Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-31
DAILY SHORT STORY
(which Won?"
tOriginaI.l

tOriginaLl
Several young men were sitting
around u table in the cafe of club
in New York. Some one introduced
the subject of matrimony in order to
start Cutler Hartsough Cabling, for
being a woman hater, and, possessing a
vein of dry humor he invariably wax
ed entertaining on marriage. He was
especially caustic on this occasion and
kept the party in Il roar of laughter.
The next topic was as to the time
required TO make journey around the
globe. This occasioned an animated
discussion which led to a bet between
Hartsough and Foster Conant of a
box at the opera for the coming season
that Hartsough would make the trip in
sixty eight days.
Hartsough left the next day at noon
and, meeting with nO'delays, arrived at
San Francisco with time to spare to
reach New York before the close of
the siXty-eighth day, which ended at
II O'Clock noon. So he concluded, to
have good nights sleep at a hotel.
After dinner he was sitting in the
reading room, smoking cigar, when j
man approa ched him and asked if he
was Mr.. HartSough. He replied that
he was. whereupon he was informed
that his exploit was the talk of the
clubs of New York. and New York
paper had directed the man to inter
view him. Hartsough, much pleased,
gave the desired interview, with infor
nation as to when he would reach diff
ferent points on his journey eastward.
Then the man departed, and Hartsough
went to bed.
When the traveller reached Chicago,
he had two days In which to make the
distance to New York. He left Chica-
go on a Thursday morning and was
not due at his club till Saturday noon.
The time between Chicago and New
York is twenty hours. In the parlor
car sat young lady dressed in Il fash
ionable travelling costume. She sent
the porter to him to ask if he was Mr..
Hartsough of New York. Upon his re-
ply that he was she sent him her card.
Miss Ethelwyn Wheawill."
Hartsough Joined her. raised his hat
deferentially and waited for an eXpla-
nation. The girls face broke into u de-
| licious flush as she said:
my aunt, Mrs. Clinton, telegraphed
me that you would be on this train.
knowing that 1 dread travelling alone,
| she suggested that you might consent
| to take me under your charge"
Mrs. Alexander Clinton of = Madi-
son avenue?"
yes" Aft-
Il know her very well. She has
placed me under an obligation in Civ
ing me so charming a travelling COM
panion. But how did she know l was
to be on this train?"
why, your trip is the talk of all our
set. Besides. 1 was told there was
something about it in the newspapers.
Then Hartsough remembered the
man who had interviewed him.
Miss Wheawill knew of his bet, and
Hartsough CALAMITY told her that in
case he won it he would beg the honor
of her acceptance of the box for the
season. This offer Occasioned u sud
den cessation of that liveliness with
which she was attracting him. How
ever, this passed off, and the twenty
hours of the journey seemed TO Hart
sough but so many minutes. Mrs. Al
exander Clinton met them at the Grand
| Central station with her carriage and
| insisted on Hartsough driving home
with them TO dinner, an invitation he
was only too glad to accept. After
dinner he was left with Miss Wheawill
and at IL o'clock he requested the but
Ter to call Il carriage. Mrs. Clinton in
sisted on his remaining III the house
for the night. This he declined at first
but as the lady seemed TO have set hel
heart upon it he finally consented
pleased to remember that he would
meet Miss Wheawill at breakfast
He had no sooner entered his room
than he heard the sound Of u key turn