The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-26
The Daily Short Story

was far from idle. AS the full
meaning of Pats activities pene-
trated her senses, she froze stiff.
1t seemed that all of the white
lowered wall paper border was
covered with pitch black, meaning
less scrawls and hieroglyphics.
Blissfully Pat continued hiding any
white spaces left.
Stop that!" the excited woman
almost shrieksd. Give mother that
crayon'
With a seraphic smile, Pat de-
posted the waterproof crayon mo
her mothers outstretched hand.
Why did you dc that"
Jimmy do pitcher books" point
ing to the cherished family album
on the floor.
The shocked woman hastily pick
ed it up. Mad-stark, staring mad
she surely was going. Her ven
cradle grandfather's stern counte-
nance Aaunted midnight nose and
earrings. Her dear grandmother's
frank gaze was hidden by a pair of
powerful black, eyes. A swarthy
| beard hung from an aunt's dimpled
chin. Uncles, cousins. friends, all
displayed Timmy's hideous Jet seals
of approval. The frantic woman
clutched her throbbing temples,
dropped into a nearby chair and
cried, Yong and bitterly.
After satisfying deluge, she
looked up and sniffed-tearfully
and suspiciodsly. A strange odor
pervaded the room. With sicken-
ing realization she rushed into the
kitchen and threw open the oven
door. A volume of thick smoke
greeted her flushed face. The
sponge cake was a flattened char
coal mess. She dumped it into the
bucket and mourned: Il knew that
jinx would follow me today"
Returning to the den, she missed
! the twins. Boisterous cries COM
ing from her bedroom indicated
their whereabouts. She traced
them. They were having huge fun
playing pitch and catch with her
Numbered linens that were kept in
the supposed-to-be-locked bottom
bureau drawer. The weary mother
replaced the rumpled and soiled
linens for future inventory. fed the
children, and put them to bed.
During their afternoon nap she
baked, cooked and cleaned.
While she was dressing in hel
| oh r.
told her they had awakened. Their
followed a suspicious silence With
hair half coiled and hairpins be
tween her lips, she went to inyesti
gate. The twins were not in then
room. Slightly alarmed, she hur
ried to the parlor. Her hands, col
and hairpins dropped. Strewn ovel
her newly swept, painstakingi!
cleansed thick carpet were minut
paper snowflakes. infinite in variety
number and design.
The twins were on the floor, alb
sorbedly shearing creations of al
} indoor imitation snow tempest. Sh'
helplessly watched them, not car
} ing whether or not they continues
until doomsday. Not until Pa
started manufacturing rug-colore,
) fakes did the harassed womaI
rouse to righteous action
! At 6 the head of the family breez
ed in. jolfully greeting his clea.
, pinafore possessions
''Heigho. My little pets!' II
swung one on each knee. 'Wer
: you good children today?" A search
ing gaze into thir serious, chubb
faces convinced him OF their saint
behavior. They looked incapab,
Of annoying ticklish flea.
After a light supper they wer
put to bed. At the dining tabl
Mr.. Mercy looked keenly at hi
tired wife. You look as if you
been cryips
"Well.1 guess you would, too,
you had such exasperating devil