Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-15
The Daily Short Story
A COINCIDENCE.

Bhe child Agatha counted buttons
and by so doing became the uncon-
scious arbiter of n destiny. She had
always been n teller of fortunes, dol
ing out husbands To such as were the
happy possessOrs of buttons. For those
poor creatures who had yielded to n
mandate from faroff Paris and accept
ed hooks and eyes as gown fastenings
Agatha could do nothing. Not the
ghost of n husband could she conjure
up without the help of her little round
allies.
Had YOU not single one in sight you
We've doomed to spinsterhood, but If
one. just one. could be found among
the folds of your draperies you were
saved. and Agatha's fat forefinger
would be laid upon IL, while her shrill
little voice would announce trium-
phantly, "Iiich man. looking into your
eyes to find a reflection of the joy in
her own dancing blue ones at having
so satisfactorily, thanks to the button.
settled your fortune. The result of n
two button fortune she always an
nOunced with a falling infection. and
the corners of her mouth would droop
in copy of the expression she had seen
on older faces when poor man" was
found 10 be their portion. At "beggar
man" her voice invariably grew sad
and low, and if you were foolish enough
10 display four buttons the chubby fin
ger would touch the fatal one mourn
fully, while n plying voice would
murmur, as she shook her golden curls,
thief" begging your pardon for the
cruel truth. but again happy smiles
would chase away the sadness IL doc
tor, lawyer. merchant or chief fell to
your lot Two, three and four were the
only fortunes that troubled the little
lady.
oh. but it was thrilling game to
play! 1t was grief TO the child Agatha
that so seldom could she indulge in ii,
owing TO the disappearance of buttons
from the feminine horizon. But now
and again it would chance that some
one great enough to resist the decree
of fashion would drift her way and dis
play the longed for fastenings. To
such a one Agatha would turn with
screams of delight, while the chubby
hands would touch the buttons loving
ly and the childish voice ring out In !
words of prophecy.
1t was matinee day ut the opera |
house, and an enthusiastic throng was |
surging through the entrance gate, at !
tracted by great prima donna as Car /,
men. The house was crowded TO the J
doors, and when the curtain rose on I;
the Sevilla square there was not
vacant seat to be had and scarcely an I
untitled box.
In several boxes OF the grand tier 4
there We're children, and one framed n ,
pretty, much noticed picture. In it sat /
golden haired Agatha and her blue |
eyed brother. Arms around each other !
they sat. fresh and dainty and sweet, |
unconscious of everything except the ,
bewilderment of color and sound on /
the stage. The box adjoining that in |
which the children sat was No. IL and |
was unoccupied until the lntermission |
between the second and third acts,
when a young woman entered IL. She /
was alone and seated herself with such /
an air of lanGuid Indifference to operas
I'm general and TO Carmen" in par
ticular that one wondered for what
reason she chose TO lend her presence
to the scene. She did not even raise
her lorgnette and sweep the house with
an inventOrying glance.
She had come to the opera for free
DOM. to think. to decide. to avoid cues