The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-05-11
For the Love
of Pete
BY LEROY W. GORE
Mcclure Syndicate-WNU ServiceJ

The broad-shOuldered young man in
the doorway of Lippincott's grocery
across the street took careful aim
with large potato. The potato sent
the pad and pencil spinning from
the girls hand. She gasped in as
constituent, picked up the potato and
scurried behind a post.
Papa Lippincott, waddling down
the street from the corner cafe
where Mr.. Daniels of the Nam
moth Retailers Alliance had in
dulged in his mid-afternoon cup
of coffee, laughed boisterously.
Serves her right" he told Dan
lels. That Paula Frederickson is a
snooper like her old man. Always
copying our prices off the windows
so they can cut US a few cents"
Young Pete Lippincott started up
the ladder in front of the store.
Very neat craftsmanship, young
man." the dapper Mr.. Daniels ap-
proved. 'What are you building
here?"
The pillar of canned corn beside
the entrance was already 10 feet
high. eve have a canned goods
special each Saturday, Sir" Pete
explained. Dad borrowed this pill
lar idea from one of the city stores.
1t attracts lot of attention"
Across the street Paula Frederick
son was pulling apart the two halves
of potato, rejoined neatly with
a match. On one of the halves was
written: Meet me at the Inn to-
night, seven o'clock"
For twenty years Lippincott of
Lippincott's grocery and Frederick
son of Frederickson' market had
faced each other across Main street
without good word. Both would
probably have suffered a sroke of
apopleXy if they had guessed the
romantic inclinations of their chill
dren.
But Papa Lippincott was happy
enough as he fixed his signature to
a check for $1,000 and handed it to
Mr.. Daniels. The check paid for
fifty shares of stock in the Nam
moth Retailers Alliance and, &C.
cording to the contract which Mr..
Daniels had just handed him, en-
titled Papa to IAN additional ten per
cent discount on all goods purchased
from said firm"
LET old man Frederickson snoop
around after my prices now" Papa
Lippincott exulted.
Mr.. Daniels consulted his wrist
watch. Il must be on my way. I'm
due in Chicago tomorrow morning. "
In the meantime Paula Frederick.
son had halved a p@ato from the
Frederickson stock, and written her
reply to Pete's message: "I'u be
there, sweetheart " Across the street
Pete had clamped heavy basket tc
the ladder, and was transferring
cans to the top of the pillar. 1t was
Paula's intention to hurl the potato
into the basket, but her aim was
woefully amiss. The potato struck
Pete squarely between the Shout
ders. He jumped, uttered a cry Of
panied surprise and the ladder
scraped dangerously along the wal
toward the carefully constructed pill
lar.
Mr.. Daniels, choosing this unfor
tunate moment to make his exit
was buried beneath an avalanche Of
tin cans. When they removed him
he was considerably bruised anc
quite, quite unconscious.
Il amt blaming you for throw
ing that potato" Papa Fredericksor
was telling Paula next evening. 90
wouldn't blame you if you throwec
| brick at Lippincott's dumb-headec
boy, but why did you do it?"
Paula sighed YEARLY. Gust silly
notion. What were the damages t.
Mr.. Daniels?"
Three busted ribs and a frac
tured leg. He won't be out of the
hospital for quite a spell"
Paula wondered what damages Mr.
| Daniels would claim.
But the most crushing blow of al
was the way Pete had run out or
her. She seen him hurry down the
street even before the crowd gath
cred. Likely he was still in hiding
fearful that Paula might comics.
she hadn't thrown the potato at hin
maliciously, as everyone supposed
He needn't be afraid she would dral
him into the case. She wasn't anx
ious to confess her love for a sneak
ing coward But Paula couldn'
swallow the lump In her throat.
And suddenly Pete was in thu
library. Pete! hatless, his hail
mussed, but grinning widely.
Papa was on his feet, angry. "Set
here, young man. Amt you Lip
pincotts caused us enough trouble?'
But Pete's eyes were on Paula
Darling" he cried. You're
herone!"
Paula stared at him. completed,
bewildered.
A flood of words tumbled from
Pete II got suspicious of this maj
Daniels the minute heard he'C
nicked dad for five thousand
hoped a plane to Chicago anc
talked to the president of the Nam