Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-05
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Nose Romance.
[Original.l

What a singular looking couple"
remarked Miss Cartright.
| do you think so? Poor things, they
can't help it. That Disagreement Is
connected with their courtship. Sit
| down; I'll tell you about it,"
Miss Cartright threw herself onto
| divan and Miss Anderson proceeded.
"Mrs. Buddington was not her hus-
| bands first love. That's where the TO-
nance comes in. l don't like stories
where children grow up together and
marry. prefer them where the parties
come together in some startling man
ner.
But / must tell you that Mr.. Bud
! dingtOn was first engaged to Miss Mar
| tin. 1t was one of those cases where
good, noble man. when he is too
young TO know his mind, falls in
love with a pretty face and afterward
meets one for whom he conceives a
grand passion. Mr.. Buddington was
! a gentleman born; Miss Martin was the
| daughter of a nobody.
We'll. one day Mr.. BuddingtOn was in
a trolley car. He was not in business
dress; afternoon dress-that is, frock
coat, silk hat and light pants
Trousers, you mean"
We'll, trousers if you like the name
better. OF course in such dress Il
gentlemans toilet is not completed
without silk umbrella. Mr.. Budding
ton carried one. He didn't carry 1t as
a lady would, by the handle, the point
lowered. but just like a man. under
his arm and at an angle. He was
holding to a strap, with his back to
the front of the car, when it came to
sudden stop. Mr.. BuddingtOn was
thrown violently backward. There was
Shrek directly behind him, and,
turning, he saw Il beautiful girl, with
her nose bleeding prOfusely. His UNI
brella point had rammed it,
'Mr BuddingtOn apOlOgized as best
he could and, as the bleeding continued,
suggested that the girl get out at cor
ner drug store. She consented, and at
the next corner Mr.. Buddington pulled
the bell rope, the car stopped, and the
two got out, attended by a sympathetic
married lady" -la
"It wouldn't have been proper for
them to go without a chaperOn," put in
Miss Cartright. How nicely it all
comes abOut.'
VERY. The drug clerk telephOned
for a doctor, who came and bound up
Miss Palmer's nose. That was her
name. Then Mr.. Buddington insisted
on calling a carriage. and the three were
driven to Miss Palmer's home.
THE next day Mr.. Buddlngton call
ed at Miss Palmer's house to ask how
she was doing. Miss Palmers mother
came down into the drawing room and
assured Mr.. Buddington that her
daughter was doing very well, but her
nose was bandaged and Il bag of ice
tied to the end of it to prevent re-
currence OF the bleeding. This of
course prevented Miss Palmer from
coming down."
81 wouldn't have gone down for
fortune" said Miss Cartright, quite
shocked at the idea.
MIR. Buddington called often. but
Mrs. Palmer always came down in her
stead, making excuses why Miss Palm
er did not come down herself. Mr.
BuddingtOn could not surmise what
ii meant. He was dreadfully wor
ried. Finally, at one of his visits, Miss
Palmer came down to see him, and
what do you suppose?"
"WhatI'
Her nose had been broken"
How awful
MIR. Buddington felt that he was to
blame for the broken nose, and was so
sweet about II that he quite captivatCd
the poor girl. He called frequently,
always asking her What can 1 do to
repair the damage?' You see her
beauty was spoiled and unfortunately
her face was her fortune. He couldn't
do anything TO repair the damage;
only a doctor could do that and there
was some reason why they didn't want
to perform an operation in her case. ]
don't know what. so there was moth
ing that Mr.. Buddington could do in
the matter except
ITO marry her"
How did you know it was coming
out that way"
I'm very good at seeing through i'm
penetrable plots"
But Mr.. BuddinGton was engaged to
Miss Martin. He passed many a day
and nights anguish, often lying awake
for hours struggling with himself like
the good noble man he was. thinking
himself bound in honor to both girls.
though he now knew he loved Miss
Palmer"
What did he dog
why, he wrote Miss Martin n good
kind note, telling her that he thought |
honor required him to marry Miss |
Palmer"
What Il high minded way to put it, |
Did she generously release himE''
why. no; she showed his note to her |
brother. who went to Mr.. Buddington's |
Office, and, before he knew what the |
fellow was going 10 do, Martin struck |
him in the face and
WHAT
Broke his nose"
The brute"
''Mr. Buddington felt released after
this"
Il should think So"
so he went TO Miss Palmer and pro-
posed 10 her And here's where n new