Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-23
! The Daily Short St0Iy|
JANE. (
JANE.
BY BARRY PAIN.

| the envelope here, IL may. she pick
ed up the stylograph that was lying ON
the table.
Don't take that" said Margaret the
owner OF the stylograph. There are
pen and Ink"
whats the matter with the style?
Is there no ink In it:'
Yes; it's not that"
HAS it gone wrong? Won't II
| write?"
1T writes all right. but
Every WE'LL said Miranda: 'then 1t
will do for me-
She picked up the stylOgraph and
was about 10 give it the preliminary
| jerk which every stylograph expects
before it will start work. Margaret
caught her hand. Don't do that!
Jane doesn't like H. She starts at once
without that"
What? You call your stylograph
| jane"
| ''All autographs have personality"
I've got a stylOgraph too. 1 think
III call mine Neddy, or some other don
keys name, because he won't go. He
never has gone. I've never been able
to write one word with him. But then
| lie was cheap"
1
| through the milliners address she stop
ped TO give a gasp of pure joy. Il
never knew anything like this In my
life before?" she exclaimed with en-
thusiasm. ''rhe ink a steady, even
black; never too much ink and never
| too little; no dipping, no scratching, no
| stopping. This converts writing into
paradise" She finished the address.
I'll Il Il.
paper"
Margaret gave her the note paper
without enthusiasm, even with some
thing very like an air of reluctance
Yet the smile of an undecided pride
was in her eyes; she was divided be-
tween n legitimate satisfaction with
the eulogia that Jane had received and
IL fear that she might suffer i'm alien
hands. Don't press too hard" she
said warningly.
Press" cried Miranda, rapidly an
swering n purely imaginary dinner in
vitation on the sheet of note paper.
1T doesn't want pressing. 1t doesn't
want anything. You just put it in your
hand and the stylOgraph does the rest.
If L only had this stylograph 1 should
be writing all day. 1t exactly suits my
style of writing too. / don't think L
shall ever he able to use AN ordinary
pen again. can this he carried safely
in your pocket:'
quite" said Miranda. But don't
make me brag about Jane. L have
known so many people who had stylos
that seemed to he all right until they
began to boast about them. No stylo-
graph can stand that"
shes Il duck and n darling. but I
would never praise her If 1 owned her.
1t seems rather hard, doesn't it? My
Neddy is the very. image of Jane to
look ut, and cost just the same too.
And yet Neddy'S no use at all. Some
times n style viii write for one person
and not for another. l suppose you
wouldn't care to take Neddy i'm ex-
change for Jane and see If You could
do anything with him. OF course l
should give you something else as well,
to make il fair"
NO. 1 do not think / shall ever part
with Jane
Il shouldn't mind buying her. Just
tell me how much. and if i can lpos-
sibly''-
Not for worlds
Margaret, L don't think 1 ever asked
you for anything before. l know how
generous you are, and hate to take
advantage of 1t. But if you were 20
give me Jane there is nothing L
wouldn't do for you. After writing
with her one feels thai one cannot live
without her"
Yes" said Margaret, that's what l
feel myself. I'd give you almost any
thing have, but not Jane. You can't
think what u difference she has made
In my life. At one time l was always
in trouble about letter writing. Now
it's a positive joy to write letters. No;
l love you dearly, but l can't give you
Jane"
Miranda sighed and changed the |
subject. While they chatted her hand |
stole to her pocket. Yes, she had
brought Neddy with her. She always |
carried him, trying him at intervals to
see If he had changed his mind. How |
simple It would be To change Neddy for |
Jane if only Margaret were not look |
ing. Presently the chance came. A |
motor of curious construction passed |
the window, and Margaret looked out l
at it for Il minute When she looked |
back into the room, Miranda was blush |
ing slightly. Jane was i'm her pocket |
and Neddy. was ON the table.
Extract from subsequent letter
from Margaret to an intimate friend.
II have seen very little of Miranda |
lately, and L must own that / am Il
good deal disappointed i'm her. She /
has copied a dress of mine absolutely. |
She was clever enough to ask for per-
mission. But that L could have for
given. L cannot forgive her for having
stolen Jane and left her own worthless
stylograph i'm her place. / fear she is
without any principles or sense OF
and White.