Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-22
The Daily Short Story
CHANGED FIRST"

livery one told Amy that DICK was
selfish. Her mother told her so. sigh
ing and adding n kindly hope that
this" might change him. Her elder
sister, who was married. told her the
same thing, adding that all men were
selfish, SO IL didn't make much differ
ence which one n woman married. Her
brother told her so scofiingly, and even
Dicks mother said:
I'm afraid you'll find Dick bit cap
tious. dear. l suppose we've spoiled
him little. but of course you'll be only
too glad TO devote yourself to making
him happy"
And Amy smiled aud sighed and
blushed very prettily, which was a way
she had at Is.
They had been engaged for about six
months when Dick felt that his native
village did not afford sufficient scope
for his talents. He would go to New
York, he announced. make great
name and a large fortune for himself
and return TO bear Amy to the metropo-
lis later. Amy wept when he went
away and sang her ballad with n sob
in her throat for weeks afterward and
worked diligently on her household lin
ems and wrote Dick long letters in reply
to his brief ones.
In about n year Dick wrote her that
he felt that their engagement had been
a mistake, insinuating that larger life
and more brilliant opportunities than
she was fitted to share awaited him.
Then Amy gave up her ballads entirely
and put away the household linens and
wept I'm the solitude of her room every
night. She told him i'm the abandon
ment of her grief that she could never
change and that If the time ever came
when he wearied of the applause of the
world and the glitter of life and
thought longingly of her lie might come
back to her, sure OF finding her the
same.
Amy's tears had blotted that testi-
mOny to her own constancy, and for
months her sobs would not let her sing
any song with come back" in it's re-
frain. Even Dick was moved and put
the letter away where he might refer
TO ii whenever his self esteem needed
bracing.
When Miss Annesley refused him, he
read it and thought Of going back to
Amy at once. but pride forbade. Be
sides. he didn't care enough for. Miss
Annesley to make her rejection n blow
requiring Immediate soothing. When
he was discharged from The Monthly
Merrymaker, lie came very near re-
turning 10 Amy. but n position on The
Magazine Of Culture restored his con-
tentment somewhat. SO for two or
three years he did not really need
Amy.
Yet he was conscious when he met
with the snubs and failures he could
not avoid i'm great city that her sweet
air of answering admiration would
have been balm to his wounds; that he
needed her belief in his powers to COM
pensate for the utter Indifference of the
great world. And when even the pur-
suit of pleasure palled upon him he
began to long for her to bring him
and happiness.
One night. when the world had been
heartless. when he had been
ignored socially by some one and snub-
bed professionally by some one else
and when Miss Annesley's successor
had been as unkind as Miss Annesley
herself. he wandered into a theater
where a farce was playing-onc of the
farces where the play is n peg upon
which variety artists" hang their
''specialties."
He yawned through it for awhile.
Then n woman came out and sang a
ballad-a ballad of Amy's-a Scotch
song he had not heard for six years.
He went home and read her letter
again. Then he went back to the viii
Iage he had not visited for so many
Years. He was happy in the thought OF
the joy he was going to bring TO Amy.
He hummed the song jOyously:
Ne banks and brses o. bouny Doom.
How ye bloom fresh and fair?
How ye chsunt. We little birds,
And sac full. sac full O. care?
He fairly whistled II as the train
-ushed along, and he pictured Amy
sitting in the twilight singing to him
lgain.
He found her sitting in the freight |
She was plump and placid, |
md her girllsh sentimentality had |
changed to matronly sweetness. She |
vas waiting for the minister, whom |
The had married and who, as she eX- |
had consented to live in the |
Id home because of mother" She |
wanted Dick to wait to meet the min
ster and see the baby. who was taking |
late afternoon nap, and she was hon |
silly panied and surprised when Dick |
aved at her treachery and stormed |
bout her fickleness.
But, Dick" she protested, you
hanged first
"Changed?' cried Dick. "If 1 had
hanged. would / be here?"