Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-18
DAILY SHORT STORY
a.. N
MY CONFIDENTIAL FRIEND.
[Originall

lie proposed 10 me. uslN eli 1 me
slightest idea what lie said. He had
hard time in getting it out. and l
didn't help him bit. He made sew
eral attempts before lac was success
full; then it came out incoherently. AS
soon as he began l knew what was
coming, and that was all cared about
it. He talked on. while 1 was in a de-
lirium of joy and never heard Il word.
1 don't believe he could repeat sen
tence of what he said. and I'm sure l
couldn't.
When we went back to the house we
felt obliged to go into the library,
where the family were. l felt so hap
py l wanted to tell them all about it
then and there, but Walter looked as if
he had been stealing sheep. l can't I'M
derstand why men are so ashamed of
giving way to their gentler emotions.
July 1S.-Miss Graves came yester-
day She is 10 be with us a week. l
wish she had stayed away. She lis
tened obviously 10 all | had to say
about Walter and our engagement.
then threw bucket of cold water over
meat least she might as well have
done SO. She said she had heard of so
many cases where men had deserted
the girls they had professed to love
that she had at last kept record of
enga ged couples and found that ont of
twenty cases only five resulted in mar
riage In the others IT was the mans
fault every time.
! wonder how she knew that the man
was always to blame.
Sept. S.-Wc are to leave for the city
tomorrow 1t has been the most de-
lightful summer | have ever spent
that Is. since Miss Graves left She
never sympathiZed with me in my con
fdcnce in Walter, always listening to
what l said of him with an i'll sup
pressed sneer. She said she hoped l
would not be disappointed, but her
statistics indicated that there were
three chances in four that l would.
Sept. 1O-We came home yesterday.
Walter is unfortunately away on bust
ness. I'm sure he is away on business,
though Miss Graves says that the prob
ability IS he has gone to the country to
see some other girl. What nonsense.
But l wish she hadn't said it.
Sept 20.-I am very miserable. l
was suspicious of Walter when he re-
turned and showed il by being cool to
him-that IS, l wasn't At all demon
strativc. l am not satisfied with the
reason he gave for his absence. lie
admits that he spent one night at the
seashore and that an old friend of his,
Laura Goodwin. was there. Walter
and l parted coldly.
Sept. 22.-NIiSS Graves told me she
had heard that Laura Goodwin and
Walter had once been on the eve of an
engagement. She has convinced me
that there is something I'm this matter
and that Walters visit TO the Seashore
was for a purpose Miss Graves has
no faith in men whatever and advises
me TO be very careful what l do. She
| kindly took me into her confidence and
| told me that she had had a lover who
treated her exactly as Walter is treat
| ing me-that is, as she thinks he is
| treating me- Her lover walked off de
| liberately and married another girl.
| This was ten years ago. l suppose |
| ought TO rely on her more than l do,
| she is so much older than l and has
! llIl 50 DlltI lllOIt experience.
Nov. Fit is all over. Our engage
mcnt IS broken. Walters visit to Laura
| Goodwin lasL September did il. At least
| that started il. Besides, Walter has been
very Jealous Of Amelia Graves and has
warned me repeatedly to keep away
! from her If his conscience was clear
he wouldn't mind how many friends l
might have 10 spy on him. for he
SAYS that's what Amelia IS doing How
unjust. She is simply giving me the
! benefit of her experience. Heigh-ho!
| What a miserable world to live in,
| To think that Walter should have re
| leased me so easily. When 1 told him
he was welcome TO marry Laura Good
win he said that she at least didn't
have any bosom friends TO advise her.
and she would trust him implicitly. If
he marries her l don't know how |
shall he able to refrain from murder.
Dee. ST. am so mad that | would
like 10 tear the shingles off the roof.
That woman. that thing, that NEEDLE
some creature. Amelia Graves, has
| ruined me. Just listen 10 this:
! Dearest Helen-I have the great Joy to
announce to you my engagement To- Mr.
! ENOt-H SllcllitleA ct tNI4al a LbIIll itallltl
my lover that l told You about But
| didn't tell you that his wife was dead.
! We met a week ago. and he told me- that
he had never ceased to love me lie was
/ very Cunsiderate OF his wife. not blaming
| her at all because she couldn't win his
| heart from me. thus showing himself L.
be a true man I am SO happy. Your low
ing AMELIA GRAVES.
T. Slow is your affair with Walter
| coming or? RUmor has i that he is de
/ voted TO Laura Goodwin.
Talk about men deserving women,
If this isn't the meanest case of 4 wO-
mans deserving one of her own sex
don't know what meanncSs is. I'm
nearly crazy.
Jan. 1.-Well. I'm happy once more
after months Of misery. I wrote 4
humble letter to Walter last night. and
this afternoon lie came IN radiantly
/ happy He said he had no alternative
but 10 let me go till ! found out the
inexpediency of having confidential