Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-02
DAILY SHORT STORY
Burying a FriendShip.


soft loan of the bank or made vicious
little jabs at the prickly balls on a
clamp of bur1ock near by. Tom Dav-
ton sprawled comfortably on the ground
and blew smoke rings.
1t * such relief" she said as she
finally succeeded i'll bringing one of
the burdocb balls 10 earth, to know
one man who won't talk love to YOU
on the slightest provocation, even if he
is smoky and sleepy and stupid every
time YOU sit down with him.
so they all talk love to you unused
Tom. Don't suppose you help 'em
out any-don't give 'em good openings
and lead EN- on and that sort of thing,
ell. Kitten
She regarded him steadily for sew
eraI moments. while her nose seemed
TO tilt the fraction of an inch higher.
1T isn't my fault that 1 adore canoe
ing and dancing and golf she said
Il 20 canoeing with some mild appear
ing youth who apparently goes for the
mere love of the river. or | waltz with
some seemingly harmless man who evil
IDENTITY dances from the sheer love of it,
or | knock Il ball about the links with
some athletic chap like towheaded Car
ter, and to all appearances our con-
versatfOn will be confined to brassies
and tees and so forth. But just as l
congratulate myself that here is the
hundredth man who takes precedence
over the other nncty-nine in that he
hn
wishes the paddle or the waltz or The
game might go on forever. It's dis
heartening and sickaning. Why can't
men be sensible like YOU, TommyE'
"Arranc riatterer" said Dayton.
-Four years. she went on-"foUr
summers of perfect friendship. You've
never once violated it,"
Not openly" lac said slowly.
Nor otherwise" She said firmly
Hmm" he mUScd indolently. turn
ing his gaze across the river. where the
pines on the hills stood out sharply
against sky Redeemed by the sunset
Kitten" he said suddenly, proppin%
himself on an elbow, You shouldn't
wear such fluffy white dresses nor that
sort of hat. and for the love of heaven
don't put any of those marsh orchids i'll
your belt again"
She turned to linn with sudden sur
prise in her eyes. III all the years she
had known him this was the first criti-
ciSm of her lie had ever Offered
And why not. pray" she asked.
They are fatal To certain varieties of
friendship" he responded.
81
chided
Tommy Dayton. mortal man." he
corrected.
Silence fell between them. Dayton
settled back and resumed the SLOW puff
ing of his pipe. While she renewed her
attack on the burdock.
Kitten he said at length, Il want
TO tell you about a piece q cOwardice
that came to my attention. l-istening:"
"Um-um-m," she said Sing on.
Tommy"
We'll. there was chap knew once
met very charming girl. We can dis
pense with a description 81 the charms
of this pair from the simple reason
that he had none, and she had so many
that words could never do hem justice.
with the girl. only he couldn't tell her
about il. for lie was a poor devil of an
engineer without one dollar to rub
against another But he had prospects
in the world and therefore took heart
though he kept seal on his lips The
girl came To be rather fond of him as
a friend"
He paused She WAS stabbing the
hurd" % ;lump rapidly with the para
sal .'r eyes gave him no inklinS of
her thoughts. Tommy resumed:
Finally off he goes To South Ameri-
"a to build trolley lines and make his
pile. which latter he succeeded partial
ly in doing Each summer lie came
back to the States and the girl. And
all the way up on the steamer he'd be
making up his mind TO let this girl
know the true state Of his feelings:
used to think up just what he'd say
and 90 way up forward in the bow
evenings and practice ii there all alone.
Some rough night he'd be standing
there spOuting his proposal to the sea.
when. whack. the splash of wave, as
the steamer put her nose into it. would
strike him in the face. That's just
what I'll get from her he'd say 10
water And the nearer
he came to home the more he became
convinced of this until when he really
saw her and she told him how delight
full their friendship was he'd agree with
her and keep on agreeing all summer
The parasol had come to rest. The
girls clasped hands were on the han
lie. and her hot cheek lay against her
hands She was regarding him quiz
ideally.
Rather n fool. wasn't l % he said.
oh. Tommy Tommy" she said re-
Droa chfully. don't tell me you wish
we could stay here forever"
He rose and came close 10 her.
I'm sorry to give you pain he said
but | have all the horrible symptoms
weakness Of the knees and tongu'
rleaving 10 the roof Of my mouth. II
l. SEe1 1R.sH~ -