Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-25
Seeing The World

friend Archibald Gliding battled furi-
ously upon the front lawn.
Yah, my turn cried Tommy from
beneath a fierce battery.
"'Tisn't either"
well, I'll get it then" He leaped
forward, wrenching the weapon from
the attacking army and forcing him
back under cover of shredded UNI
brella, which served as the tent Of
the defending force. The weapon it.
self was no more than garden hose,
welded with practiced dexterity by
each side in turn. Thus, after being
thoroughly drenched, the pursuer gave
way to become the pursued. What
transformations might be made In the
armies of the world if their command
ers could but watch the military
tactics of these two!
Lets quit said Tom, SUDDENLY. A
sudden distaste for the game had come
over him. His guest, though some
what wroth at being requested to
cease while he welded the weapon,
realized that he was no more than a
guest, knowing that in his hosts code
Gas indeed it would have been in his
OWN guest" signified the fellow
who has to do what l want
AS a consequence he followed obed-
iently behind his lord until they
reached the point commanding the
best outlook over the water, where
they threw themselves down on the
grass, and, having selected each a
palatable grass-blade, reclined happily.
A slight pressure upon the left side
of Thomas, recumbent. recalled the
new knife, presented by his friend.
That's bird" murmured the
pleased owner, as he considered its
sharp blades with judicious eye. I'm
glad l asked you out, Arch. What shall
we do in the morning.
Arch felt the magnianimity of this
question deeply-it required media
tion-and debated inwardly between
an all-day paddle and walking trip.
Finally he deferred the matter to his
superior officer.
"Um," said that parsonage. well
I'd rather hike. You can see more OF
the world that way, you know"
1.-The world?" 41.
yep, of course, the world. Well
go up the railroad track with KNAPP
sacks on our backs, like tramps-may-
be hitch on freight train; we'll take
fish poles and catch fish, and I'll show
you the cave. They had a real Indian
conference there once. Maybe Well
see a Woodchuck. Your mother gave
you some money, didn't she? And
we'll end up in Armela. Maybe we can
sell the fish there"
What fish," demanded the incau-
tious private, who wished to have some
voice in the decision.
"Why, the ones we catch, you ntnny.
Well go to Armela, sell the fish
Tommy eyed him sternly-"buy lunch,
and catch the afternoon train back.
Tom continued to paint artistic pic
lures of the next days adventure with
a mastery touch until his mothers
voice from the porch inquired dub
iously, Boys, are you in bed?"
A hasty scamper toward the back
door answered her promptly in the
negative. After the army had success
fully raided the larder and consumed
their booty, the general, while trans
ferring last vestiges of grape-julce
from his mouth to his sleeve, remark
ed sagaciously that they'd better run
for the sheets SOS to be ready early"
The following morning Archie, who
had been summoned peremptorily to
consciousness by the solicitous devo-
ton of a mosquito, sat up in bed to
take cognizance of the weather, the
time of day, and the whereabouts OF
his chief. The magic powers of sleep
had restored to Tommy all his cher
ubic guilelessness. What boon this
angelic expression was Tommie him
self did not guess. Often when Mrs.
Morrison came to summon him to an
already late breakfast or to accuse him
of some marauding act her heart hest
tated within her at sight OF that In
nocent appearing figure, with Its soft
tousled hair, low-lying lashes, and
pillowed arms How could such a
sweet lamb ever have been in my Jelly
closet?" she would ask her practical
self, sternly. You're as cruel as a
Hans Andersen stepmother!" The
facts themselves skunk away beneath
these scathing denunciations. Later
in the day she berated her weakness
soundly, though she usually repeated
| it.
! However, the keen eye of Master
Archibald Gliding was fascinated by
none of this beauty. Looks like
blooming baby" was his mental re,
Election. ..
tom, are you awake?" he demand
ed tentatively From the motionless
figure came somnolent grunt, sound
ing to Arch contemptuous. He be-
came less circumspect.
eli, Tommie Morrison, stick-in-the'
mud, get up
The last words rose in resoundlne
crescendo, causing revolution OF
arms and legs and blankets which ter
rified their perpetrator to safer dis
lance.
"Who yelled at me?" demanded
Tommie in a voice that told from
what depths of slumber he had been
reused.
"Er-that is, I thought" :,
ooh it was you, was It,, Archibald
Gliding? Well, you just wait" Then
as nonchalantly as though nothing mac
passed between them, what time Is
it?"
| "I don't know" came in an apollo
getic humble from the other END o.
| the room.