Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-09
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
MY SELF CON
STITUTED SISTER


from Southampton, but the morning we
sailed up New York bay was warm and
light and beautiful. l had been abroad
studying and was coming home to set
tie down to my profession. When the
steamer was locked, / stood near the
ships end of the Gangway waiting for
a chance to get ashore. In one hand
held Il suit case. in the other bundle
of strapped rugs. On the dock l Noticed
one of the ships officers standing be-
side u young lady very prettily and
tastefully dressed. He was pointing
my way. 1 thought nothing of the in
cident. though l was especially struck
with the appearance of the young lady.
AS soon as the crowd thinned | started
to go ashore. At the foot of the gang
plank / was astonished to feel two
feminine arms thrown about my neck
and shower of kisses rained upon my
face by the young lady l had noticed
from above.
ooh. WILL" she said. I'm so glad
you've comet We've been watching for
the steamer ever since yesterday after
noon"
"H-how-did you-recognize meT'
zone of the ships officers pointed you
ont 1 asked him if he would let me
know when you came ashore"
"W-wwho did he say l was?"
'Why. William Brown, of course"
She looked ut me in semisurprise, then,
drawing slightly away and scanning
me critically. Aren't you?"
"Of course 1 am. And you?'
alice Brown. your sister. Who else
should l be?'
Nobody else. How did you know ]
was comingT'
"By your letters. What makes you
act so funny?"
IL haven't been we'll"
"You bad boy, You said nothing in
your letters about having been ill., Why
didn't you let me known
Il mean seasick."
"Oh. that's nothingr'
Meanwhile we were moving along
the dock and reached Il carriage before
which the girl stopped.
Put your baggage on the front seat"
she said.
! stood irresolute. 1t was evident
that the young lady had made mis-
take. So far | had not been cuIpable.
but II l continued to leave her unin-
formed l would deserve TO be keel
hauled. Besides at the end of the drive
somebody would be likely TO recognize
me as being the wrong William Brown.
Nevertheless she was so pretty. so af-
fectionate. so rejoiced to see me after
my long absence, that l could not bear
to break the SPELL And when she dis
covered that she had been kissing a
strange man it might break her heart.
got into the carriage.
1t was 4 long enough drive up town.
but it seemed very short to me. l
found it difficult to keep up appear
ances and only succeeded in doing so
by excusing myself for my lack of
memory and my plumbers by the great
length of my absence. l discovered in
the course of the conversation that l
had been abroad ever since was four
teen years old. that our mother was not
living and our father had married
again. we being the only children by
his first marriage.
"Ah. here we arer' she said as we
turned Il corner. Wen be at home in
a few minutes"
| shuddered. Alice" / said, 'let us
drive in Central park before going
home. There is something l want to
tell you"
She took fright at once. Anything
unpleasant? Have you got into any
trouble?"
NO; I've had a very pleasant cpl
sode."
"Oh. Will. you're engaged! l know
you are. And | was so in hope that
you and | would be together"
II am not engaged
We were in the plaza. 1 called to the
coachman and told him to take us for a
drive in the park. and in n few mo-
ments we were bowling along over
the smooth roads of this fairyland,
with its wooded lawns. its terraces. its
grass grown rocks, its lakes. all gleam-
ing I'm the sun of n bright summer
morning.
Now. WILL" said my self constituted
sister eagerly. what is it?"
had passed numberless pitfalls in
my time. but they were nothing in COM
parison with the present situation.
Suppose" l said. "a young man
meets young lady who at their first
meeting wins his heart by her inpo-
cence. her beauty. her gentleness. her
womanly qualities"
81 knew it, You're in lover
Suppose that this girl mistook the
man for some one she had long known
IA father; no. not father-a brother.
He. charmed with her sisterly affec-
ton. having no real sister. permits her
to continue in her mistake. What pun
ishment should he receiver
"Why didn't you tell her at once?"
II couldn't bear to break the SPELL"
''WhO is she?"
"You. You have made a mistake.
am Will Brown. but not your VIII
Brown"
We drove to her home in silence. and
on reaching it she alighted before l
could arrest her and ran without a
word of adieu to me into the house.