Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-21
DAILY SHORT STORY
A FOXY FATHER.
IOr;ginall

w lUlIreU ffONe idu uttu iuopteu "
Mr.. and Mrs. Olmsted and treated as a
daughter Louis pondered for awhile
! at his fathers information. then asked
What do you want me to do, IA
ther:'
What your inclination prompts"
After more bordering Louis said:
'Winifred is very lovely. Perhaps we
| shall make u match in time
Fish easily caught are not considered
desirable, and Louis treated his foster
waited patiently for loving WOW.
Louis was spending his vacation at
home before his last year in the law
department OF his alma mater and in
the autumn returned 10 his studies. On
his departure the family parted with
him at the door. Winifred among them.
When il came her turn TO clasp his
hand she did so without pressure and
with averted eyes. Mr.. Olmsted. ST.,
accompanied his son To the carriage.
but made no mention Of what Louis
knew was a thwarted desire.
Some time after Louis return To the
law school he received letter from his
father containing the following para
graph:
You may remember that 1 desired a
match between you and Winifred. This
was because / wished at my death that
you should inherit the homestead and my
other property without dividing it. Wini-
fred. however. has assured me that she
will in no case accept any legacy from
me- and / think she will marry young
man who has recently made her ac-
fNFHsI frdre sTNfss Nsr
Therefore you need not trouble yourself
any further about her and consider my
implied request withdrawn
A few days after the receipt Of this
letter Louis Olmsted appeared one
morning at home. His father mani
tested surprise at seeing him and ask
ed him what brought him back in term
time.
This matter of Winifred. You see,
father. il places me in rather an I'M
pleasant position. L appear as one who
doesn't fail in with your desires. as &C
cepting all of fortune of which Wini-
fred should have half and of turning
away Il girl who you assured me loved
me-
"Nou are borrowing trouble, my boy,
though your feelings do you credit.
You have nothing To worry about. We
can't force Winifred TO accept what
she will not accept, and since you don't
want her / know you are not dog in
the manager 10 keep any one else from
getting her"
Who IS the-fellow?"
What fellow"
shes going to marry"
"Oh. have no authority from her to
speak of that. It's only a matter of
observation with me"
You may be mistaken"
Certainly"
Perhaps you We're mistaken when
you told me that Winifred was in love
with me-
quite likely"
You must certainly be wrong in one
case or the other
That's logical deduction. l see
that you're profiting by your studies.
You'll make an excellent lawyer"
Louis was walking back and forth.
evidently much dissatisfied with the
situation.
Where is WinifredT'
shes away ut present"
Away"
Certainly. said So"
"Where!'
ION visit TO her Aunt Caroline."
Louis knew that this was days jour-
ney. He muttered something between
his teeth.
Come. Louis" said his father. you
have done very wrong to leave your
studies. You must go back at once"
y time table was produced, and 1t
was found that Il night train would
leave in half an hour. The young man
would just have time TO reach ii. He
babe his father sullen goodby and
started for the train. Mr.. Olmsted
stood looking down the street after
him.
Good" he muttered. going into the
house. He can't go back to college
that way
The next day Winifred receivedsword
that her foster brother was waiting to
see her in the drawing room.
why. LOUIS she said, surprised,
what brings you here? Anything the
matter at homer"
Matter? I'm afraid I'm too late"
TOO late for what?'
ITO tell you that love'you and want
you 10 be my wife.
Wintfred stood gazing first at him,
then at the floor. Louis .put his arm
about her and, drawing her TO him.
kissed her He was fllediwith a wild
Joy when he found that sshe did not
resist
why have you done this so sudden
ly? Why come here to speakT'
We'll, father, he said
"WhatT' ii
"Oh, fathers always thinking you're
going TO marry some one. He's made
no end of blunders about you"
Late that night Louis took a train d.
rectly back to college. While waiting
at the station a train pulled out, and
on the platform stood a friend of.Mr.
Sr.
Hello. Louis" he called ''What.are
You doing here: Going back'to college?
m going home. I'll see your father