Miss Stelter. II ousht-a remembered
Charles high-strung nature, and how
1t always makes him stubborn to cross
him. But / was that foolish! It
made my head ache to think of his
being a thousand miles up in the air
and me down below wondering il
two baskets'd be enough to gather up
the pieces in. Anyhow, I'm nervous
Dress goods, three aisles to the left
No, madam, we don't carry that style
button. tell you that we don't, 80
what's the use of looking for 1t here?
I'D like to give these people q
| piece of my mind who think because
this is the basement they can impose
on u.s.! So / said, Charlie Johnson,
you can just promise me this min
ute. You know how stern Charlie
can look when he wants to- suppose
it comes from ordering people to step
forward in the car-and he just turn
ed his full expression on me. And then
he said he wouldn't"
My said the girl at the handker.
chiefs. rs he that stubborn
"Uhhuh," said Miss Stelter, proudly
THAT man is a regular stone wall
, He said man that was a man court
ed danger instead Of running from
it. and it was duty he owed
six cents dozen. These are
eight.
He looked grand, too, as he sait
is. Five aisles down. / wish PEG
pie would go long about their bust
ness and stop interrupting! He sait
; he wouldn't humor me in such fool
: ishness
but aren't you afraid? asst him
] He just laughed at me In a scornfu
sort of way. Afraid he said. Ne
afraid! Well, I guess not! Going VI
: in airships is the best thing do!
Why, I'm perfectly at home in the air!
! OF course he says, I've never beer
UP in one of these here machines, but
n Ibejng on top of the Masonic temple
shows fellow what he can stand
: These people who talk about danger
huh,' felt proud of Charlie when he
i. talked like that"
| "of course you did, agreed the CIR
10 info y-h or
Art says"
But wasn't going to give In, !" wen
on Miss Stelter TITS bad habit t.
get into. But It's dangerous, tolt
him.
4 Charlie just hooted. Dangerous!
he said. About as much danger as
you could put in your eye! The ma
chimes are perfectly harmless, and yor
can manage EN- with a single twist Of
the wrist, because I've read about
EN- l expect I'll buy one wher
they come down cheaper. Why, there
/ won't be any accident when every
body travels by airship. They're
great!'
1--WE were standing looking UP with
] Gus necks most broke an me hanging
on to Charles arm, coaxing him.
/ was bound to get my way, though
! was proud to hear him talk
Right In the middle Of sentence
Charlie give yell that you could have
/ heard mile off, and waved his arms
\ like thrashing machine. Run! he
/ shrieked, run for your life! The
Il thinp'Il get rs ALL and he streaked 1t
You see, somebody in an upper
story of a hotel had dropped an oper
1 newspaper from the window. and
Charles eye had caught glimpse OF
the thing floating down on top of oul
heads-it was getting kind of dusk
and guess he thought an airshiI
had got loose and dropp d.
Soy, you ought to have heard the
people laugh! l was awful ashamed
la