Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-17
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
Jonathan.
Jonathan.
BY PerIey Poore sheehan.

anu rOOnmdleS III COiltSe. JOHdludI
was i'm love and used to advise me &c
fall in love too. II tell you. old man.
he would say vixen opening n letter OF
familiar blue. when you are not feel
ing well and tae world CRATES on you
like n camel's hair shirt, there is moth
ing so good as an old fashioned love
letter"
They must have been tender and
sympathetic, but withal dash of am
-bition and Inspiration in them. No tale
OF village gossip could have brought
that light into Jonatha1fs eyes oil
that flash of color to his cheek. Al
their conclusion he would dream awhile
work like mad.
He showed me her picture one night.
She was dark, with n high forehead
and shadowy eyes. The mouth and
chin were both well formed. but rather
masculine. 1t was n beautiful face,
though not pretty.
Although Harrod had loved the girl
all his life-and she him, il there be
auSht in the signs of the Zodiac-they
had n misunderstanding of some sort
or other during the summer that fol-
lowed his graduation. When he re-
turned east the following autumn, he
was qIieter than ever before and, IL
possible, more gentle and sympathetic.
He and / had rooms together. where.
in lieu of other inexpensive paStimeS.
we were wont to spend the evenings
working and reading. / saw from the
first that something allied him. and
as he no longer received the blue en-
velopes or counseled me to lose my
heart l guessed the reason and asked
no questions.
He did not become apathetic. iona
than didn't. His old habit OF work
was stronger than ever. And now his
stories began TO appear occasionally in
the magazines and the dear public TO
recognize his name and to read what
went with IL.
Two years had passed away before
Jonathan had made even the slightest
reference 10 this love affair of his. and
that was when he came into my room
one cherries. gray November after
noon the picture of abject melancholy.
In his hand was crumpled piece OF
paper. This he placed before me on
the table; then he went and seated
himself before the fireplace. where l
could not see his face. The paper was
n clipping from some inland journal
describing in forid terms the wedding
of Miss Winifred Conover TO one Amos
Scheneck. Only half the article had
been clipped evidently. and this had
been pasted on half sheet of note pa
per. r-s.f
l read the tawdry effusion through:
then l twisted it to pieces and dropped
II into the wastebasket.
Jonathan. my boy" | said. going
over and seating myself on the arm of
his chair, who sent you this thing?"
Il do not know" And there was
world of sadness in his voice The
envelope was addressed in n strange
hand. and not n word accompanied it,"
We were both silent for a moment.
The logs were burning cheerily; out
side the wind was blowing n gale JON
athan sat with his face in his hands.
when 1 came here to you just now"
he said. 81 was chilled and lonely
the day is so somber-and / had been
tramping all over the country. and
well. 1 came to say goodby. wanted
TO leave this life and wait for Wini-
fred in the next, for'-his voice went
straight to my heart-''ah. Billy. love
her sou
You lie down here on the lounge be-
fore the fire." l commanded him, land
stop this broodinG." l pushed forward
the couch as / spoke, and lie dropped
on it like an obedient child. He gave
ffI nd
the influence of the genial warmth and
the fatigue of many vigils, fell fast
asleep.
Whether or not l doZed l cannot say,
but suddenly / was aware that some
0ther than Jonathan was i'm the room.
raised my eyes. and there. to my in
finite surprise and establishment. saw
opposite me, across the table,
l stylishly gowned young woman.
/ started to my feet with an apology
,n my lips. but as glanced at her face
my tongue was tied. and l remained
silent. She was dark and with n high
orehead and shadowy eyes. The mouth
Ind chin were both well formed. but
,ather masculine, and she was beau
-iful, though not pretty.
Miss Conoverr' I exclaimed.
YES" she answered, with n voice
hat was low and vibrant. lit is l."
Then, with the color mantling her
.heek. she continued:
81 have Just arrived In the city.
yesterday 1 learned that an ancient
.nemy of Jonathan's sent him a para
graph from an account of cousins |
Wedding, and"-the color increased. |
hen quickly subsided-"knowing JON |
than so well. wished. IL possible. to |
zee him before the clipping reached /
lin. And, you see, I knew you also |
new him WELL
Her lips closed tightly for second. !
hen curved into a smile. Two great /
ears started from beneath the droop-
ng lashes, but were quickly intercept
d.
/ looked toward the place where
onathan lay. A screen was between
i'm and the visitor. and only his soft
aspiration BETRAYED his presence.