Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-07-23
t IL e u a iIv
Short Story
4 NARROW ESCAPE.
BY alan HinsdaIe

Clls VINO Ga1 HppLeu TO MN to be
taken on to the crop gathering force.
Peter Simple, replied the youth.
know anything about farmln 2"
NO"
what wages DO you ezpect7f
Whatever YOU choose to give
"Well. cOusiderlu' that you look
strong and are willing 20 leave the
wages TO me / reckon III take YOU on
HI feed sou and give you SIB a
month"
So Peter Simple the next day went
to work On the farm. { 1t was the sea-
son when the war between the Uni
ted States and Germany had been de-
ciarad and the raising OF cereal food
was of great importance.
Amanda. said Farmer DOYLE 10 his
daughter that evening when She was
wipiag tbe dishes after supper 1--WE
took on a new man today. and Z want
to say to You that you're not to get
mixed up with him.
"La. pa! DO YOU think I'm go.n 10
take up with q farm haB1E I want
s0meplu baLter'n that"
Nevertheless Amanda scru-intza5
each new hand her father employed
with an eye. If he was young III dis
cover whether or not he would be
worth apprupriatEuE When she ln-
speCred Peter Simple he was -g shirt
and trousers tossing hay On to a.
wagon with a pltchfork. He had e fine
figure. and it showed to advantage ID
the costume ne wore. IT seemed To
Amanda that he was worthy of eou-
sfderation She went into the dairy
house. goL pitcher OF butJermilE and
took it out to him He drank ID with
thanks AID an admiring gaze at
Amanda
Peter was secretly Amsnda's favor
ite till her father hired Josh Whit
takar. Whitaker was a man Of go.
red headed and freckled. He owned o
farm. but that season he got an idea
into his head that with SO many farm
ers In the field prices were bound 70
90 down. So he leased his farm and
to put Id his time in july and August
went 10 work for Farmer DOYLE AS
soon as Amanda learned Of Whltta-
ser's farm and that he had $1,000 t1-
veaad in mortgages she dropped Peter
and took up Josh.
When a man, or, rather. q boy. Of II
falls in love he goes down clear over
his head and keeps on going down till
ne touches bottom. Peter, who was il
a worldly heaven while Amanda was
smiling at him. was ready for suicide
when he found himself supplauted
Amanda parents saw it all and
though they had scolded her for en-
eoarag5ug Peter. urged her on when
she encouraged Josh. Many smile
passed between the couple when at
supper.
A week before the end Of September
am engagement was announced be-
tween Amanda DOYLE and Joshua
whitaker. lit seemed to Peter thar
the bottom had dropped out of hts life.
He tried rD find Amanda alone that be
might beg her before IL was too late
not TO blight his life lie had made
mp his mind to tell her something that
might induce her to change her mind.
Lucky PeteFt Farmer Doyle came
along and saw him waiting for Amau-
da II the hour she always went 10
milk the COWS. Doyle called Peter
into tha house. paid him bis wages 10
date and told him 70 vacata the prem
Uses Peter surrendered and was
never again seen ON the Doyle farm
Amanda in the autumn was married
10 whitaker and on tine wedding TRIP
stopped over at q New England city
s football game between the teams 6t
TWO colleges was advertised. and the
bride persuaded the groom 10 take her
10 see f. There was the usual Kick
ing about of the ball by small boys
and the shouts of the cheer leaders
and the yelIs Of the crowd, and then
the teams praueed onto the field -@a
aerobat5 into q circus ring
Good gracious. JOSH said Amanda.
Look a-rherel"
"#hare2 Wnat2"
THAT teller lis Peter simple as sure
as my names Mandy
$50 he is. BY gum.
There was Peter sure enough su the
forgery OF g football man. Both bride
and groom scanned the score card %
find Peters name among the players.
Ii was not there.
"Say, mister" said Josh TO "a Young
ster on the ground directly oel6asa
him. "caa YOU tell me who that Young
man IS over there taking or ms
swearar9"
"Thato That's Parkinson. the rich
est man in his college. They say he's
worth millions
either dr or Mrs. Whitaker on their
bridal trip Amanda looked sour
enough 10 turn lemonade To vinegar.
and Whitaker could not look pleasant
when his wife suIked. When they
went home and the bride had told VIVA
Peter Simple was Farmer DOVE ana
his wife turned as sour es their 1aus--
ter
Jimmie Parkinson fu May. becoming
aware of the fact that he would ae
auuked at his graduation school 52-
aminations. awaited himself Of sae Pr
tionaI demand for food producers %
30 farming, for the board Of education
promised payment to al- boys VIVA
would do SO. Parkinson, not earns
10 be known as himself chose the name
of Peter Simple that he had picked OH
of q story book
Had Farmer Doyle not discharged
him he would have ayoWed bis Tsa-5-
TO Amanda and gone 10 college sL inc
fall with a milestone about bis azea 2
the shape OF q sweeth cart HE forgot -
a fortnight