Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-10-06
A PART OF HIS STORY
ONE CHAPTER ~ THE LIFE OF a
YOUNG ADVENTURE.

/
Brimful Of Happiness and Hope.
These little detached passages in
other peoples stories that we are CON
| tlnually running into by pure chance.
said al old reporter off duty, are the
most fascinating and tantaliZinS things
| in life. Sometimes We get a whole
| chapter. sometimes We get nothing
more than Il scrap OF dialogue. and as
often as not it's only glance of the
eye or gesture Of the hand, but we
realize all the same that we have acc:
deutally intruded upon some poignant
human document of which we are
never H. know either the beginning or
the end. 1 have often amused myself
by taking such fragmentary morsels
and attempting to reconstruct around
them logical sequence of events. Just
as uaturali>tS build up fossil monstrosi-
ties from small sections of their big
toes and | may add that the invariable
result of my efforts has shattered my
faith in comparative zoology. L am
foIced to believe that the uaturaliSts
are taking rs However, when -
oh, wei, " said somebody in the
office. go ahead and tell the story and
have done with it"
The incident | had in mind" con-
tinUed the old reporter, looking some
what injured. was narrated to me by
i gentleman of this city who Is now
manager of an extensive orange grove,
with Offices IN New Orleans. Eight or
nine years ago. hcfure he assumed his
present position, he had charge of u
large sugar plantation up the river, and
- Il la
young Englishman came to his office
and applied to him for work.
The young fellow said his name
was John Mason. and his shabby clothes
and hungry look in his eye confirmed
the statement that he was badly in
need Of job The manager liked his
face and manners and put him at light
work with Il gang at the cane carriers.
Mason proved Il very good hand. He
was steady and sober, but he attracted
no special attention, had no intimates
and never let drop word about his
history. At the end of the season he
drew his money and went away.
About month later the manager
received letter from Il lady in Eng
land inquiriuS ahout her son, John
Mason. whom she understood was
working on that plantation. The letter
went on II say that he had left home
believing he had killed young woman
to whom he was engaged. He had
struck her with something in fit of
insane jealousy. The woman was not
dead. and the trouble had been fixed
mp. Meanwhile the young man had
come in for Il legacy of 60. 900. and his
mother wanted him to return ut once.
The letter was evidently written by
a person of culture and refinement and
seemed sincere. but. having no idea of
Mason'S whereabouts. all the manager
could do was TO reply to that effect.
That closed the correspondence.
"One evening next grinding season Il
very ragged. trampish looking man
came to the Office window and asked
for work. Dirt privatiun and a heavy
heard had changed lum considerably.
but the manager recognized him as
Mason at Il glance. Didn't you use to
work for me- be asked. No replied
the man. i was never south before in
my life Well, said the manager. L
have no work for you. but You remind
ed me at first of fellow | want To see.
fellow named John Mason
The applicant stood for a while ir-
rcsolute. 4 used to have il partner by
that name. he said finally; may be it
was him. What was it abuutr'
The manager looked him III the eye.
| wanted TO tell him that that woman
was not dead. he replied
Mason grabbed hold of the window
sill and turned white as a sheet under
his dirt. His Jaw trembled for Il min
ute. and then he began To blubber like
a child. The manager came out, led
him in kindly. and as soon as the Eng
lIshman saw the letter he admitted the
story of his fight was true. The reac-
ton was so great that he became half
hysterical, but at last he was persuaded
to 20 To his old quarters for the night,
and the manager assured him that he
would make arrangements next day for
his immediate return to England.
Well asked several listeners.
That : all there is to the story
said the old reporter. Next morning
.bhn Mason wasn't there. His bed had
not been slept in; nobody had seen
him; nobody has ever seen him since.
Where he came from. what became of
him, who he really was. nobody knows.
The manager wrote to the mother and
got no reply. and the question arises,
Was II his mother after all Might not |
the letter have been decoyI How did !
the writer learn his address, Was the q
girl actually alive or dead2 True, the /.
might have settled some of /.
these problems by further inquiries at |
the English end, but he Is a wise man |
and has learned that it Is not well to |
NEEDLE with detached chapters. 1t is !!
yrVl.. lvfa
Times Democrat.