Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-03
DAILY SHORT STORY
AIMS AND THE MAN.

all but drowned in the roar of traffic
in the street Its three tunes followed
one another in ceaseless succession.
The jerky strains OF After the Bali
were supplanted by The Last Rose of
Summer and this in turn gave way to
Lead, Kindly Light" rendition
which was unique in uneven breaks
and phthisicky wheezes due to cOmpli-
cations in the internal mechanism of
the dilapidated affair.
Huddled on the bricks of the side
walk, his back resting against an iron
fence, an old man with a rusty gray
beard patiently ground the crank. In
the little tin cup beside the organ were
three pennies, and suspended from the
old mans neck was a tin sign with
the time worn announcement, Il Am
Blind
AS Francesca West and young Hol-
lander came down the street the organ
was in the throes of Lead, Kindly
Light and the spasmodic snarls it
sent out seemed somewhat in the ma
ture of a protest. Francesca caught
the young mans arm, and they halted
before the organ.
oh" she said under her breath,
what a horrible old man. And, fish
ing Il quarter from her purse, she
dropped it into the tin cup.
The old man touched his hat, grunt-
ed stereotyped Thanks. num-" and
the hymn squeaked along its uneven
way. HOllander watched the proceed
ing with Il grim smile.
The old humbugI' he commented as
they continued their way down the
street
why do you say that?" Francesca
asked.
Well" said Hollander, perhaps you
noticed he suffixed his thanks with a
mum instead of 81 sir l was watch
ing closely and saw the old codger
covertly open the eye nearest the cup.
Rest assured he saw the quarter and
its donor as well as l did,
Anyway" she said, The earns the
pittancc he gets. Imagine sitting there
all the morning grinding that organ
and listening 10 its drone, all for three
pennies
Don't let the pennies deceive YOU"
IolIander protested. He puts the
niCkels and dimes in his pockets. 1t
would hurt business to have the tin
cup look too prosperous. BY this time
your quarter is safely sailed with the
rest, and the three pennies make their
pathetic appeal to other tender hearts"
Francesca's brow wriDkled in disap-
prevail.
Of INn
such green goggles of cynicism,' she
said. Il always give something to
every beggar in my path"
ALLOW me to take exception to that
statement" said the young man. Some
Of the beggars' pleas you don't deign
to notice"
Indeed" said the girl with slight
lifting of her pretty eyebrows. when
have you noticed such oversight on
my part?'
There is one beggar in particular"
said HOllander, IAN honest beggar, too,
whom you utterly ignore. He needs
your aims far more than your pseudo
blind organ grinders
Where is this neglected beGgari"
she asked. when have / seen him?"
-
last five years." he said gravely. lie
has sat at your feet and held out his
little tin cup for aims, but you have
been blind to his presence and deaf
to his plants"
Francesca smiled maliciOusly.
"Is he ragged and dirty" she asked.
''WOuld / know he was a beggar just
to see him?"
You would know he was q beggar
just to hear him." he returned.
lis it money he begs?" she inquired
sweetly.
NO" he said, Its not money he
wants. He has enough of that him
self He begs for interest and sym
pathy and love"
And suppose dropped some love
er that is, sympathy, | mean-in his
cup, what would he do7 Would he
grind me tune on a decrepit barrel or
gan?'
He'd give you lifelong devotion in
return" he said earnestly.
Perhaps he's as big n humbug as the
blind man. she unused. Perhaps he's
picked the metaphorical dimes and
nickels out of his cup and slowed them
in his pockets, and only let's me see the
three pathetic pennies"
Francesca he said in hurt surprise.
She laughed rather uneasily.
Il said perhaps" she reminded him.
Il see,'' he said, somewhat Modified.
There was silence between them for
a moment
Hes an honest beggar," the young
man said.
He's a most persistent one" she
laughed
You say you give aims to every rag
ged mendicant who crosses your path.
You wouldn't pass him by, would yOu?"
he asked.
IF 1 thought he really needed
aims she began.
He does! 1 assure you he does" he
said eagerly.