Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-13
DAILY SHORT STORY
CHRISTMAS WEDDING.

seaport town. One day while waiting,
In order to kill time, i visited the life
saving station. Just before reaching 1t
/ passed a boxlike affair built on
dune. measuring about six feet byffour.
Facing the ocean was low door and
beside it a window, through which
peered the saddest face L ever saw-the
face of q woman. She was still, young
and attractive in appearance. though
her hair was white as snow Sitting
by the window, her arm resting on the
sill. she was peerinG out to sea as
though looking for ship.
At the life saving station | was told
that her name was Caroline Owens.
Ten wears before her lover. John I've
'yor. sailor, had started in lSeptember
ON the schooner Mary DeaIse 10 make
a short voyage from which he was to
have returned for Christmas and their
wedding. Caroline prepared her wed
ding OUTFIT could scarcely be Dig
nified by the name OF trousseau-and
Christmas festivities were also arrang-
ed for. but on Christmas eve snip
came in with the news that the Mary
Deane had gone ashore in storm and
every man on board had perished-
. 1t was a sad Christmas for everyone
in the neighborhood. Caroline was
stunned. She did not weep. She SIM
ply looked out of her eyes at vacancy
and said nothing. Every day she would
go to the beach and, standing on
dune just above the life saving station,
peer out to sea. In storm and sunshine
Iaac CT do ND
when the spring came on and the
weather was pleasant she would spend
most of the day there. Then the kind
hearted life savers built her the little
shelter and invited her TO take posses
sion of il.
Some OF the men considered her as
having gone daft at the death of her
lover, while others thought her mental
" sound was told by one of them.
Markham by name, who in confidence
confessed to me that he had fallen in
love with her and would gladly marry
her, though he had never mentioned
the subject to her, that every Deem
Der she became possessed with the idea
that her lover would return on Christ
mas eve. She had told him there was
feeling within her too strong TO be re-
sisted that Trevor was alive, wander
ing here and there, mostly on the sea;
that there was some reason why he
could not return To- her. but this reason
would in time be removed. This most
persons considered mania induced by
the shock she had suffered.
L often passed her sentry box and
grew more and more impressed with
the sad but hopeful face always peer
ing out to sea. When L went away
left with Markham. the man who had
given me his confidence. some money,
charging him TO tell her that an I'M
known person had given it To him To
be used for IL wedding present on the
return of her lover. | did this hoping
it might give her pleasure. She was
convinced that Trevor would come
back. and | believed it might he best
to foster this belief.
returned TO the city, autumn faded
into winter and the SHOWS came down.
One morning n man appeared at my
office whom | did not recognize for
moment, but when I did Il saw that he
was Markham.
What brings you heTe:' 1 asked.
taking his rough hand in mine.
There's wedding on" he replied.
"A wedding:'
"Yes; Carrie Owens. I've come to
buy the gift"
And you
"Oh. no. no: better than that" There
was a double expression of pain and
joy in his face and in his voice.
Come. sit down here and tell me-"
You remember the storm of the 30th
OF November" he said. well. that
was the worst I've ever experienced.
Carrie Owens spent the day in her box.
The next day would be the LIST of De
cember. and that was the month she
was always the worst. / tried several
times To induce her to go home. but she
wouldn't Just as il was getting dark
| l looked up ut the box and saw man
coming from behind it. He was evil
IDENTITY coming for Carrie. for his eyes
We're on the box. Suddenly he'rOunded
TO the front and stood before her. Then
heard u shrek and knew that Jack
Trevor had come at last
He went on TO tell me that Trevor
had been injured in the head at the
| time of the wreck. had been thrown
ashore and had wandered about with
out any remembrance as 10 who he
was. Finally, when i'll in n hospital, a
surgeon had discovered n displacement
of a small piece OF his skull, had ire
Ipanned him and brought back his
memory. Then he had made for home
and Caroline. He didn't come by sea.
as she expected" added my informant
| '.but he came all the same0
He bore an invitation for me to the
wedding, and / accepted. On Christ
mas eve l arrived at the cottage OF
Caroline Owens parents and was in
troduced to Caroline herself. So preoc-
cupied had she been when i was pass
ing her box that she did not remember
| to have ever seen me.
OF course both she and Trevor bore