Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-19
DAILY SHORT STORY
An IncorrigibIe SpeIIer.
GOriginal.1

disappointment. SDe was Cullureu,
refined girl. who at school and after
ward at college had been noted for the
correctness of her English and the
faultlessneSS of her essays. She had
been born to wealth and luxury and
was now suffering from reverSes that
had occurred to her father. Young
Dick Boyd, whom she had long known
and whose wife she had expected to
be ever since she was ten years old,
had her promise to marry him as soon
as he was sure of a permanent income.
But, while she loved Dick, she was
uncertain as to the wisdom of passing
a lifetime with him. AS a schoolboy
he had never handed in a composition
that was not blotted, misspelled, I'M
grammatical and generally discredita-
bic. She had hoped that when he be-
came a man he would do better. and
now she had evidence that he was not
doing better. This is copy of the note
she held in her hand, 4 note from Dick:
expect to get away from bisiness early
this afternoon and will come for a walk
before dinner. I'm not shure. but If
come will be there by o'clock. A man
who 1 have an appointment with may
keep me back. Otherwise you Will see me
on time.
ITS just as 1 always feared" she
moaned. How can man who can't
spell business take any stand in bust
ness. Sure" spelled with an III a
man who 1 have an appointment with
You will see me on time One would
suppose my determination on the sub
ject to be irresistible NO" she went
4 IL;
never do for me to link my life with
one who must eX natura rel Cfrom the
nature of the case) take a low stand
even in the world of business"
1t will be observed from this solilo-
guy that Miss Twining was Il college
bred girl who preferred a Latin TO an
English expression and had more re-
spect for professional than business
life. She broke her engagement with
Dick Boyd, though it cost her a severe
pang to do so, and became a teacher
Everybody predicted that she would
become prominent, and, as for Dick
Boyd, most persons who had seen spec
linens of his literary productions put
him down as sure TO hold his position
on the bottom rung of the ladder.
OlCh On upon Ills pOSIOOI
with the Startling Lumber company,
concern of many years standing, was
placed at clerical work. After leaving
a blot on nearly every page of the
ledger and sending out a number of
misspelled and inaccurate statements
the president called him into his pri-
vate office and told him, putting it
kindly, that he thought he would do
better outside. Dick went outside and
instead of blotting the books became a
lumber shower. But it was not long be-
fore it was evident that he would make
a better boss, and in a few weeks he
was in charge of the yard. Then he
was sent to straighten out Il bad COM
plicatiOn at the mills and from this time
forward was used to perform what was
impossible for any one else.
superintendent. secretary. vice pres-
dent, were his successive titles, and at
last when the president had got the
Unto hole" Boyd was given
n block of the stock and made presi-
dent for the purpose of getting it out.
This he accomplished in a few years
time, and it made him rich.
Meanwhile Ruth Twining had spent
a dozen years teaching and had reached
a position at $T00 a year as instructor
in English composition. Her principal
duty was to correct the Juvenile essays
of the scholars, a work she did over
and over again till her eyes ached and
life seemed a burden. One day when
she was more tired and disheartened
than usual n letter addressed by type
writer was handed her. She opened
the envelope and took out n typewriter
letter. 1t read:
My Dear Old Sweetheart-I have never
blamed you for not expecting anything of
so bad speller as I. The fault is inner
tied. My father couldn't spell correctlysv
and my sister is no better at spelling than
l. Nevertheless have been successful in
another field, and as l shall never marry
any one if ] can't marry you 1 write to
ask you if you will alter your decision of
a dozen years ago Whether l live
bachelor or a happy married man depends
on your answer. DICK.
Had this letter not been written by
process and by an inter
mediate person Ruth might have been
moved by it. As it was, she would as
we'll have read it in a book. She took
up her pen, wrote a refusal to recon
SIueE llle HldIleI anu was dDOuL 10 dOl-
dress it when, looking at the envelope
in which Dicks letter had been in
closed for his address, she saw that
had been left in it. She
drew out piece of paper on which
the original had been written for the
typewriter to copy:
haven't ever blamed you for not ex-
pecting ennything from as bad a speler
(bloO as 1 am. My father couldn't spell
any better than me. Nevertheless 1 have |
been successful, and as I shall (blo) |
never mary emmy body if can't mary you
(bloO 1 would like to know if you will |
change your mind of a dosen years ago.
Somehow this bit of blotted, mis-
spelled paper, which at one time would |
have repealed her, now beside it's me-
chanical copy went straight to her |
heart. Turning it over, she noticed |
written in pencil on the back, Don't |
tell him put this in or I'll lose my po- |
SiffOn -