Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-04
DAILY SHORT STORY
Over a Grave.
IOriginal.l
EDITH IDA WHITMARSH.
Born May 10. 1850.
Died Feb. %. 1900.

stopped before il. She was surprised
TO see that some one had placed fresh
flowers ON the rounded earth. Drop
ping the plants, she bent over the flow
ers TO see if there was anything to iden-
tify the person who had placed them
there. She was disappointed. There
was not even SO much as a bit of rib
bon to bind them together She had
come on the birthday of the dead to
plant some shoots and knew that he or
she who had been there before her had
known of the anniversary, for there
were just twenty roses.
Between Edith Whitmarsh and Ger
aldine Sheldon had been2o of those
rare attachments in which two girls
became absorbed in one another to the,
exclusion of all others. At least this
was the construction Geraldine Sheldon
had put upon their intimacy, supposing
that she was Edith's only friend. Yet
here was evidence that some one had
been sufficiently intimate with her to
love her and had loved her sufficiently
to place flowers on her grave on the an
niversary of her birth.
Leaving the plants where she had
dropped them, she turned and left the
cemetery Was it dissatisfaction with
her friend that she had deceived her,
or was it jealousy? She did not know
herself
She did not visit the grave again for
n month, when what was her surprise
to see the plants she had left growing
on the mound and bearing buds just
ready to bloom. This was too much.
This monster with whom she had been
forced unknowingly to divide her
friends love had had the assurance to
plant the shoots she had in q fit OF
jealousy left implanted. Besides, there
was a vine creeping up the headstone.
For year Edith continued to visit
the grave of her friend, noticing that
some one had from time to time added
little decorations. She herself had re-
fused to divide the care of the sacred
spot with another, but when the next
anniversary came round she had so far
softened as to take to the cemetery a
pet aZalia which she had been long
training There was no new trace of
her rival. Breathing a sigh of relief,
she imbedded the roots of the aZalia
and was smoothing the earth about it
when she heard n step. Looking up,
she saw a man of perhaps thirty adj
vancing toward her. He paused be-
fore the gate shutting off the lot.
you are?" she asked.
Earle Gardner"
"My mysterious rivalT'
NO. You had no rival in Edith's fem
mime love"
But you loved here"
LAS my wife"
"As your wife?' The voice and the
manner bespoke an overpowering won
der. 1
And the mother of my child" agtn
"The mother of your childE"
Edith was forbidden by me to tell
YOU of our love and marriage. My
mother was for year on the brink of
the grave, and for reasons which for
the present l will pass over could not
acknowledge a wife so long as she
lived. You remember Edith's visit to
Washington year ago last winter and
her death there. She died in child
BIRTH
Like Il ray of light struggling through
gloom bit of forgiveness entered Ger
aldine's soul.
1.-The childT'
dead, and 1 am now master of the es-
tate. But Edith left her instructions
with regard TO her little namesake
when she should become q year old.
This came round last February. Till
now have made no change, but if you
are ready to assume the charge
"She left the child to meY"
During her babyhOOd."
"And then?'
"That can only be determined by cir
cumstances. 1t is hard for one about to
die TO make a wise provision for the
future Edith only arranged for few
years."
"But why did she not leave the babe
to me from the firstY
Because at the time my marriage
must still be kept a secret. Besides
"WeI?'
The man looked embarrassed.
Come, 1 am impatient. You said,
bell we, that Edith left her instructions
for the child when it should be a year
Old
Eyes, when Edith would have been
dead year"
"What had that to do with it?'
"a husband may marry again at the
end of year.
Marry again? If you loved Edith as
1 loved her-as 1 love her today-you
would never marry another"
"She left her instructions to me to
marry at the expiration of the year."
"She did?''
Eyes; conditionally on the consent of
the woman of her choice"
Tier choice? You mean your choice"
''They may be one."
Explain
"You are the woman she chose to
care for her bereaved husband and
child"
Geraldine's eyes turned and looked
out on vacancy. Then they were low
cred TO the grave. Tears began to