Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-04

.uS uhSSuluet an innercent young ten
derfoot," said hs impre ssively, "air you
acquainted with tn subject of this hyar
conf'r'nce?"
wy, yes" responded Toosty wonder
!, ingly.
NO, reckon We amt nothin o. tn sort.
r ye wouldn't perpose nc sech fool trick rs
We done jes' now. TIL gent as goes t make
any sech s'gestion u NJ ster Holmes had
better prepare hisself fer tn worl' t. come
an tn life everlastin. Wy, boy, Phil
Holmes ID send i'm cloud chasin an be
back hyar wavin tn red rag o. defy plumb
in our faces b'fore tn Teller had his talk
half did. D'you want T. CO. my whisker-
less young friend?"
Tootsy pondered; he hated to be thought
wanting in nerve, but finally wiIted, and
requested the barkeeper 20 give the gentle
men what they wanted.
The next day is II red letter mark in the
history of Adamsville. Several of us
were sitting on the steps in front of the
Hotel Bliss, still discussing Phil Holmes.
when the mail carrier from Woodruff
came along. Say, you fellers," he sang
out, II s'pose ye heered bout TIL weddin
in high sassiety over = Woodruff"
We hadn't, and were curious TO learn.
IVY, Phil Holmes an Spanish Dick
was hitched las night. ledge Bowker
officiatin."
But this was not the end of the matter
When the stage from down the gulch stop
ped at the Hotel Bliss at noon there was
another sensation of high degree. Instead
of the usual cargo of Sc Isoned mountain
GERS there was a womal-not only that
but the woman was of kind we had not
gazed upon for many day-a lady Not
only a lady, but n very pretty one. and she
had child, a little curly headed tot of
four or five, with her. Will Borden, the
manager of the Lady Alice mine, was sit
ting next to me, and heard him draw his
breath sharply. Then-Jhere was nobody
belonging to the house about-he rose,
lifted his hat and advanced to assist her
with her baggage, which courtesy was ac-
cepted with a smile that made every man
Jack of us long to kneel down and worship
the newcomer
They entered the office" a little in
closure just off the barroom, and we could
hear them talking, although we could not
distinguish word. Then Borden called
to me and went in. The lady was stand
ing by chair, and her face wore an anx-
ious expression, which was very near tears.
Borden looked puzzled
Lawrence" he asked, do you remem-
Der any one here by the name of Phil Har-
mon? This lady is his wife and is seek
ing him. He was here up to nearly two
years ago but she has not heard from him
since"
did remember such man, holding as
did the exalted position of postmaster
remembered that Phil Holmes sometimes
got letters under that name, but that was
his own affair. | looked Mt Borden a mo-
ment, trying to convey with my eyes if
ha inf ut |
of course this effort was a failure. Then
asked Mrs. Harmon tod escribe him, which
she did. saw "A fiendisl, murderous light
come into Borden's eyes There were few
! seconds of painful silence. Then Borden
spoke:
MADAM, lido remember him now,
butt
PLEASE tell me at once, sir. Is he
| dead" she asked quietly.
Pm sorry to say, malam, that-he is"
faitered Borden. HE He'd of heart fail
ure last year"
She did not cry. In fact, thought she
looked relieved, as if Il great load of doub
| and sorrow had been lifted from her mind.
| excused myself and went down to the
Office
In about an hour Borden entered and
sgniiied that he wanted to see me in pri-
was n set expression about his eyes and
mouth had never seen before.
Lawrence" he said, II think we both
understand this. Holmes, it is, of course?"
| nodded and he went on: "She-that poor
| girl-has just told me about it all. | sup
pose she actually had to tell some one her
| heart was so full. Lawrence, that scoun-
| drel is the worst hun an fiend that ever
| made true little voman's life mis-
cradle. Hanging is too good for him.
But"-and Borden's usually pleasant
voice sounded very dangerous-'th isn't
the way she'll be widowed. l said heart
failure Do you understands"
understood. We looked at each other
| a moment, and then Borden went out,
| mounted his horse anC started for Wood
! ruff.
Borden had lied about the date of
| Holmes demise, but there was few hours
| later no doubt about the fact and the man
| ner of it. The gambler died that night
| of heart failure, as llr ew he would. Bor-
| den is a dead shot; Holmes, meeting him
! at Woodruff, was unlucky enough to get
into quarrel with him, and Borden was
| the quicker with his gun.
Spanish Dick? She didn't care. She had
| the dead mans money and there were plen-
| ty to take his place in her affections"
There was a cloudburst the next morn
! ing and several bridges were carried away,
so Mrs. Harmon and her little girl staid at
| Adamsville two weeks. VIII Borden must
have become quite well acquainted with
her during that time for few weeks later
he had pressing business in the east, and
not long after that | got their wedding
cards.-R. l.. Ketchum in ArgOnaut
Charitable Birds.
a Maine gentleman says tn at pair of
robins had their nest on a fence near his