Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-18
Evening Story.
CLAM cNoWoER.
sy rsw,pls bailey.

.
sy Tsmp.s DaIisy.
Copyright, -1sls, by the Associated
sr g Literary Press.)
Tommy Dewitt managed by living
fruSally in summer to pay hts win.
ter's expenaes at college. Az soou ~
tho school year closed, Tommy was
OF for parts unknown ard II. would
have interested his friends nightly
II they could have seen him living
like Robinson Crusoe ON IN istGnd OF
the coast of Maine, catching his own
hsh. setting hts own lobster pots,
planting vegetables In a tiny garden
and making chowder out Of q handful
Of CLAIMS, two potatoes and an onion.
That the result OF the last.nAme1
recipe was appetizing was proved by
tbs fact that four people landing on
the beach from q motor boat sni6ed
With appreciation.
TITS clambake," said the young
est Of the crowd. . girl in . white
serge suit with q short blue REFER,
"Oh. I'm so glad. for I am starved.
Further progress showed q hrc
with q small iron pot set over tho
Goals. A ssvory steam rose from the
pot
''Bnt there isn't much Of IT," said
Who's been eating my soup :"
quoted gay voice. and around the
corner Of q sandhill came Tommy.
"Oh." said tho four intruders, star,
ing. And we'll might they stare, for
while Tommy lived like Robinson
Crusoe, he wore q snowy white MILDLY
blouse and white trousers, his fair
hair WAS brushed up from his fore
head and shone In the sunlight, and
his strong young figure showed the
effect OF good training and outdoor
sports.
eve dcr.t mean to intrude," said
the oldest lady Of the crowd, .but
we are exploring the Islands: we
didn't know this one was inhabited"
and there's something the matter
with our boat" said the girl In the
blue REFER. land being women, we
don't know how to M II"
s.Delighted," said poor Tommy.
"B { hope you're not keen for chow
der. There's only taste. You see
/ cook for one; but such as It Is, it's
yours"
lie busted himself in serving the
simple meal And white h. worked
he listened The girls name, he dis.
covered. was Helena.
Tommy's blood was blue: so blue
that 1t had taken great fortunes to
live up to the family name, and poor
Tommy was the last--with an inheri-
lance only OF sense Of hunnor and
signet ring.
The ring gave him away, for the
girl glanced at IT, 20 he filed little
blue bowl with chovder and passed 1t
to her., @
Why she said. ~JeAn Dewitt has
q ring like that!
"shA's my cousin, .fssid Tommy.
The others at.once bocame gracious.
The pewitts were not to DO ignored.
You enjoy living the simple life =
said the Oldest dame, I whOse name
was Mrs. Grigss. q
Tommy nodded. ''lt's great" he
said. IT you will stay for supper
wen have broiled fish and baked
potatoes, and there's some lsktuce left
In my garden.
/ Now, Tommy issued this invitation,
not because OF Mrs. Griggs and her
kind, but for the sake Of the girl in
the blue REFER.
We'll stay" said tho girl, If you'll
fix our boat"
All that afternoon Tommy tinkered
and the girl watched him while the
three elderly ladies took nap in
the warm sand.
Then Tommy went out and caught
fish, and broiled II over the Goals.
And I'm sorry to tell you. ladies"
he said as he served It. that your
boat isn't mended, and that you will
have to make yourselves comfortable
for the night"
They looked at him in dismay all
but the girl. She flashed glance at
Tommy, and he flashed one back, and
then he said to the ladies, graycly.
Il shall be glad to otter you the hos
pitality OF my tent. In the morning
a boat stops here with provisions.
You can leave on that
Since there was nothing else to be
done they consented, and after the
fish was eaten Tommy and the girl
walked down the beach until the
stars. came ont. and they could just
see the long white line Of the break
ers against the blackness.
/ They talked OF many things and
Tommy lay awake half the night.
wondering how he had believed that
life was worth living until now.
He slept on the other side of the
sandhill from the tent, and walked at
dawn. After a plunge in the sea, he
went forth in his snowy white suit
to face the sunrise.
The girl was up and came down to
the beach to meet him In the still
ness Of the wonderful morning.
The sea IL like pearl" she
"and the sky like an opal"
Tommy was. breathing quickly.
Look here" he said. The boat
comes early. and before It comes I've
got something to say to you-some-
thing to say--to you }"
She smiled up at him frankly.
Look here" he said, again, you're
the most wonderful thing in the world.
Yesterday was a boy trying to go
through college and living any old way
In the summer to help meet expenses.
Today I'm a man, ready to fight life
to the finish to-Eet you.