Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-28
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Family Wooing.

Macdune passed over his coffee cup
for the second time and helped himself
to third biscuit from the enveloping
folds of the napkin ON the taboret.
The gas log was purring cozily. Aro-
ma of the rich Java berry permeated
the room. The soft light threw shad-
ows, the kind in which Cupids love to
nest.
The room itself was one of those
elor away from his sordid self-silky
curtains, delicately tinted walls, books
that looked as if they had rare tales to
tell and chairs that invited with arms
outstretched.
Macdune inhaled the fragrant atmos-
phere of content and was happy. With
out intending to make an inventory he
permitted his eyes to wander from one
thing to another. His glance eventual
ly gravitated to the girl. All. here was
the piece de resistance! What other
could have worn SO pretty a gown or
worn a pretty gown so we'll? Who but
a genius feminine could have arranged
every fold and flounce just where it
would most favorably set off the charm
ing figure?
Miss Wright was looking at him,
and the victory, almost complete, was
won by her eyes, like masked batteries
behind the dropping lashes. He asked
hesitating question that brought
reasonably prompt reply. The coffee
urn and the gas log blinked knowingly
at one another.
Four months from the day that Mac
dune went from the golf links into the
Wright home for a bit of conversation
and a sip of coffee he was riding west
ward with her on Il Pullman, looking
happy indeed.
Mrs. Macdune beamed over the din
ing car table at him. She poured the
coffee and plunged a sugar loaf into
its amber bath with a merry little
smile and an air of domestic proprie-
tOrship.
Claire" he said. do you know that
little luncheon over the gas log that
October afternoon was one of the
things that convinced me you were the
signpost pointing me along life's high
way? The coffee and the fiaky biscuit,
you know. 1 thought any girl who
could set a little repast like that was
worth a princes ransom"
The bride thoughtfully snapped a
few bits of rice from her travelling hat
Here was a strong temptation to be
met and conquered and she only three
hours a wife.
Jack" she said at last, my sister
Edith made that luncheon. 1 am so
sorry. 1 know no more about cooking
than do about Arizona politics."
Jack laughed reassuringly.
Il was going on to say that the cook
ing was a comparatively small matter.
You see, the pretty little den was ar
ranged with such exquisite taste. 1
knew a girl who could hang those pic
lures in just those places would make
any man on earth a wife worth hav-
ing"
She looked out of the window. A
haze obscured the flash of forest and
meadow, and when she turned to him
again her lip was trembling. But hon
esty won again.
''Oh. Jack am awfully sorry! My
sister Flo arranged that room while 1
was in Buffalo last spring. They all
say my taste is despicable when it
comes to arranging things"
Macdune seized her hand.
Forget what l said 1t was only
foolishness. You know, Claire, that
the real motive was yourself; your
gowns too. Why, Claire, you are the
envy of all the girls in town. How
could plain old peasant like me fail
to fall head over heels in love with
you?''
Jack. don't; oh, don'ty' she pleaded.
ooh, Jack, my sister Ethel makes all
my gowns and plans them too"
Having INDUCED in the brutal care
Iessness of being specific. Macdune
would have protested that he loved her
for herself, her personality, her sweet
sympathy, her smile, her voice, but he
feared she would arise and say, "Alas,
they, too, are all borrowed Here he
was. poor man, welded to a girl who
could neither cook nor sew.
ut seems, Jack" she said after
painful silence, chat you have married
my sisters by mistake" She made
pathetic attempt to smile.
The tear in her voice melted him COM
pletely.
"Clairew he exclaimed.
81 feel like a prisoner at the bar"
she hurried on. ''The charge is obtain
ing a husband under false pretenses.
must assure the judge and jury that
the only thing / can do is to say l am
penitent and promise to make restitu-
ton. / shall learn to cook better than
Sister Edith, sew better than Sister
Ethel and hang pictures better than
Blister Flo''
Jack brought his judicial fist down
ON the table.
1.-The prisoner is discharged" he said.
1t was only the other day that Claire
won first prize at housekeepers' exhi-
bition, FREDERIC A. SMITH.