Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-16
The Daily Short Story|
BY c. e. corbet.

and expression that he was listening.
His persistence attracted the attention
OF the drug clerk down the street, who
| in the absence OF customers was enjoy
ing a smoke on the sidewalk under the
awning. so he Joined him and also be-
gan to listen. The laundryman who
came to deliver a package next door
sat in his wagon and eyed them silent
ly and ruminatingly for awhile and
then came over and inquired what was
doing. This small group was gradually
increased by the addition of the Weary
Willie from down on the corner, the
cook from across the street, several
chance pedestrians and numerous small
boys who were all ears and mouth.
There's some trouble in here" ex-
planned the first individual, to whom
everybody looked for enlightenment.
II distinctly heard cries for help. but
1 hesitate to interfere unless it is really
something serious. There! Hear that?
1t seems to come from up stairs" And
all eyes We're Immediately directed to
the second story.
Then borne distinctly on the clear air
could be heard the agonized cry: 20
gods, Stay. Zoe, stay. What hast thou
done:" This was followed by sharp
tones of remonstrance, then the low
mutterings of two voices and finally
silence. The cook looked at the laun-
dryman and nodded her head solemnly.
The auld spalpeen do be gettin' his
deserts" said she. "Many's the time
I've heard him a-jawin' of that poor
little woman. but Zoe seems TO be hav-
in the upper hand now"
Meanwhile in the front room up
stairs, entirely unconscious of the in
terested group below, so absorbed was
he in the delightful mysteries of the
histrionic art. there stood perspiring
young man with wild eyes and rumpled
hair Opposite him, reclining in the
easy chair, his faded velvet coat plenti-
fully besprinkled with cigarette ashes,
sat the professional who listened to the
wild parOxysms of passion uttered by
the youth with perfect Indifference and
apparently not the slightest interest.
Occasionally he would turn his languid
eyes upon the agitated countenance and
despairing gestures and remark: "a
little more feeling there, my boy; ex-
centric eccentric attitude of feet and
more agony in your voice and face"
Thereupon his words and action would
be repeated again and again until the
critic, reused by his tameness, would
jump to his feet and, throwing back
his long hair, give the passage with all
the fire and extravaganza of true son
of Thespis.
But while this process of inspiring
dull clay with Promethean fire was GO
ing on matters were growing serious
down in the street. AS over and over
again the cry was heard even the cook
began to think that perhaps Zoe was n
little too severe on her liege lord and
that her determined attemps to avenge
past wrongs might end disastrously
for the belabored party. But the small
boy was in his element. There was
trouble in the air. and he saw visions
of Il quick rush of the patrol wagon
loaded with bluecoats, for an animat-
cd discussion was in progress between
the original discoverer and the laun-
dryman as to whether an officer should
be called or not. The Willie listened
suspiciOusly and furtively to the de-
velopment OF this plan. The cook
turned around completely and was loud
i'll her denunciatiOns of THE hussy'' up
stairs who was ''murthuring her aud
man." and the clerk smiled compliment
~ to himself in anticipation of a rush
order for drugs and restoratives. Sud-
denly came in laundering tones:
80 gods. Stay. Zoe. siayi What hast thou done,
Help! Help She dies! jailer, she is gone!"
They looked at each other for an in
slant. Their worst fears were realized.
1t WAS murder and suicide together.
The original discoverer sPrang toward
the front steps, and the laundryman
made n bound for a policeman, whereat
the Weary Willie shambled unsteadily
and hastily round the corner. and the
small boy, utterly unmindful and re-
gardless of the tragedy before him.
shrieked: Hi there, Zoe! You're all
right. Give him another, Zoe"
But before any of them had gone
three steps a fat youth bearing the let
tiers a. ID. T. on his cap, who in his
leisurely progress down the street had
stopped just in time to hear the last
cry, called out: Here, you guys.
What's the matter with you? Don't
any of you know anything about the
dramatic art? That amt no murder
nor nothin'. It's one of them fellows
what's learnin' to chase up and down
the stage and rescue a girl from a
burnin' buildin' and play the whole
thing all the time. Huh! You don't
know much"
The Weary Willie went on down to /,
the corner, the drug clerk ambled back |
to his cigar in the shade, whistling |
nonchalantly, the laundryman drove !
of without word, the cook went home
and slammed the door, the original dis
coverer boarded a passing car, and
when the bluecoat hove in sight there
was nothing more unusual to be seen
or heard than a telegraph boy sitting /
on the stump of tree whiting piece |
of wood.-Chicago Record Herald.
Origin of q Cravat.