Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-05
DAILY SHORT STORY
Only a Pretext for Quarrel.
IOriginal.l

IL she nau Deen skeleton OOll. her
LONELINESS always showed most in
contrast when she stood beside her
cousin, Clara Doolittle, a plump, rosy
girl, with robin egg eyes and yellow
hair. Clara was the belle of the school.
All the boys who were girls boys were
in love with her. l was q boys boy
myself, but this did not prevent my
having a secret admiration for her. AS
for Georgia, thought no more of her
than of a starved kitten.
1t so happened, however, that Georgia
became connected with an episode in
my school life. Jim Atherton was the
bully of the Rchool, while / was vice
bully. Jim could thrash me, and 1
could thrash all the other boys. l was
not satisfied to be second best, and one
vacation l pounded sand bags, pulled
weights and ran long distances in or
der to be able to tackle Jim next term.
When we got back to school in Sep
TENDER, l looked for a pretext for a
fight. Jim was an Overbearing fellow,
with no mind for the rights of others,
and was not long in giving me an OPP
portunity. One recess l went out on to
the playground, to see him holding up
Georgia Trent, who was screaming yo-
ciferously, by the ears, while Clara
Doolittle stood by laughing. Here was
my chance-nOt that 1 sympathized es-
pecially with Georgia, for children are
not sympathetic as a rule. If there
was any other motive than the one 1
have mentioned, it was to try my
strength and skill before Clara. de-
manded the release of Georgia, where
upon followed the expected scrimmage.
Despite my preparation, 1 got the
worst of it, and as l limped off the
field l had the modification to see
Clara make a face at me. Her scorn
only intensified whatever of feeling !
had had for her.
Ten years passed. l had been sepa-
rated from these two girls, forgetting
Georgia entirely, but treasurihg
schOolboy longing for her cousin. Be
fore entering upon the practice of my
profession L determined to take n sum-
mer vacation and spend it at my old
home. i learned that the cousins had
been left alone in the world and were
living together. Both were in mourn
ing and saw little or no company. !
went to the house and sent up a card.
or rather, two cards, for l had grown
conventional, and, though l did not
care to see Georgia, l was not so un-
feeling as to leave her out entirely.
/ was obliged TO wait some time,
which only added to my expectancy,
when woman, graceful. refined, dig
nified, walked into the room and came
nd han
lis it possible" she said, that you
are George Putnam? 1 would never
have known YOU"
II would have known you if l had
met you among a thousand and had no
inkling as to whom you Were"
Haven't 1 improved:" she asked.
with the suspicion of pout.
There was no room for improve
ment l see. the same rosy cheek and
bright eye that / used to admire when
we were schoolfellows. OF course you
have developed from child to
woman. all your features gaining i'm
menSely by the change. but they are
the same features"
She looked at me curiously, as IL she
doubted my sincerity, whereupon. half
in earnest, half jestingly, l told her
that / had been her ardent admirer
while at school and had treasured her
image in my heart ever since. After /
left her it occurred to me that i had
forgotten to ask after her cousin.
was much mortified, but the omission
was not to be corrected.
The next time called my first words
were, "And where is your cousin Geor-
gia?"
Georgia. she replied, opening her
eyes. ''Oh, Georgia doesn't see any
callers. She is the same pale. freckled
skin and bones she was when you act
ed as her champion at school"
ct her champion? How was that?"
Don't you remember when Jimmie
Atherton held her up by the ears and
you fought a battle for herr"
$50 / did. l had forgotten It."
"She hasn't. and" lowering her voice
weak spot in her heart for you ever
since"
''Don't say that" l replied.
"Why not?'
Because the weak spot in my heart
has been and is for you"
/ endeavored to press the matter. but
she would not listen to me. and after
several attempts to restore cordial
feeling, In none OF which 1 succeeded,
I left the house.
When called again. was Informed
that Miss Doolittle had not yet re-
turned from abroad, but Miss Trent
would come down and receive me.
Clara gone abroad! And must / face
her cousin, knowing her feeling for
me, a feeling / cannot reciprocate?
see it all. The noble Clara has gone
away to leave me free for her cousin.
L was kept waiting a long while.
which added to my discontinue. Then
the girl who had twice received me.
looking more radiant than ever, en-
tered the room.
"Why, 1 thought you had gone