Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-10-28
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Wrong Diagnosis.
IoriginaI.l

an income of $4,000 a year, quite
enough to crafty all his wishes, there
was nothing for him to accomplish.
When therefore a medical specialist
told him that u certain lump he had
discovered 81 his person too near
vital part to be removed was of Il ma
lignant nature and would kill him
within a period of from few months
to a few years, the only horror attend
ing the announcement was the suffer
ing involved. However, since there
| was as yet no pain. the young man de-
termined to turn everything he had
| into cash and get all the enjoyment
there was in it. This would serve 4
double purpose of giving him pleasure
| and diverting his mind.
Forbes believed that the greatest en-
| joyment is to be derived from associa-
ton with the opposite sex. He had no
mind to confine himself to any one
woman-he chose three. The first was
| Agnes Tweed, one of those girls who
in Paris go by the name of grisette;
| the second was Mildred st. Clair, a So
| clety belle; the third, Margaret Wal
d -
whose income was but 81 200 year.
Forbes spent an average of $4,000 a
month for eight months; then, finding
that his tumor was growing less, he
consulted his physician, who told him
that he had been mistaken in its ma
lignant character. 1t was a harmless
growth and was being absorbed. The
young man found himself with life be-
fore him and fortune reduced from
100000 to $4,000, out Of which an in
come could be derived for bare sup
port. He resolved to announce the
fact to his feminine associates. begin
ming with the clergyman's daughter.
Margaret he said, eight months
ago was told by my physician that
must die within short period.
turned my fortune into cash and have
been spending it freely ever since, en-
joying a great deal of it in your com
pany Now the doctor tells me that
he was mistaken i'll the character of
my disease and have nothing to fear.
Some $4,000 of my fortune is left,
just enough for Il bare living. VIII
you share it with me as my wife?'
Margaret thought for some time be-
fore replying.
Il could not think Of passing my
life" she said, with a man who has
no ambition, no principles, no sympa
thy for a world in which so much is
needed. Had you on your doctors first
announcement given your fortune to
the poor, reserving only enough to
carry you through the short period you
expected to live, and now without a
cent made me this proposition, resolved
TO make career for yourself, l might
have said Yes AS it is, my answer
is No"
With bowed head Forbes left her
perhaps more depressed than when his
doctor had told him he must soon die.
He wandered about aimlessly for Il
few days; then, throwing off tempo
rarily the disagTeeable feeling conse-
quent upon his rejection, he sought
Mildred st. Clair and told her of his
doctors two announcements.
Mildred" lie added, had 1 sought
you when 1 was well and possessed n
fortune 1 would have asked you to
share 1t with me. As it is I cannot
think Of proposing that you should
share my beggarly income"
Il confess" replied the girl, that
had you asked me before the squan-
dering of your fortune l would have
accepted you. though greater fortunes
have been offered me. AS it is, 1 must
agree with you that your income
would not support me except in COM
parative poverty, for which 1 have no
taste"
Forbes left her with a sigh. The one
had declined him because he had no
principle, the other because he had
spent his fortune. He did not know
which reason pricked him most, but in
his heart he could not but respect the
reasons given by Margaret. And
now" he said, "as last resort I will
go to Agnes. Surely she will have no
scruples. and the remaining $4,000
will be n great temptation to her."
Tony" she said, after he had an
nounced that the doctor had erred. that
his life was before him and that he
still had money in bank, you are a
good fellow. You have treated me
white You have spent lot of mon
ey on me, and now you propose to get
rid of the rest of your fortune in the
same way. I'm going to surprise you
by refusing to take any more of it.
For you there is still future; for me
| there is none" Tears started to her
eyes. "My advice to you is. Settle
down to lead a steady life, and let the
rest of us take care of ourselves 1t
will be some time before I'm old and
decrepit; meanwhile I'll get along"
Forbes went away protesting that
she was the only friend left him and
that she should continue so. When.
the next day. he went to see her again
he found that she had moved without
leaving any address.
Five years passed. One day An
thony Forbes called upon his physician
| and said to him:
Doctor. l desire to thank you for
the able manner in which you handled
my case when it was supposed 1 had
| n ma IiOOauf fI1Iaor Tho growth what