Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-08
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Weakness of an Amazon.

asked in an aggressive tone that qua
vered into pathos.
Such an unexpected answer caused
| Barnard to rise from his chair some
two or three inches before he remem-
| bered that it is the unexpected that al
ways happens. He sat down carefully.
having achieved a calm that implied
that hers was the generally recognized
method of answering a proposal.
"Why-er-for the same reason that
other men have asked you 10 marry
| them, I suppose-because ! care more
| for you than for any one else
THE Others" she said slowly. have
had various motives. There haven't
been so very many" she added, as if
| constrained TO be honest.
II have known you so short a time
l could not be aware of that l should
never have believed it without your
assurance"
The hardness of her face relaxed
| slightly. You are the fourth" she
said shortly.
"Will you tell me why the other three
failedT' softly.
She leaned back in her easy chair
and grasped its arms with q nervous,
awkward movement. Barnard noticed
| the strong, white hands, larger than
his by far.
DO men ever love woman that
weighs 195 pounds?" she asked bitterly.
Il have known one man that accom-
| plished the feat" He smiled in her
eyes encOuragingly.
zone couldn't feel an inclination to
hold hand of that size. It's uncom-
Portable in u ga glove" She held the
offending member before him as if she
could cheerfully have amputated the
| left one and have Overtaken the right
with a similar fate before they com
inundated to each other any knowI-
edge of their various doIngs.
The man l mentioned feels a trou-
blesome inclination to hold that very
hand" lie laughed.
You are old enough to have acQuir-
ed better taste" she retorted censOrl-
ously. How old are you, by the way"
Born exactly forty nine years and
three months ago.
az don't object to that" leniently.
at makes me feel somewhat better, l
think. \ woman of thirty-fiv likes to
feel young even by comparison"
I'm sure I'll never object to com
PARSONS in our family. If 1t pleases
| you We'll turn down Mr.. Shakespearc's
opinion concerning tn, m
I'm all my thirty-hve years. she
| began.
you seem proud to enumerate them.
You might knock off five without any
one suspecting." eying her with the
| air OF an expert.
simple honesty shouldn't be caught
| embezzling," she smiled, with n sense
| Of good comradeship. Her hands re-
Taxed from their grip on the chair and
fell more comfortably upon her lap.
didn't the other three think It
would be rather nice?" He looked
meaningly ut the hand nearest him.
Il don't think anybody ever wanted
| to-" she answered simply. Il look too
| much like the sturdy oak and have re-
ceived none of the tenderness that falls
| to the lot of clinging vines. OF course
there are storms from which the oak
might like to be sheltered. l don't like
my masculine Manner hate It," We
hemently-"but ii gives n better effect
than If l tried to be kittenish. \ hun
dred and ninety-fve pound kitten
would run such n serious risk of being
mistaken for n giddy elephant"
"Preciscly," he agreed.
"But even Il feminine elephant might
long to be admired occasionally and
loved"
Didn't the other three ever He
gently stroked the firm, white hand.
They didn't want to- she blushed
furiously.
"But why, then he commenced
"Oh. one OF them was a widower and
said it was so expensive having all the
sewing done out for four children"
He frowned sympathetically.
THE second wanted a partner to
help run a boarding school,
He nodded.
THE third was a preacher and
thought it was not good for man to
live alone. He didn't seem to think
dyspeptic tendencies and an INSULT
cient income obstacles to prevent his
finding a companion with all ease. In
fact. his manner was full OF assurance
that / would jump at the chance. None
OF them, nobody in all my life, ever
really cared for me. They only want
cd me TO help them do something"
Her eyes were full Of tears. 81
would like some one to love me as
they do the pretty little woman. 1
am just as affectionate and tender
hearted as If / were little and dainty"
her lip quivered and want-tO
be Ioved-and to be-like them" She
covered her face with her hands.
He sat down on the arm of the easy
chair with an mir that was joyous and
youthful.
Dear little woman" he said, ignor-
ing the fact that the shoulders shaken
by sobs were broad as his own, 1.-THE
other three needed killing. l would
love to slay them for you one by one,
but unfortunately there is a law
against it. 1 will content myself re-
joicing that their lack Of appreciation
left q chance for the fourth one" He