Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-30
DAILY SHORT STORY
A LOVE GAME.
IOriginall

you serve, said Miss Spencer.
/ served the ball so that il fell on the
edge OF the table. very nearly before
| her. She was standing too close and
missed it.
That's horrid ball. she said.
1 served again. This time Miss Spen-
Ger stood far back from the table. l
served so lightly that the ball barely
fell over the net. She hadn't time to
move forward and missed again.
That's another hOrrid ball" she
said. poutinS When / play with Mr..
Austin he never gives me such balls"
MIR. Austin. being i'll favor. can't af-
ford 10 play To win
She was about To- pass me the ball.
but at this she stopped short and look
ed at me
what do you mean:' she asked
coldly.
1.-The English language is not adapted
10 making my meaning any palmer"
knew perfectly well that Mr.. Aus
tin, being in possession of $4,000
year was considered by the Spencer
family a suitable parti for Miss Spen-
Ger. Mr.. Austin was Il globe trotter. /
a poor man Of business. Miss Spencer.
fearing I would explain still further.
passed me the ball. preferred 10 con-
time the subject.
"Men OF Mr.. Austin's age began.
81 suppose you consider your own
age the most desirable"
II would not venture at twenty three
TO compete with n man Of
Its thirty-love." interrupted Miss
Spencer. isn't it,
Forty" l replied.
Thirty eight" said Miss Spencer.
81 was not aware that there was any
such count in pingpong."
"Oh. pshaw, You know well enough
that I-why can't you play the game
and let Mr. Austin alone:'
why can't you let Mr.. Austin
alone:''
"Do you mean To imply" she an
swered. bristling that l am demean-
ing myself 10y trying 10 catch Mr.. Aus
ting
You don't need to do that"
care you going TO play pingpong or
continue 10 discuss disagreeable sub
jects?''
So the projected marriage was a dis
agreeable subject. l concluded to play
pingpong for awhile and think over the
situation. Indeed. l paid so much at
tentiOn 10 my play that / beat three
straight games. The last ball rolled
off where we couldn't find il, and we
sat down TO rest.
II WISH said Miss Spencer. Ito cor
rect some impressions you have with
regard TO Mr.. Austin"
81 thought your love affairs were dis
agreeable subjects which you preferred
TO have me let alone"
II only referred TO Mr.. Austin"
Then the attentions of Mr.. Austin
involve u love AFFAIR."
How horrid you are tonight. l
didn't say that
You mean. after all. that the sub
ject of love- or. TO speak more particu-
larly. any mention OF your love affairs.
IS disagreeable TO you"
81 don't have love affairs. thank you.
One can have but one love affair"
AT time"
81 mean that when girl has two
suitors she will only love one of them"
while her family may love the 9th
er"
To this Miss Spencer made no reply.
She was picking at n button on the
skirt of her dress.
Then am TO assume that your fam
lily wish you to accept Mr.. Austin,
while you
left her TO finish: but, since she
would not speak her part OF the dia-
logue. / was obliged TO speak 1t for her. |
Not having yet fallen in love and !
mindful that Mr.. Austin is able to |
make life easy for you. you are about |
to yield 10 the wishes or your family |
and accept him"
Miss Spencer was still silent 1t Is |
said that silence means consent There |
fore the logical deductions were that |
Miss Spencer loved no one. but she |
would marry Mr.. Austin. But j felt |
pretty sure that IL Miss Spencer had /
not vet fallen in love and was about |
to marry Mr.. Austin she would assent |
to my proposition and admit the fact.
She did not admit Il: therefore took
her silence for denial. This may be !
fine distinction; nevertheless / acted /
upon il.
Don't YOU think" L went on. that
you. being n woman OF age and capa-
BILE Of Judging for yourself, would do
better TO choose poor man with fu-
ture than a rich man with none? II
you have not yet loved. 1 have. I
love-
The door opened. and Miss Spencers
father came into the room
Il thought you two were playing
pingpong." he said. going to the side
board where there was a racket His
back being turned, i darted a quick
glance at his daughter Her hand was
close 10 mine. and 1 clasped il. She
gave mine a pressure that sent thrill
up my arm TO my heart.
which beatT' asked Mr.. Spencer,
looking for n ball.
The first game" I replied. Miss
Spencer was forty-love for awhile. but
1 crawled up on her and at last beat
her. The last was a love game, In
which / was the victor"