South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-14
Out of a Clear Sky
By Ella Randall Pearce

1t was one of those mellow days
( of the Indian summer season, AMI
Kitty sat with her knitting bag in
a sunlighted corner of Highland
Park. with no mind to leave until
she had taken the last stitch in her
work.
1t was a khaki sweater she was
making. her needles flying incred-
1 IDLY fast and her mind absorbed By
/ her task. But when she gave the
I finished garment a toss and drew
a long sigh of satisfaction, her young
body relaxed and her thoughts be
can TO wander hither and thither.
First there was the sweater TO
think about. Kitty had knitted
sweaters before and turned them
I over to some society for dispensing.
They had gone to the soldiers. OF
, course; and Kitty never wondered
about their further fate. once out
of her hands. But, somehow, this
particular sweater seemed different.
Kitty had found work on il un-
usually interesting; and, toward the
close, she had heard of a woman
who completed her knitting in a
railroad train, and presented the
garment to the first young soldier
who came in thereafter.
Kitty thought that a very salts
factory way of presentation. She
began TO visualize the young soldier
to whom she would like TO present
her new sweater Tall and straight
and tanned, of course. And he would
have dark blue eyes with a level
glance and a square chin. He would
he surprised and boyishly grateful
Tor the gift, and Kitty would carry
"a warm memory of that occasion
for days 10 come, while she was
knitting other sweaters.
Then there were the soldiers TO
think about. As interested as Kitty
Mckee was in affairs of war and as
sympathetically as her heart beat
over the gathering and passing of
her country's brave men, there was
no one soldier whose image fingered
With ner, whose memory kindled
{ her thoughts; whose welfare
prompted her anecuonate attentions
and earnest prayers.
/ "E,verey girl should have a soldier.
all her own, TO think about" re-
/ hected Kitty Mckee. staring at the
clear blue sky above her. Now, if
/ knew this sweater was going TO
be worn by some one who really
cared about the maker"
Her hand stroked the warm tan
garment almost carressingly. Her
gypsy face grew wistful. Then her
appraised glance was arrested by a
dark speck in the distance. 1t was
an airplane rising from the aviation
/ field beyond the Park: and, as Kitty
watched, il came nearer, it's grace
! full manuevers plainly discernible in
the clear atmosphere.
The airplane skinned above the
I Park space; dipped its nose in
daring slide; circled the spot where
\ Kitty sat in rapt observation, and
then began TO descend. But even
an unframed eye could see that there
was something wrong with this
winged vehicle. It's motion was no
! longer graceful and controlled: but
\ il was descending unsteadily with a
| ierky shudder now and then, and
\ its humming song had died into an
/ ominous silence. punctuated by err
ratio barking sounds as the machine
shot earthward.
Kitty Mckee. her eyes straining
from her paling face and her hands
gripped together gave a tremulous
shrek as she saw the airplane crash
behind nearby clump of trees
There was no one in sight. but she
called excitedly for help as she ran
forward TO the open space where
the airplane hal fallen.
She stumbled upon the uniformed
, figure that was slowly rising from
the wreckage. Her hands flew out
10 touch him.
"Oh. you're alivel" cried Kitty
thankfully. is there any one else F.?
How lucky you werei"
she fell back. regarding him al
most unbelievingly. Il was watch
ing. I saw it all. However dh you
manage? But perhaps you are
hurt"
NO broken bones. l guess" The
aviator's voice was not quite steady.
but his smile was cheerful Il did
not lose control entirely. bat I came
down harder than / cared about.
lust cleared those trees No. there S
no one else
For Kitty was 2eering with fear