Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-06-04
TRUE TO HIS LOVE.
A HUSBAND WHO CHERISHED THE
MEMORY OF HIS DEAD WIFE.


His 1Aashfui.sss-Alw.vs Aessd ~ n
His wife Was stin WIFI Hin-rhs p.
thetic Story Told By Heel Clsrk.
The Sun reporter was leaning In q
graceful attitude against the counter Of
an mp town hotel office, conversing in
an insouciant and nonchalant manner
with the naughty and imperious CLERK,
As reporters always do, when o nice
looking old gentleman. with just enough
provincialism in his appearance to show
that no was not . New Yorker, though
he might have come from Philadelphia
or any other rural district, came up to
the register as II he had been there be-
fore and wrote his name and address.
In q few minutes the clerk had sent
him of to his room with . bellboy and
resumed his conversation.
"Queer old chap" he eaid, nodding
in the direction Of the departing guest.
Tho reporter whirled the register
around to look at the name.
"Yes?' he replied questioningly. 81
sec that he has signed himself and wife.
Where's the wife? In the ladies' parlor?"
''That's the queer part Of it, F" contin-
ued the clerk with an evident purpose
Of telling story, and the reporter be.
oamo interested. "There isn't any wife.
He's q widower, and has been for Is
years. but he has been signing it that
way for tho ten years have known
him. He is now 60. and was married ut
40, and the romance is as pretty as it
il pathetic.
''And unusual" ventured the report
n, 'if he is faithful to the memory Of
one woman, and that woman his wife
Widowers arc not all So"
THAT Is why this ones story Is the
moro interesting. Let mo tell you. At
20 he was poor young clerk In west.
ern town and was dramatically and
deeply in love with pretty girl Of go.
It may be said that she was in love
with him, too, but he had queer no.
tions, and as they were both poor, and
q rich man was anxious to marry the
girl, he never told his love, but let con-
cealment, like q worm in the bud, feed
on his damask cheek, as it were, and he
pinned in thought and with a green and
yellow melancholy sat, like patience on
q monument, while the other man mar
ried her.
"At 81 abe was widow and Door,
for her husband had dissipated his for
tune, and our friend here, still Q bach
elor and as much in love rs eyer, was q
successful merchant. This til,e he was
drawer, for he was possessed Ct the sim
cws OF war, and within q years time
he had married her. It was rather hasty
on her part. possibly, but he had wait
cd long enough and was 80 importunate
that she compromised with him ON one
year instead Of the regulation two of
widowhood. They came to this hotel
on their wedding tour and were here
two weeks, and one Of the proprietors
Of the hotel informs me that he never
has seen . couple moro suited to each
other and better satisfied with each 9TH
or. After that he came to tho city in the
spring and autumn to buy goods, and
she always accompanied him, and they
seemed to be no farther away from the
honeymoon season with each recurring
year.
'At last, after the fifth spring trip,
he did not come, but his manager did,
and no said that tho wife had died and
the husbands mind was affected, though
they hoped he would come around all
right in time. In the following spring
he came again, but he was not the same
man any more. His mind was clear ON
nll business matters, but he was queer
about his wife, and q sadder faced man
couldn't be found anywhere. The old
clerk, who had been Ut the counter ON
his previous visits, was them when he
came again, and after greeting him
pleasantly turned the register around
for him to sign il. He responded a. usu.
al. and when the clerk looked at the
name IL was followed a. before BY and
wife, as he had been accustomed to
sign it. The clerk was about to call his
attention to il, but . second thought
prompted him not to notice IT, and he
sent the guest to the bridal chamber.
the room he and his wife always occu.
pied, rs they did ON their first visit.
During his stay Of o week he had
very little to say, and IL any reference
was made to his wife he responded a. il
she were still alive and was with him
at the hotel. At the table. too. no had
q place for her. and her meals were
served rs il she had been there to eat
them. When he was ready to 60 and
came for his bill. 1t was made out rs
usual. and he paid for two people with
out comment. Ten years ago when I
came into the Office, received my in
structions concerning our peculiar guest
and have since my first meeting him
acted with him exactly as IL he were &C.
companied BY his wife. have learned
that he follows the same course in all
that he does in any way connected with
her. He buys two railroad tickets, two
theater tickets, two places in any con.
veyancc. two everything. where she
might have gone with him, and ON trips
where she would not have accompanied
him in life. such as short trips from his
town or to affairs Of any kind where it
was probable she would not have cared
to go. he provides only Tor himself. He
seems 70 understand what she would be
doing all these years and acts accord.
ingly. You noticed him sion that reOis.