Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-28
JACOBS FAULTS.

Jacob Raus was an inattentive observer Of
the lovely phases Of nature He was preoc-
cupied with his own troubled soul, and here
was but wintry prospect The world points
out to man the necessity OF doing some
thing; there was no corresponding need in
his soul. He had lately come into an excel
lent property, and had invested a good por-
ton of il in "a ranch in the west The west
was no place Of his choice but what else was
he To dot He was 81 and was without even
a commercial training. He had been bred TO
no profession, and he was not rich enough to
live with rich men as a pleasure seeker, even
had such life attracted him. He had per-
feet health, was good shot, a good reader,
good walker, good companion. He wore
blonde beard upon his sunburned face, with
its handsome, clean cut profile and hazel eyes.
This bald statement Of his case presented
itself over and over TO his mind, quite as il
he were weighing an abstract question that
bored him excessively. Then he grew irri-
tated that his father should have given him
such an old fashioned, half humorous name
that eXerted always an unspoken and only
half recognized negative tyranny on his whole
life; that his father should have had that ir-
responsibility in the paternal relation that Is
scarcely to be found outside Of the Anglo
Saxon race-as II the Anglo-Saxon was born
armed at all points and with an intuitive
knowledge Of fighting his way through the
world.
Now he was free at 52-a freedom that
meant bondage 70 his own limitations: and
while be regretted that be had no profession,
he bitterly recognized the fact that the desire
for a larger life IN no sense proved a talent
His desire was as we have said, not one for
action. IL was vague desire for larger
happiness, such as women have oftener than
men.
All these reasons for gloom were ever pres
ent 20 Jacob. but he had lately walked TO a
more definite purpose snd a more definite
grief His decision to 20 on a ranch had made
him recognize that be could not leave Mill
cent Fuller, whom he had known from her
childhood. and who had been for some years
past, half unconscious T. himself his chief
temptation. He offered himself 10 her. She
refused him She was the youngest and only
unmarried one 81 five sisters. She was -
years old, handsome, travelled and accom-
plished.
Jacob, as he walked through a shady road.
cut fine bouquet of sweetbrisr roses, and
trimmed their thorny. struggling stems with
an III humored energy. He had not prid,
enough 10 g away without asking to see hel
once more, just 70 say good by, and she hsd
accorded him an interview that evening al
$50 O'Clock
He walked around the Fuller's large house
past the broad piazzas, and found her alone
in a little side porch that was overgrown with
honeysuckle vine, and amid their pinkish
yellow blossoms Millicent, IN a pink muslin
looked like rosy June personifed- Her father
av,A ha~ ha4 HI -.
planned precisely n she took Jacobs silently
profered flowers with fine blush for thanks
II am afraid she said nervously a. sh,
carefully picked few thorns from the stem
Of her bouquet before she grasped it. that
didn't succeed the other night in-that is
mean that am afraid that didn't say wha
] meant"
81 should be glad said Jacob. 'to heal
that you didn't mean what you said
"Oh, no; / didn't mean thati7
"Well. II doesn't matter a great deal wha
| you meant If you didn't mean that
Il do wish that you would be reasonable
Jacob
Il wish you wouldn't call me Jacob, wher
you have told me that you didn't like tina
name
"Ohl Did | say THAR ! do think that
like it, since you have no other. Indeed
Jacob, if It were not for some faults that yol
have, / think l should like you better thai
any one
The young man sat down on a step lowe
than the one that the girl occupied.
Perhaps he said. Gloomily, lyon vii
discuss these faults Of mine: / may sugges
some to add to the list. Ny name is one
| but that is hardly my fault, and believ
that l could change it by an act Of the legis
lature or something Of the kind
But / should always know that your rea
name was jacob said Millicent, laughing
~ shouldn't mind your name but there ar
some things that would grow worse an,
worsen
My age, suppose"
"Yes, for one thing. Ten years is too mucl
difference"
"But you will grow older"
There will still be ten years between us
"The general opinion is that a womal
| grows old faster than a man. You woul,
catch up 10 me-
"Ahl that is like most general opinions
/ wrong i have made my own observation
on that subject. To the close observer, mid
die aged women are younger. even in appear
ance, than men Of their own age.n
"Where did you learn SO much abou
menr
Have not been In all our large cities an
in most OF those Of Europei Can one not re
ceive impressions of strangers as they pas
and accumulated impressions form opinions
Mems ewes grow dull and the lines of To
mouth hard, and the faces heavy and meager
| while women's faces are still full OF benevS
lence. though their figures have lost thei
grace and compilations their delicacy. Su
those women are young"
youth is then n condition Of the minC
wise Sibylin
Certainly, IL is the capacity of receivin
new impressions, meeting ones fellow being
with sympathy, and undertaking new ents
prises.n
"some people must then be born with moi
capacity for youth than others"
ITO bc sure"
"And /, who have by SIX and nature le
youth than you, and yet have wasted q
years more of it, must sooner become Lii
those horrid middle aged people,
81 am not speaking OF you"
"You are not speaking of met How incoi
sequenti ] sat down here to listen to Ia
about me-. Let us begin oyersagain- YC
h>-e said that you do not like my name an
.i,.t am too old
"Oh, JacobIn
YES, ! am too old, and am TO grow oldei
You have defined youth-what is agefn
"Ohl it is the enemy of the human rae,
Let us never grow old, Jacob"
"Ah, no, Na'ficenf- LET never grow old
so opI- saat we may stay young together, y h
I'D, flushing, and edging a little nearer I
her, while he looked up in her face with
hall humorous smile. But she drew avn
farther from him
L
| WellT he continued despondently, IAN
what Is my next faulti Come. say itrn
"Nou do not believe in friendships betweq
men and women. My own belief is that n
woman can expect TO be reasonably happ
unless her husband can have a friendship TO
herr
You seem to have thought a good den
about marriage-even If you are so averse {
| it,
Millicent, with heightened oclcr, made
movement to rise. Jacob stretched up bot
hands and, taking hers, pulled her back genti
| TO her seat
You are so rude" she continued; shat
another fault l should want my husban,
10 be 50 polite TO me II would make m
happier than almost anything
And should want to haN g the liberty O
quarreling with my wife whenever / chos
and making II up again; but l suppose vo,