Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-16
DAILY SHORT STORY
PUPPY LOVE.
TOrigin1.1


IOrigina5-l
Roberta. IL you continue to see so
much OF George Urrer as you have
seen of him lately ] Dear we shall have
u case of puppy lo~eTo cure"
George Urner was but nineteen. and
Roberta Sharpe sixteen. George was
a Clerk in the bank: of Roberta's father
on n meager salary
II hope" continu ed Mr.. Sharpe. that
/ shall not have to- speak of this SUBJ
ject again"
Eyes, papa"
George Urner was not ut FAULT in the
matter Roberta had fallen in love
with him. and. though George recipro-
Gated, lie was too honorable to attempt
to win her with nothing to support
her and frankly told her that they
should not be playing with tire"
What Roberta dreaded WAS than her
father should discharge George from
the bank. which would be n great mis-
fortune 10 him and for which she
should consider herself largely respOn-
sible. She was about tn send for her
lover to talk il over wlsen he came. to
see her in great trepidaidon.
II am ruined,'' he said. white-as a
sheet.
Great heavens, What is it?'
Il have given Il stranger who came
to the bank credit for 5000 more than
he is entitled to He came to the bank
yesterday and deposited $3.50. There
were many deIositors Mt the window,
and was hurried. The depositOr ask
ed for a certificate, aud instead of max
ing it for $3.50 I made it for 5000, en-
tering $500 on the stub Of the certif-
icate book. After banking hours. when
I came to make up my cash account,
found n deficit of 3.EJO. remember
ed the dep.,sitor. a German OF the low
er class. and hunted all over the city
for him without success"
"But sun,ly.'' said Roberta. when
he discovers the mistake he will bring
back the Ger tificate for correction"
THAT depends upon how honest he
is"
Poor little Roberta felt the truth OF
the saying. "Misfort1nes never come
singly" Her fathers warming was
scarcely delivered before her lover was
placed In a critical position He was
lie was iDt held for the loss he might
expect to he discharged for the gross
est carelessness.
Well" said Roberts, "what viii you
dog
"Say nothing about it at present.
trusting that the man may come back
to have the certificate righted"
Don't you think 1t would be better
TO report it ut once?'
"No. You shah be my confidant.
When the trouble comes you shall be
my witness that 1 told you about it,
When all hope is gone that the de-
positor will come back TO me with 1t
1 shall report the matter. Meanwhile
Ill carry the deficiency in the account"
Whether or no this was u wise meth
cd OF handling the mistake. George
UrDer decided upon il. After Rober-
ta's warning from her father George
and Roberta did not dare meet except
on occasions when they could do so
with but little risk. George carried a
heavy LOAD. and Roberta cheered and
confronted him. Day after day passed,
and no tidings of the depositor or the
certificate. IbOberta's father, though
pleased with her acQniescence to his |
commands. was much panied to see |
her grow pale and thin with a trou-
bled look always on her face. He did |
not know that the girl he had accused |
of puppy love was the mamstay Of her |
unfortunate lover. not perhaps the wise |
adviser an older woman might have
been. but tower of strength to enable |
him to bear a strain that was killing |
him. George when he saw that she |
was suffering with him regretted that |
he had told her, but the deed had been |
done. and there was no help for it,
Two years passed, years of mex |
pressible torture to the young man
wrapped in but one idea, the conceal |
ment of the deficiency in his cash. |
One day he was standing before his |
window at the bank when German |
Jew appeared and thrust a dirty little |
paper before him. George looked at |
the paper-a certificate for $500
then at the man. Slowly it came to /
him that here was the cause of his |
trouble Clutching To the cOunter-for
he was near fainting-with one hand,
with the other he clutched the GER
tificate
faltered-
II wants It all"
"Allr"
Yes, three hundred und feefty toll
lar"
George counted out the money-ha
was so bewildered that he. counted II