Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-10

ooHu oscE ny eyes h0o WeLt sOfsn on
IN assignment with . bellieerent and
martial air which boded q bad quarter
Of an hour TO the kansas senator he was
20 interview.
Perseverance was quick TO notice the
shadow on Dunningis face Sine was
hurt ss his GOODNESS and Tor the fec
days left before she sailed treated him
with icy indifference. This. of course,
only made matters worse, and when the
day aud the hour camo for the sailing
away Of our little heroine among the
crowd Of her newspaper friends who
came TO see her OF she missed one face.
dearer 10 her than all the others She
stood ON deck, the center Of . little
group. laughingly responding TO their
good wishes. but biting her lip 90 keep
back the tears. Was 81 possiblc he would
let her co without coming 70 say good
byi
The last bell rang. Everybody had
gone ashore. The great steamer was
shiyexing like some monster newly
Weakened 70 life. when Suddenly Pcrse-
veraDcc saw him. He came dashing
down the pier and tried 10 cross the
gangplark. but was prevented by the
guard. lie managed 90 get 60 the very
edge Of the pier. and across the strip of
green water. fast growing 20 the breadth
of a stream. he fiung her bunch Of vio-
lets. His young face was sharp with
agony. Perseverance never forgot the
lock he gave her. MY love, my love-"
she whispered ns she kissed the sweet
flowers again ana again.
Two years later Perseverance, came
back 10 New York. In those two years
she had matarod into q chariaing,
graceful young woman. Travel and con-
slant association with refined people
hsd given her an air Of distinction and
elegance. Mrs. verplsnck had been very
generous with her, and the young wom-
All, who stepped ashore in a marvelously
fitting Partisan gown looked very unlike
the shabby little country girl who came
into New York 20 seek her fortune.
Pcrscyorance's first thought was 81
DunDing. She longcd for q sight Of his
face-,hat face which had come between
her and ambiiion-for the pretty Amer.
lean girl Ind received much flattery and
admiration in her travels, and more
than once had been offered what the
world calls an advantageous mar
ringe." But her heart was in America
She had heard of Dunning's rapid ad-
vance in journalism. He stood now nj
the head Of n prominent evening journal
md was reckoned enc Of the brainiest
young men i'm the profession.
Soon after her arrival Perseverance
sent him u note telling him she was
with her friend Mrs. vorplanck and
should be glad 90 see him once more
This note had not been gone an hour
when Perseverance received a letter
postmarked at her old country home. II
was from a neighbor Of her aunt Gym
thy Pondleton telling Of the danger
ous illness Of that lady and begging
Perseverance 20 come ut once IL she
would zee her relative before she died.
Though Perseverance, had not forgot.
ten her aunf's wnspish tongue and I'M
fceiiDg treatment Of herself and her in.
valid mother. she yet felt IL her duty 20
respond 60 the letter In person. Yes, she
would go and do all she could for the
only relative she had. L was. however.
with heavy heart that she made prep
arations for nm immediate departure.
IL she could only have seen Dunninz
once.
But she took the FIRST train and reached
the old homestead in time 60 see her
aunt before she died. The sick woman
recognized her and spoke hroicnly of
your mother" and forgiveness. Per.
severance prcssed the knotied hands
which had never known anything hut
hard work and spoke kindly aud nocfh.
tngly 20 the dying woman. A nameless
light glowcd for n moment In the FADING
cyes. then vanished. Poor old Aunt
Cynthy was dcadi
AT sunset the next evening Pcrscvcr-
snce stood beside her mothers grave.
II was ovcrgrown with glossy myrtle
leaves. a pale Lancaster rose bloanod
NJ the head. and NJ the foot swung n
cluster Of yellow marigolds From the
woods near by camc the tinkle of COW
bell far down the railroad track sound
cd the echo Of n locomotives shrek.
save these rounds, q brooding. breath.
less silence hung over the lonely valley
and the great hills fast growing black
in the shadow Of the coming night.
Perseverance felt quite alone. She
recalled her last look NJ this low, green
mound when the train swept around
the hill yondcr. bearing her away 90 a
strange new life. How far sbe had
wandered since then, only Go come back
60 lay her iast relative beside her moth
cI's grave.
There lay the old farm-bers now.
From where she stood she could see the
meadow where the violets grew thick
In the carly spring. the stream by which
the cowslips lifted their golden heads
and the pine trecs-bcr old friends. 20
whose list ming branches che had con-
fded her childish secrets and trialA She
longed 60 90 over 90 them now, fling
herself down beneath their solemn shade
and tell them all that was opprc.sing
her-all her sorrow. her fcars and her
Loneliness.
The gate leading 20 the little grave.
yard clicked behind her. Then foot.
step fell upon the mopsy turf. Porscvcr.
ance slowly turned 90 meet the village
grzvedigcfr who she s.xnxf.ss.d .xf.., IA A..