Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-27

other and make them everlasting init
mates. / was in business, in a small
way. in the town of which my friend
is now resident. He was a peddler,
and had a habit of going on periodical
sprees. One evening, discouraged
with trade and having aboard little
more liquor than he could carry with
comfort. he called on me at my store,
sat down and went to sleep.
Suddenly he awoke and opening the
door of the stove he pitched into If
what appeared to be a roll of bills,
and then threw himself back in
chair and buried his face IN his hands.
rushed over to the stove and got the
wallet out before it had been affected
by the flames, the fire having FORUM
ately died down. j put the wallet IN
the cash drawer. My caller, with
whom 1 had only a slight acquaintance
then, in an hour or such a matter.
went TO his room to retire. He was
living alone.
Next day he had sobered up. He
returned TO my store, and with tears
in his eyes. said he was fat; did not
have enough money to pay his fare to
n town that he had to make in his
rounds. He did not know anyone well
enough to ask for a loan, and won
dered if / would trust him with s. I'M
til the end of the week. The man did
not mention that the day before he
had a roll. / was satisfied he did not
know what become of il and was try
ing to forget.
Il todd him / would trust him for
the amount he asked and handed
bill over to him. He was profuse in
his thanks. We had nice talk, and
when he was taking his leave L
brought forth the-wallet that he had
pitched into the fire the night before.
1t contained 5000, his savings for
months. | told him of his foolhardy.
performance. He had no recollection
of it, he said, and | believed him. He
took my hand and thanked me. Since
then we have been the closest friends.
Besides il was lesson TO him. He
never again allowed himself to become
intoxicated 70 the point of wanting TO
burn his money. He is now one of the
wealthiest men in the city in which he
makes his home. | would trust him
with all that l possess. and he has
equal commence IN me.
There is a young man in the city
who has had an experience on the
girl proposition that will cause him
70 ponder for a while. 1t was one of
those iClts. the force of which he says
is sufficient to convince the ordin-
airy mortal that single blessedness is
not such a bad stunt after all. Mat
tiers had progressed to the selecting
of a minister. when she remarked that
it would be graceful act on her part
to pay mamma a visit in Chicago before
the marriage took place. and give her
sort of surprise party. She would take
along a picture of her intended to
show mamma what a nice man she
had given her heart TO.
She was n girl who had been obliged
to earn her own way since very young.
her folks being in poor circumstan-
ces. She was employed as servant
in a home here. The young man. who
holds lucrative position. induced her
TO leave her place some weeks before
the date set for the wedding in order
that she might have ample time to
make all preparations for the event.
He would bear the expenses.
She was fitted with two new dresses.
a picture hat and pin money. Then
she sprung the Chicago visit. He will
ingly assented, bought her railroad
ticket and handed her $50 to make &
fash with the folks in the big city. He
told her if that was not enough all
she had to do was to wire for more.
He accompanied her to the railroad
station. kissed her goodbye and sepa-
rated from her happy in the assurance
that il would only be a week when they
would be united never to part from
one another again during life.
She would write him every day while
absent.
One letter came. and since then he
has not heard n word. She never re-
turned 10 the city. and all efforts or
his part to locate her in Chicago have
proved unavailing. The mamma story.
he now realizes. was ruse. He has
come to since and confesseS that he
has been beautifully worked.
Better Than Gold.
81 was troubled for several years