Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-03
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Lesson in Selfishness.
IOriginal.1

topped with shining yellow hair, look
ing at him through pair. of blue eyes.
He moved aside, the girl sat down and
the train started on. The man re-
newed his reading, but soon yawned,
dropped the paper on his knees and
cast side glance at his neighbor.
Can you tell me-" she asked, chow
I can get to the N theater when we
reach the city,
Would you know If I should tell
you?"
81 fear not. I've never been to the
city"
''Then 1 shall be pleased to put you
on the right car and tell the conductor
where to transfer you"
THANK you"
"Have you an engagement at the
N theaterT'
ooh, no. Pm not an actress. But
my brother is an actor. He's under
study to Remington Field, the STAR
''Indeed?" The gentleman cast a
quick glance at the girl. You refer to
Cecil Armstrong. 1 know him person
ally
You do? How odd that 1 should
have met you"
Yes, your brother has rare dramatic
talent. He'll make a success surely"
I'm delighted TO hear you say So"
said the girl, evidently well pleased.
The only discOuraging feature is that
it all takes so much time. We're
wretchedly poor, mother and Cecil and
1. We have nothing but his salary,
and that's very small. Cecil has been
struggling for nearly ten years. When
he got his present position he thought
he'd surely get chance to show what
he could do, but Mr.. Field is distress
ingly healthy and is always able to
take his part. Cecil has been with him
for more than a year, and he has never
been i'll once"
Its too bad, isn't it?'' remarked the
gentleman sympathetically. Some one
ought to give him Il dose to keep him
in bed for at least one night and let
your brother have Il chance"
"Oh, no! 1 wouldn't have that. 1t
wouldn't be right"
Field would deserve it. A man has
no business TO be so selfish. He's been
keeping the young man who has a
mother and sister dependent upon him
from his only chance of success when
he might have given it to him by sim
ply laying off one performance"
The stranger spoke with an honest
Indignation which he took no pains to
conceal.
''You wrong him. Cecil says he's
very kind and thoughtful"
Thoughtful! Do you call it thought
full to be so absorbed in himself as not
TO ~ olSao toll VI hn
has been neither kind nor thoughtful.
1 know him, and 1 have a mind to
teach him a lesson. He frequently
comes to my rooms. The next time
he's there I'm going to settle him for
one night at least"
Indeed you shall do no such thing
'Who's to prevent mel"
"I'Il tell my brother to warn him.
The stranger laughed sardonically.
warn him against me? He thinks
more of me than any one living"
Then it would be the more shame
for you to injure him.
When they reached the city the
stranger insisted on putting the now
unwilling girl on Il car, and they sep
arated. Miss Armstrong, as soon as
she found her brother, FASTENED to re-
peat her conversation with the stran-
ger She was met with laughter.
HE was chatting you, sis" said her
brother. HE doesn't know either of
us and was amusing himself at the
expense of an innocent country girl.
Don't ever talk with a strange man
again"
The next afternoon Cecil Armstrong
received a note from his principal say
ing that he had been drinking wine
with friend and it had made him i'll.
The understudy was to take his place
that night.
Armstrong was astonished. The
stranger had evidently been in earnest.
If not 1t was a singular coincidence.
However, there was no time for spec
ulation, and he got ready to play the
part.
That was the last of Cecil Arm
strong's understanding. He won a
start that gained him success. His
sister was at the theater and enjoyed
his triumph, trimming over with pleas
ure at every storm of applause. After
the play she went to his dressing room
to find him reading a note.
leIu udS AilhlLc0 me- III odtO, "
his rooms to celebrate my success. 1
want you to go with me. Wen set
out as soon as 1 get into my other
clothes.'
Half an hour later the brother and
sister entered the building where Field
stopped and were met at the door by
Mrs. Field. She took Miss Armstrong
into her own room to lay aside her
wraps, while Armstrong went directly
TO the dining room to join the hus-
band. Then the wife ushered the girl
into the dining room.
Miss Armstrong paused on the thresh-
old in establishment. Before her stood
the stranger she had met on the train.
He advanced, smiling
Il have kept my word,' he said. ST
gave myself a dose that has laid me up
for one evening and permitted your
H.,