Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-13
DAILY SHORT STORY
OUR COMPANION oUARRELERs.
[Originall


the exhiIaration OF champagne. with
this difference-the effect was lasting.
The foliage was young and of tender
hue. The streams gave sound TO the
laughter ia our hearts.
The evening Of our arrival we walked
around the side OF a mountain and
found Il coy spot under rock where
there was u rustic bench, the position
fianked by neighboring peaks rejecting
the last rays of the setting sun. Far
beneath was the plain with what look
Ell like gentle undulations. though some
of them were high hills, patches of
farms and woods, and the river. mere
thread. running across the panorama
from north to south. We sat on the
bench and were wrapped in each other
and the view. speaking lat seldom, for
there was no need for speech. We
felt, and with us to feed was enough.
True. there were soft w1iSperings. but
they were not essential 10 the inter
mingling currents OF happiness.
One morning during OAR stay l awoke
with a headache I dihmOt tell Herbert
hair before the mirror withOslt our us
uIl Clldl. SIbilitl ltaNt- S<tlal iIldl 1
didn't feel we'll but Herbert should
have noticed it and said something
soothing Instead he Siid nothing
and, when dressed. We went down
Sullenly to breakfast There was
nothing on the menu that | want
ed. Herbert tried To decide for me
and l spoke to him sharply. He turn
ed 10 his paper ana didn't make an
other remark during the meal. Usually
| sat with him on the piazza while he
smoked. This morning / went into
the drawing room. WhcnJwe met we
were both silent and sulleS. Then be
gan elimination and determination.
Come" said Herbert. these people
have been watching our quarrel We
must keep ont of their way. Let us go
somewhere"
what matter? We shall probably
quarrel all our lives and must get used
To being seen quarreling."
THAT depends upon you. If you con
time to
Don't you see" interrupted. that
young fellow looking at you. He knows
by your expression that you are angry.
He may have sweetheart"
Perhaps our case may induce him
to keep his neck out of a halter. How
ever we must get away. Let us 90
around the mountain to the rustic seat
beneath the rock. Ihere'H bc no one
there at this time Of'day."
We stroIled away. followed by the
glauccs of all on the piazza \ few
days before they had noticed our dem
Onstrative happiness: now they com
mented on our I'll concealed misery. We
said nothing till we had passed out Of
hearing and then only gave vent to our
mutual spite by single thrust Of
mine. followed by one from Herbert.
after which we heldlour tongues till we
reached the rock. There we seated our
selves and continued.Our quarrel. Feel
ing safe from being overheard, our
voices were gradually raised higher
and higher We forgot where we were.
what we had come TO the mountains
fOr-alI hut TO repay cruel words with
words more cruel
"Hark" said Herbert suddenly.
l ceased TO speak. and we both lis
tened
There's n woman over yOnder. She's
fighting some oner' said Herbert.
Il don't care if there is" | replied,
and | finished, or tried to finish, what
| was saying when Herbert interrupted
me with the angriest words he had yet
spoken When he had finished he saw
me listening not to him. but for some
thing distant.
What is il 2" he asked.
"There's man with that woman. l
.,
cruelest language
We both listened, but heard nothing
more Then we began again. this time
both talking at once. Suddenly !
stopped. then Herbert. both listening.
That mans brute said Herbert.
The wOman's yiragO."
What foOls!''
"DisgustinG."
The mans the meaner of the two"
said Herbert.
mo worse than the woman. | never
heard such words and such tone from
one Of my sex before The worst Of 1t
is she said Just what / said to YOU
And | heard the man say something
| said to you. Sweetheart, let US make
up"
his arm ~ ~ atOsiiii lAA's dhA Nv vi a ~
me To him with n sob. while well. /
only wept.
Let us resolve" said Herbert, that
hereafter when we speak an angry
word we will think of those horrid PEG
pie
When we had recovered our com
posture we walked back To the hotel,
our former happiness also partly re
stored
Pleasant walk asked the landlord.
Very pleasant. We've been to the
rock around the mountain"
"Oh, the talking rock. There's the
finest echo there OF any In America"
looked at Herbert. and Herbert
looked ut me. We went into the house
and up 10 our room. There | claimed
10 have been the cause Of our trouble,
Herbert made similar self accusation,
Vh.r,L-ad hoo ,-a,, for hav