Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-01

was June anu tue
b was so beautiful it seemed as IL
no one could be unhappy, how
ever great the cause. That was
what waitstilI Baxter thought as she
sat down on the milestone step for a
word with the old Joiner. her best and
most understanding friend in all the
village.
I've come TO do my mending here
with you" she said brightly. as she
took out her well filed basket and
threaded her needle. Isn't il a won
derful morning? Nobody could look
the world in the face and do a wrong
thing on such a day. could they, Uncle
BartT'
The meadows were a waving mass of
golden buttercups; the shallow water
at the rivers edge just below the shop
was blue with spikes Of arrow weed;
a bunch of fragrant water lilies. gath
cred from the mill ponds upper levels.
lay beside Waitstill's mending basket,
and every foot OF roadside and field
within sight was swaying with long
stemmed white and gold daisies. The
June grass. the friendly. humble. COM
panionable grass. that no one ever
praises as they do the flowers. was a
rich emerald green, a velvet carpet fit
for the feet of the angels themselves.
And the elms and NAPLES: Was there
ever such a year for richness OF foil
age? And the sky. was it ever so blue
or so clear, so far away. or so COM
pletely like heaven. as you looked at
its reflection in the CLASSY surface of
the river?
Yes, it's pretty good day" allowed
Uncle Bart judicialIy as he took a
squirt at his T-square. Il don't
knows I should want to start out an
try to beat it. The Lord can make a
good many kinds O. weather in the
course of a year, but when he puts
his mind on TO it an kind o. gives him.
self free hand he can turn out
June mornin' that must make the dew
il sick to his stomach with envy, Ali
the same. Waity, my cow amt be
havin' herself any better'n usual.
She's been rampagin' since sun up.
I've seen mother charm her out o.
Mis- Days garden patch twice Already!
II seems real good IN honey TO see
you settin' there SEWN while I'm
workin' at the bench. Cephas is down
TO the store. so | s'pose your fathers
off sOmewheresE
Perhaps the June grass was little
greener, the buttercrps yellower. the
foliage more lacey, the sky blueT. be-
cause Deacon Baxter had taken his
luncheon in a pail under the wagon
seat and departed on an unwilling
Journey TO Moderation. his object be-
ing TO press the collection Of some
accounts too long overdue. There was
something tragic in the fact. Waitstir
thought, that whenever her father left I
the village for a whole day. life at /
once grew brighter. easier. more hope /
full. One could breathe freely, speak 4
ones heart out, believe in the future, I
when father was away.
The girls had harbOred many delight. /
full plans at early breakfast. As il was
Saturday. Patty could catch little Rod I
BOynton If he came TO the bridge on 4
errands as usual. and if Ivory could
spare him for an hour at noon they
would take their luncheon and eat il
together on the river bank as Patty
had promised him. At the last mo
ment. however. Deacon Baxter had
turned around in the wagon and said:
Patience. you 20 down TO the store
and have a regular hOusecleanin' in
The stockroom. Cit Cephas to lift what
you can't lift yourself, move every
hing in the place. sweep and dust IL.
scrub the floor. wash the winder and
make room for the new stuff that
heyH bring up from Midtown bout
noon. II you have any time left over
ut new papers on the shelves out
'front.' and clean up and fix the show
vinder. Don't stand round gabbin I Z
With Cephas. and sect he don't waste
lime that's paid for by me. Tell him
le might clean up the terbaccer stains
-Ound the stove, black It and cover il .
up for the sum mer If he amt too busy |
servin' ust'mers."
THE whole day spoiledr' walled PAT
", finging herself down in the kitch-
IN rocker. Fathers powers Of inven- ,
Jon beat cnything ] ever saw. That :
could have been cleaned any ,
time this month. and it's too heavy !
work for me anyway; IL spoils nv :
hands grubbing around those nasty.