Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-15
DAILY SHORT STORY
a Man o. PROMISE.
lOriginaIl


New England town. She went away
from home TO be educated. and before
her final return her father died. leav-
| ing only the house in which the family
| had lived Niles whitman had been
sutton for her hand since she was little
more than Il child, but Niles had gone
to college. where he had been gen
eral flag in term time. q teacher in va
cation. This was essential to his edu-
cation When Bernice finished at
school and went home Whitman was
Struggling IN a law school in much the
same fashion he had pulled himself
through college.
Bernice was a more high bred girl
than the other girls in her town She
would have passed in social life any
where. On her return she learned that
young curate. Tracy Bond, had
come TO the village during her alb
sence, an intellectual young fellow and
very agreeable. He had. however.
been brought up in the most artistic
cratic circles in the land and did not
appear TO take much interest in the
girls Of his parish Bernice was in
formed by her friends that she must
not be disappointed if he failed TO no.
tice her But when she and Rev.
Mr.. Bond met he not only noticed
her. but devoted himself to her. The
result was a love affair. and in time
Bond called on Mrs. Doane to ask for
her daughters hand.
Now. Mrs. Doane was a very prac-
teal woman. During the call she sat
quietly knitting. chatting the while
with her visitor. gradually getting at
the bottom of the young mans ability
to make wife comfortable and taking
his measure without his in the least
suspectinG II.
My income at present" said the rev
erend gentleman, with stress on the lat
present" lis a mere six hundred
year. but l have q strong friend in the
bishop. and the Bond family is by no
means disposed to see one of its mem
bers left in the lurch. Our family,
which l may truthfully assure you is
one of the oldest in our state, has
Yes, yes" interrupted Mrs. Doane, Il
have heard of the standing of your
family. Has it sufficient means to keep
up style of living commensurate with
its honorable name?''
oh. yes" replied the young man.
My father. it is true, has not attained
the success he deserves. but my Uncle
Edward is now engaged in putting Il
copper mine on paying basis and is
just on the eve of success
And will share his profits with you.
suppose:" asked the lady dryly.
Uncle has always been very fond Of
me-" replied the curate uneasily, but
of course since he has eight children 1
don't count on funds from him. But l
am sure of his influence. l am rather
looking to preferment in my profession
and the sale of some western lands
taken by my grandfather for a debt.
Bernice is a noble girl and is fitted to
take the position l have IN view for
her. | do not intend that she shall be
put to the necessity Of doing mental
work My wife shall never go into the
kitchen. My family would cut me If
l allowed such thing. 1 am quite sure
1t Will stand by me in my marriage
and will be able to make my path and
Bernice's a smooth one"
This ended the interview. and Rev.
Mr. Bond departed, feeling that he had
silcnced any doubts Mrs. Doane might
have had as to the eXpediency of trust
ing her daughter to one of the old and
tried Bond family.
When Mrs. Doane was alone Bernice
Joined her, holding in her hand n let
ter from Niles Whitman, which she
gave to her mother to read. 1t was a
reminder Of a youthful promise she had
given him, but releasing her if she wish
ed to be released, since she was ROW
a woman of an age to make her future.
while he still had years of plodding
ahead, with no one but himself to help
him. Mrs. Doane handed back the let
ter.
Niles is doing something" she said,
land promising nothing. while Mr..
Bond is doing nothing and living in a
roseate world of expectation that some
one will do something for him. You
must make your own decision, my
daughter. ! know that no one can
successfully interfere with a girl fol
lowing the dictates OF her heart, but
If l were you | would decline Bond
and accept Niles Whitman"
1t was a bitter struggle. but Bernice
Inherited the practical nature of her
mother and rejected the curate and in
time married the lawyer
Rev MIR. Bond before he left the
parish became engaged to one of Ber-
|nice's friends. Bernice was bit shak-
en- when she thought of the handsome
curate in his canonicals led to the al
tar by another. But she tided over her
emotions and in time forgot all but her
happiness as the wife Of a young law
yer. full of pluck and resource, rapidly
making his way into lucrative bust
ness.
Ten years after Bernice's marriage
and about as many after the marriage
OF Rev. Mr.. Bond, Mrs. Whitman and
her mother, being in the city where
Bond and his wife were settled, thought
Ii good opportunity to call on them.
The dOOrbeil was answered by Mrs.
Bond. whose drawn features indicated
that she had not found life as roseate
II 1. Il