Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-06
The Daily
Short Story
UNCLE SAM-C0LUMBIA.
BY Cora Elizabeth 9anborn.

hall here"
Alden dejectedly viewed a fairly
comfortable looking house at the
edge of Vcrden. The garden and
the walks were overgrown with
weeds, the steps with moss a num-
Der OF windows had been broken.
Hardly worth coming out OF my
way to pick up" he reasoned. "The
lawyer says my uncle has Willed It
20 me right enough, but the house
IS on leased ground It's so far
from the town IT. doesn't rent and
the ground lease runs out in the
| next year"
There's one chance" the attor-
ney had stated. Miss Hermione
Bliss owns the next lot. II wouldn't
be much trouble to move IT over
there. Miss Bliss, though, hasn't
/ any spare cash"
| 'She can have IL cheap on Install
ments." declared Alden, and pro
J ceeded to locate the little dress
making shop he was directed to.
Miss Bliss is busy, wont you be
seated?" invited a girl in charge.
Alden could see in an inner room
tall graceful young lady. perhaps
| ten years his junior Seated facing
| her was a man of middle age.
Yes, Miss Bliss" he was sayingE
| Wayne county has got a liberty
/ bell and is carting il around with
! good success, collecting money for
/ the soldiers camps. We want to go
[ them one better. The committee
has authorized me to make all ar
/ engagements. l suggest a wagon
with Uncle Sam the driver, a good
| cornetist and Columbia on the plat
| form with the American flag. /
want to select some one to play the
parts and you TO get up an Uncle
Sam and a Goddess Of Liberty
| costume"
Il shall be glad to make them as
my contribution to the good cause"
responded Miss Bliss, "only it will
take day or two to order the ma
tertal for the costumes from the
city"
Alden pricked up his ears. His
life had been given to impulses and
any new idea appealed strongly to
his imagination. His eye brighten
ing, he arose and stood in the door
way
Pardon stranger, please" he
said pleasantly, but I'm interested.
l happen to have been on the road
with the great extravaganza Stars
and Stripes which didn't 90. I've
got down at the depot my wardrobe
trunks. See here, and here. How
does that strike you as models of
| Uncle Sam and Columbian" and Al
den produced photographs Of the
two characters in question.
why, great" enthusiastically
declared John Boyd, who was the
proprietor of a local iron and steel
plant. You make a fine Uncle Sam,
sir, and you say you have the cos
tunes? Why, if you would assume
that character"
Willingly" declared Alden with
spontaneity.
And we can find a Columbia"
IF l may suggest, sir" spoke
Alden, you will observe from the
photograph the original in our play
was a tall graceful lady like Miss
Bliss here. And the costume would
do to a t."
ooh, no mo-" demurred Miss
~-+01f bAtiS-AAAAE8 ct III AnLl BlAL4ELLr
you must select some pretty young
girl"
Listen to her!" uttered the ir-
repressible Alden boldly.
You said you are a stranger"
), observed Mr.. Boyd, chuckling at the
ready wit of the intruder,-"m s.
take! you're a friend" and he
/ grasped Alden's hand warmly.
Come, come. Miss Bliss, it's all
settled. Get the costumes here, and
whatever charge there may be for
them and your time. sir"
will be Offset by the glory 1
shall share with this inestimabls
lady" CALAMITY interposed Alden.
Every town in the state was
a1ame with loyal enthusiasm. but
no display equalled that OF yerdeu.
In the yard of the iron plant Alden
discovered an old rusting kettle. He
had 1t gilded and set in the middle
of the wagon. He dubbed It the
Camp kettle" and as the wagon
passed along the street il was
tinkle! tinklei ttnkle as a liberal
coin shower rained into II from
windows and the street curb.
The progress lasted a week. dur
ing which every town in the county
was covered. Every evening the
wagon returned 10 Verden and Mr..
Boyd saw that Alden was we'll
cared for by himself and his neigh
bors. In fact, by the time the pro
gress was over he got TO so liking
the jolly, agreeable actor. that he
offered him a permanent position In
his plant. By this time. too. Alden
had decided that Miss Bliss was
pretty near perfect, and she began
TO long for his company after the
great parade was ended.
He came around 10 see her one
evening, announcing that he was
thinking OF going on his way at
which her face showed marked re-
greet
+ Il wouldn't go. being offered po-
sition and owning a house. X l
could only find LOT TO move IL TO,
he observed
why! l have q lot" begaA Miss
Bliss. and paused and blushtN
II know you have. nodded Alden
! with q radiant smile. suppose we
put house and lot together and get
married. and be happy together
II am sure l should be- said
Miss Bliss IN her clear, straight for
ward way.
My own Columbia" cried Alden
: opening his arms. and she rested
in them content.
s= i s