The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-29
GLORIOUS FREEDOM.
BY Dorothy Donahue.
Copyright. 1892, by the Wheeler
Syndicate, Incl a

Copyright, 1892, by the Wheeler
Syndicate, Inc,l
Pa Whitaker, being 50 and hem
pecked, wiggled his toes happily in
his broad-toed shoes to express his
great Joy when Ma Whitaker de-
cided to take q vacation-minus Pa.
OF course. that was a pretty weak
way of expressing ones emotions,
but the only way that Pa could get
away with it-without the stern
disapproval of Mas sharp, black
eyes.
OF course, Pa conceded, within
the protective walls of the wood
shed, Ma had a few merits. She
did darn his stockings and keep
his clothes mended and give him
the best of meals, besides keeping
the house as spotless and shining
as a new aluminium pan under the
direct rays of the sun; but Pa felt
justified, nevertheless, in his hap
piness. because, Oh. how Ma Whit
takers tongue could fly! AS regu-
larly and as fluently as we'll
oiled revolving wheel. But half
the time Ma talked merely for the
keen delight of talking, only half
coscious of what she said-and
this, Pa concluded, was nagging, in
its highest and most covering
form.
So it was that Pa closed the
house the next day and made for
the city-his hat balanced peril
ously on the back of his head, to
denote bravado-his hands stuffed
firmly into his pockets, to suggest
confidence, his mind thoroughly
made up to recover his lost per-
sonality in the two blissful weeks
now at his disposal.
Pa reached the city in a state of
glorified individuality. His funds
we're low, very low-so the only
restaurant that could possibly at
tract him was exceedingly unde-
sirable with it's smoke-clouded
windows, greasy, Wet counters and
suspiciously revolving stools. But
Pa was hungry. so he forced his
way in and sat down little mourn
fully, with the odor of corned beef
and cabbage prevailing. He was
thinking Of Ma Whitaker when he
ordered f1apjaoks-and was disap-
pointed. Thin. soggy, burnt-hor-
rible! Pa gulped down his coffee,
and, forgetting that he was not IN
the bread-baeked chair at home,
leaned back! Two dark-faced, roar
ing sailors picked him up, snapped
q few pieces Of invisible 'hayseed
from his shiny coat and bowed low
Pa reached the street. greatly
surprised and humbled, minus the
bravado of early morning. He
turned the corner and made his
way to the crowded Main street.
Faint music In the distance, the
scurrying crowds. pink-cheeked,
white froeked children clutclfing
gay-colored balloons, all suggested
> parade Of some sort-a circus.
perhaps.
Pa felt = sudden desire for quiet
and calm. Everyone seemed to be
0SAlu6 past UNI. III Lie lulu8y Oh
the excited, jabbering throng he
felt strangely alone. The cool gray
front Of a movie theatre, with its
welcoming, saudy splotch of post
ers. attracted. Pa went into the
soft darkness and CROPPED his way
to q ssat near the back, sitting
down with a worried little sigh OF
relief. But his eyes were q little
weak, and he couldn't read the SUBJ
titles. Ma Whitaker had read
them, gladly. the few times they
had been.
A stout laughing woman wedged
her way into the row in front Of
him, followed by her husband. Her
broad. expansive back ohstructed
Pas view to the point of exasper-
alton. He moved uneasiiy in his
chair. The stout lady read the
6Hst title in = lead. huslIH vote