The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-15
NUMBER FIFTEEN.


both ends; but that isn't my way, or,
rather it wouldn't be my way if was in
the habit of writing stories, which, thank
heaven, l am not / get my living in a
respectable way. by the sweat of my
brow, not by writing lies for newspapers.
Consequently I've butone story to write,
and that is nv own
4 My name is Roderick McStivers, and
I'm native of the good old town of
Falmouth; I'm forty years old if Tn a
day, and, If L do say it, as good looking
for my age as any man you evers eyes
on. Twenty years ago / was fully as
handsome as I am now, and at that time
was engaged to the charming Mary
! Black, the belle of Falmouth. That
was the beginning of all my woe-that
engagement. I was poor then IT own
| the largest boot mandatory in Tad
mouth to-day, and the Lord only knew
when should be able to marry Mary.
But she said she didn't care, She could
| wait two or three centuries just as well
as not, if I'd only be true to her mean.
| time
Sooner shall the blue ocean melt to air,
Sooner shall earth resolve itself TO sea,
Than resign thine image, oh, my fairl
Or think of anything excepting thee.
| That's just what said. You wouldn't
think, to look at me now, that / could
| say anything quite so soft as the above
would you, eh? Bless you! / had
more poetry in my head twenty years
ago than you could shake stick at
Many are poets who have never penn'd
Their Inspirations. and perchance the best.
That's what's the trouble with me. Ii
/ hadn't confined myself to leather, I
should have played the deuce with '.the
nine" Well, understand from the
above that Mary and were all right I
swore that I'd be true, and she dTttoed;
but, bless you, my dear sir, the sweet
girl had a father, and he was not SO
young as we were by several years.
''Those were days when my heartwas
volcanic" but the old gentleman's pal
pitator was as hard and cold as q cast
iron grindstone. The paternal Black
did not believe much in love, you see.
He had married for money, and, in
his opinion, that was the only thing
worth marrying for; and SO, instead of
throwing his only child away upon
miserable vagabond like myself, he very
unceremoniously. showed me the door
one evening, and the very next day
brought a lover of his own choosing
home to Mary. The lovers name was
Bunsby, and he rolled in gold, meta
Dhorically speaking; owned a fine
mouse in New York, and had horses,
carriages and servants ''too numerous
TO mention Oh, why should / hnger
over this period of my existence. Tn
sure don't know why, and hang me If
: do ....--, 80
You guess the rest. Mary was daz-
zled with her new lovers wealth. She
forgot poor Roderick McStivers, and
married Thomas aBunsby, Esq, and L
I, alas, was not invited to the weddingi ]
Anything more heartless than the above
can scarcely be imagined. | suppose |
might have ''gone into mourning"
They told me couldn't be a nun on ae-
count of my sex.
esOh, what shall I doP'' / asked, in a
voice that sounded horribly strange,
notwithstanding that it was my own. |
defy you to tell me what I did do. In
the light of my twenty years expert
ence, | am convinced that l did the best
thing / could under the circumstances.
married my boarding mistress. She
was thirty-five and l was twenty years
of age; she was
maid unmatched in manners as in face,
Skilled in each art, and crowned with every
grace. -ss-ss
And, though l never learned to love her
extravagantly, I must confess that she
could make the best apple .dumplings
that I ever ate. In the course of time
to us. and we called her Julia, after my
grandmother, who was the most beauti-
full woman in the country, to judge from
the portrait now before me. NV
daughter looks much sher grandmother
did at her age. Well, as I said, a
daughter was born to US and son was
born to Brrnsby, and they called him
Tom. We heard of the last mentioned
event up here in Taamonth, but for
wears and years I never saw either Mary
or her son, Notwithstanding they used
to visit her father quite often while the
old gentleman lived. But ut last Mr.
Black was gathered to his fathers, and
\ at about the same time my wife was
gathered to her mothers, and was left
alone with my little Julia. was rich
then-zthe most wealthy man in Tad
mouth land had built me q fine house, !
the same that / have lived inever since,
with my little julia as nouse-Keeper.
Well, how things will come about! Last
summer young Tom Bunsby came out to
Tadmouth and put ups thehotel-they
have quite q number of summer board
ers there-and the first thing the young
man did was to fall IN love with my
daughter Julia. OF course the poor fell
low was not to blame. He oeuldn't help
it, for she was the most bewitching lit
tie woman that you ever. saw, notwlth-
standing that old McStivers is her
father. N
He saw her first at q picnic, danced
with her, kissed her in the ring, and
walked home with her at night. re-
member the evening very well. was
sitting in my library, smoking cigar
and thinking of the late Mrs. McStivers
oh, those apple dumplings! my mouth |
waters every time i think of them
when, the windows being open, 1 heard
voices at the door. i knewit was Jfliia, |
and j knew she had a young fellow with |
her, and, tear my wig, if he wasn't beg
ging for kiss.
How silvery sweet sound lovers tongues by /
night,
Like softest music to attending ears
/ remarked confidentialiy to McStivers. |
In about five minutes julia came in
blrlsling like q ten-acre flower garden, t
and looking as lovely ASH fairy queen.
ooh, papa! I've had such q splendid /
timel'' said she, throwing herself into
my arms and kissing the cuticle off from
nv right cheek.