Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-29
THElDAILY
SHORT STORY.
A WEATHER.
COCK LOVER
IOriginal.l

low, with blue eyes and fair hair"
'Strong and of good characters"
ale bean't very strong. ma'am. and,
as to character. he's like weather
cock-blown about by any wind"
but. Mary Jane, how can you ex-
pect to be happy with such n man?"
"He do need some I'm to keep him
! straight"
| Weeks passed. during which Mary
Jane was very cheerful and prone to
talk of her approaching marriage.
began to lay plans for making her COM
Portable in her new home. Then L no.
ticed that she ceased to speak of the
affair and went. about her work with
n feverishness that surprised me.
"Of what material. Mary Jane" l
asked. would you like to have your
wedding dress nader"
deed. ma'am. don't want 10 we'd
din dress"
as the affair broken OFF,"
"Yes. ma'am."
'"Tell me about it,
'rhere's not much to tell, ma'am.
Bonnie is a good boy ard pretty boy,
and the girls all take to him like the
flies to the sweet things. Twas no
fault of his. ma'am; no more twas
mine. 1t happened this away: Bonnie
asked me TO go with him to the gar
dens. where on Saturday nights they
have rows of electric lights and music
and Il dancin' platform. So l went
with him. and we danced together
onct. and l told Bonnie to go and dance
with some other girls. but he said he
didn't want TO dance with any one but
ne. So we danced again together. OPP
posite us was n girl that looked 1T
Bonnie wistful-like. and every time he
took her hand to turn her l thought
she was going to cry
'Bennie.' l said, who is the girl op-
posite:'
81 was sweet on her onct.' he said.
"'What made you so back on her?
asked him.
"'Wel.' he said, stammerin', 4 liked
! you better
81 didn't say nothin' more TO him
then. but when the dance was ended
noticed that the girl as she went off
with her partner looked at him so mel
ancholy that / felt sorry for her. for
Bonnie is that changeable might have
been chosen first, as she was. and she
standin' in my place at that very mo-
ment. Pretty soon we set down on
bench. and. loolin' round. there was
the girl sittin' beside me.
YOU'RE stuck on my Bennie,' | said
to her.
He was my Bonnie onct.' she said
soIemn-like. She didn't flare up but
jist bore it patient.
What did you let him go for?
asked.
II couldn't help his goin'?'
"'You might have brought him round
with stickin' a pin in him. Bonnie
needs wakin' up. He ought to have a
strong woman for his Wife
"She didn't say nothin' more. but
jist put the corner of her han'kcrcheer
| first to one eye, then to t'Other. She
seemed TO be bendin' sort of n girl.
and l wanted to git n pump and put
some strength into her. took Bonnie
by the arm and moved him away, and
as we was gOin' I.seen him Iookin' over
his shoulder sheepish. and her eyes
was turned on him pitiable.
'Bennie.' said l. you need a poker
in your back to stiffen you
"'What d'you mean by thatT he
asked.
ouve broken her heart
"'Mebbe have he said. sighin'.
"'Well. what are yvu goin' to do
about it?
81 dunno
"T'll tell you. Bonnie. You go back
to her. Mebbe it's bad for you and bad
for her. She needs n strong man, and
you need a strong woman. for neither
of you has any starch. But the grill
die of a broken heart if you don't go
back to her; SO you must
What'll you dor asked Bonnie.
"'Tll get along somehow
"Just then we met the girl walkin'
with a Teller. and I says:
"'Bennie's got somethin' to say to
you
II pushed him to her. She dropped
the Teller. took Bennie's arm and walk
ed away with him. Bonnie lookin' back
ut me reproachful. l just went and
set on n bench. and they was walkin
round the room. once in awhile passin'
me. First time they both looked rs If
they wasn't hitched together right; the
next time they was talkin': the next
time they was laughin'. Then I left
the gardens. | haven't seen Bonnie
since. But, oh. dear. it's lonesome
without him. and they won't git on to-
eether at all. because neither of 'em
amt got no backbone"
There was knock at the kitchen
door. and in walked Bonnie. He look
ed very sheepish and hung his head.
where's your girl. Bennie?" asked
Mary Jane.
''Oh. she haIn't no girl to tie to- said
Bennie. 81 want somethin' to hold ON
to-
@YOu go tight straight backr' And