Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-23

/ Piled for that day, and late afteynn11
! found him wondering whetber
should brave Mrs. Potifers riato.,'
and go home In spite Of bis throat. Z,
the morning or whether no 60.
really remain downtown and STAG !.
the hotel until another day pron,.. :.
better luck. ''''
He decided to take trolley r;de
while he cooled off from the bos. !.
the days exertions he could a.
what to do.
The trolley car whirIed him into IS.
green country and through prettv =
lagos. At the end Of the line be got ~
and went for walk along bsbbgs.
brook that reminded him Of bIz -
hood days on the farm.
And on the banks of the broot ".
POTTER found adventure WAITING -
him and steady job lurking in Il.
background. although he didn't know
that until afterward
a pretty girl in n pink sunbonn..
was struggling with a tall. dark m
famous looking man. who held he.
slender hands in his big ones.
"Cnhand me, villain" shrieked n.
girl just as Mr.. POTTER came ruunin~
upon the scene. his heavy gold headag
cane poised for action.
Never" cried the man angriIv as h,
dragged her toward the path that la
across an open field, beyond which an
peared the red roof of a farmhouse.
What are you doing here. old Buttl,.
sky" he roared at Henry POTTER
Get out of the way. You're sDo;lipr
this
Il intend to spoil It." roared Henry
POTTER valiantly. Let the lady 20
you rascal"
The lady laughed Historically. the
villain swore Justify as Mr.. Potifers
cane circled around the mans head
and finally fell on his shoulders.
Suddenly the man grasped the girrs
hand and shouted:
Beat it and leave the old meddIer
behind. Wen get the sack for this
WhereupOn the couple few along the
path into the field and across the field.
with Mr.. Henry POTTER in hot pursuit,
his gray coattails flying. his fat face
dripping with perspiration and bis
mouth wide open like a gasping fsh's.
And there fell into the pursuit from
behind trees and an ancient barn sew.
eral policemen, who waved their sticks
and fired revolvers into the air
Mr.. POTTER stopped at the first pistol
shot just as a bee winging homeward
grazed his bald head Mr.. POTTER
thought that he had stopped a bullet
with his Uranium, and he fell to earth
and groaned.
Immediately there was a circle Of
oddly dressed people around him, most
of them laughing. some of them scold.
ing, but all of them most concerned in
the appearance of a dapper little man
who almost danced up and down as be
surveyed the recumbent form of Henry
POTTER. professional meddIer
I'D like TO kill him. roared the liz
tie man. brandishing his fist before Mr.
Potifer's startled eyes. Man. you've
spoiled fifty feet of finn
''Film?" echoed Mr.. POTTER blankly.
Yes. filmr' mimicked the little mar,
and then he proceeded to explain to
Mr.. POTTER that he had interfered IN
the making of a moving picture film
that it would cost hundreds of dollars
10 make good the damage he had done
that afternoon.
Mr.. POTTER listened and stared and
looked aghast, and with each change
Of expression the actresses giggled and
the men smiled until the manager OF
he company smiled too. The star
for awhile in the managers
ear. and the manager slapped his knes
md cried:
II believe you're right. Barton. III \
ak to the old duffer."
So he smiled upon the perturbed Nh.
POTTER and took him aside and made
him Il proposition. III
The proposition almost took Henry II
'otifer's breath away. III
He was to enact the part of the fat n
Incle in the play. Just be himself,
professional medder, and it would be
II right And there was a job OF keep
NJ the books of the stock company
which Mr.. POTTER could have on the
ide if he wanted it. The manager was
ure that there We're other plays where
ir. POTTER could just be himself ana
ct away with the part.
So Mr. POTTER accepted the positisa
rith becoming gravity, made an ~
ointment to come the next mernl%
nd repeat his involuntary entrans
ate the scene by the bro0kSide ana
avorting over the turf after the lao9
nd the villain while the police brous&
p the rear.
He arrived at home at 10 o'clock tnsl
yening. Mrs. POTTER hardly knew
i'm. He wore trousers and coat oil
rse check pattern, a pale gray dsr~
at and white spatS. Il
But she was so glad to see him tos-
le threw her arms around his ne'A
nd Rugged him tenderly. mo matle
bout the job. Henry" she assured 1'N
hen he would have spoken; I'm N
ad to see you again.
what if l tell you that | have y
ton as an actor" asked Mr.. PotieS
trusting 4 hand "a his breast a'-
rikinG a dramatic attitude,
II don't care what Il is cried W
nda warmly. $50 long as il brins'
~ hack TO me-
a--~r-----------------~~ III