Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-05-22
The Daily Short Story
TWO sUIToRs.


Her family had come to grief while
she was still Il child. and she had been
brought up with the idea of being a
governess. So here she was ia this
beautiful house, surrounded with lux
ury and doomed to spend her days in
tagging over the children's lessons in
stead of riding, driving, visiting, enter
tanning and dressing beautifully upon
all these occasions, like her pupils sis
tiers.
She could see no way of altering her
position either. She was not likely to
meet any rich man who would fall in
love with her. The most she could as
pire to was to become the wife of a
bank clerk on 81 900 year.
The children's eldest sister came into
the schoolroom one morning and made
an announcement which filed them
with wild excitement. They were to
go to the picnic, and Miss SomerS was
to look after them.
The children and Miss SomerS in the
wagonette enjoyed themselves hugely,
albeit Miss SOmers' enjoyment was
tempered by the fact that she was not
clad in silk and chiffon. But 1T was i'm
possible TO resist the infectious delight
of the children, and before long she
found herself nearly as light hearted
IS they.
Two gentlemen standing near as she
stepped down glanced with decided ap-
proval at the neat little figure and OBJ
tanned an Introduction at once.
She had heard the children mention
both their names and knew that Mr..
Beresford was possessed of consider
able income. while Captain Charles St
John had nothing more than his pay.
They had a lovely time altogether,
and by the end of the day Captain st.
John had fallen victim to the charms
of the little governess.
"She's not been used to much luxury,
so she won't mind roughing it a Bit"
he soliloquized to himself as he smoked
a cigarette preparatory to turning in
that night
Next day Mr.. Beresford made his ap-
pearance In the schoolroom with 4
small picture.
'They don't object to my having a
copy made of this, Miss Somers," he
said. $50 as you were kind enough to
offer 1 have brought it to YOU"
Mr.. Beresford came every day, os-
tensibly to see how the picture pro-
crossed, but in reality to fiirt with the
governess. She amused him, and he
fancied she was falling desperately in
love with him.
Miss Somers made desperate little eff
forts to please him, and 4 wistful look
would come into her eyes sometimes as
she thought of the luxuries he could
give her If he would. Mr.. Beresfod
interpreted the look other
wise and once or twice came very near
to kissing the wistful little face. but he
refrained manfully.
In the meantime Captain St John
was doing his level best to secure the
good graces OF the little governess, who
seemed to herself to have become n
person of Importance all at once
Miss Somers liked HMM fact. she
rather more than liked him-but he
could give her no luxuries, so she stern
ly repressed the liking and tried to con-
make it over to Mr.. Beres-
ford. without success.
The days passed. but Mr.. Beresford
said nothing to raise the hopes of the
governess- She was beginning to look
quite miserable, and he began to think
himself brute.
And Miss Somers was in just the
very identical frame of mind She
knew Captain St John was only wait
ing a favorable opportunity to make
her give him n decided answer.
One day the opportunity came. She
was in pensive mood when he began
to tell her in his outspoken way how
awfully fond he was of her and how
be thought she would be quite as
happy with him, even if they were not
very well of. as she would be earning
her own living.
The luXurieS Miss SomerS had been
dreaming in her possession began TO
fade rapidly from her mental horizon,
and in their place appeared a good
looking young fellow, with eyes tribe
anxious and very full of love indeed.
Somehow this figure came nearer
and nearer and at last blocked up the
entire view till there was no room for
the trace of n luxury anywhere, and
Miss Somers came rapidly to the con-
cluSson. which future years did not
that pair of strong arms
and n warm heart are better to go
life with than all the luxuries
In the world.
Mr.. Bercsford, when he heard OF it,
Of course, manlike, Immediately made
up his mind that he had only been
waiting a suitable opportunity to pro-
pose himself and went away feeling
4 deeply injured man.