Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-15
DAILY SHORT STORY
She Made Him Brave
IOriginaLl


There is in every one, however
strong. some weakness which is bound
to show itself sooner or later. Such
was the case with George Converse.
who at twenty-eight had served two
cnlistments in the United States army
with credit. He had entered as Il pri
vate and come out as first sergeant of
his company, besides having been men
toned several times for gallantry in
action. The reason why he did not en-
list for another term was because he
had fallen in love with pretty seam
stress. who adored him, and they were
to be married. Ida Harker was very
proud of her lovers prowess.
The ex-sergeant found a job as pOr-
ter in store. The couple We're mar
ried and went to housekeeping in lit
tie place purchased with Ida's savings.
All went well for awhile, but George,
having been used to an entirely differ
ent life became FESTIVE under the COM
monplace duties of porter. He missed
the out of door life. the martial music,
the metallic ring Of arms and especial
| " the excitement and danger of cam
| paign. Day after day he grew more
discontinued and at last began to shirk
his duties. This in time cost him his
position. He was not sorry. because
he thought he would find something
better suited to his taste. His little
wife encouraged him to think thus,
though in her heart she worried that
their income should be cut of.
George tried several other Occupa
tons. but did not show any more APP
titude for work in them than in the
first. From some of them he retired
voluntarily; from others he was dis
charged. Meanwhile children were
born to the couple. and since there
were SO many mouths to feed the wife
resumed the work of seamstress, which
she had lain down at her marriage.
| She still had the same admiration for
| her husband and delighted to hear him
tell his friends of his battles. listening
| herself demurely and watching with
| pride the effect on the others. How
ever. Georges position as a do-nothing,
| permitting his wife TO support not
only herself and their children. but
him as well, at last caused the finger
! of scOrn to be pointed at him. His
friends dropped away, and he had no
one to admire him except his wife.
AT last an event happened that open
ed Ida's eyes. SO long as George was
an eX-herO of many battles she could
| brook his inability to labor at ordinary
duties. though she was obliged to sup
| ply the deficiency herself. but one
night. being awakened Ey the smell of
smoke. she got up. opened the bedroom
door and found that the house above
was in flames. Awakening her hus-
I CI, r.,
! floor and bring their eldest boy. while
she carried down the other two chill
dren, who slept in room opposite to
her own. Leaving George to his task.
she executed her own. but since he did
not appear her anxiety led her back to
| discover the cause of the delay. She
| expected to see him battling with the
flames. half suffocated with smoke.
bearing their son to safety. Instead he
was standing at the foot of the stair
case which led to the burning story,
shivering.
| George, for heavens sake, go, The
child will be lost
George turned toward her a face
white with fear.
'Oh, GEORGE
This was all. She saw that he was
terror stricken. 4 veteran at standing
! up against shot and shell. he was Il
raw recruit at meeting fire She gave
Il spring and dashed up the staircase.
The act of his brave little wife was
needed to enable George Converse to
master constitutional weakness. Ida
had not reached the top step before
her husband darted past her with the
| cry Go backI How he got through
the fire and smoke that interviewed be
tween him and his boy. WHY be was
not burned mortally by the one or
sufrocated by the other. he nor any one
else ever knew. Reaching the room he
sought, knowing that he could not
| bring the child out by the way he had
come, be cried to his Wife:
go below the Window
Ida ran down and out. Selling n
blanket by the way. In the yard she
found several neighbors who had been
attracted by the fire. At the same mo-
ment George threw up a sash above.
| Without a word those present seized
the blanket and the boy was dropped
safely into it.
| As soon as George Converse saw that
his son was safe he began to remem-
Der the fear of fire that had paralyZed
him. 1t was all gone, the shame he
felt only remaining. But one idea fill
ed his mind-to wipe out the stain.
Jump cried those below, holding
the blanket under the window.
George sat down on the window sill,
took Il pipe and n tobacco pouch from
his pocket, filed the pipe. lighted it
and began to puff as coolly as if there
were no fire.
Jump repeated the crowd. 1.-THE
roof may fall at any moment"
I'm going back the way 1 came
| he said doggedly.