Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-31
DAILY SHORT STORY
HER MANIA.
Original ]

oeen visiting friends NJ the hotel Har
icy said TO me:
| Did you notice girl come into tn
room we were in. look out on the wa
tiers wisifully and 20 away"
Il did She interested me"
shes n harmless lunatic. I'm told
| Miss Dudley She has mania-think:
| every man she meets wants TO marry
her: must be Notifying TO her family
Just think, She declines offers befor,
| they are made
IF she would accept one from me be
| fore il was made Id be tempted 10 con
| slider il contract"
Not with lunatic. Billy. That
would he crime
The next day Il party was made NJ
| TO 60 on the boat 10 Norfolk and return
Harley and included. We had scarce
~ left rhe dock when Harley passed
me and said:
shes aboard"
"WhoY'
The lunatlc Miss Dudley. the girl
who declines offers of marriage before
they're made"
Well. poor girl. hope the trip will
benefit her
Later | saw Miss Dudley standing
with some people l knew and Joined
the party purpOsely 10 secure an intro
duction. WAS curious 10 know if she
would decline 10 marry me without an
invitation. | made an excuse 10 get her
away from the others. and we were
soon in a snug corner out of the wind
beginning an acquaintance. The topic
Of conversation turned on the artillery
corps and our stations.
1t seems To me-" said Miss Dudley.
that you gentlemen of the red have
the pick OF the service-at least in
peace times. You never go out into
the western wilderness; most of your
time is spent on the coast"
THAT accounts for more of the ar
tillery officers being married, l sup
pose" | replied.
Are there more OF them married
than in the other corps?''
! replied that | thought there were,
but was not sure. l had only asked
the question TO lead her on to what /
wanted
II think" she said. that clergymen
and soldiers should never marry"
why so:''
The clergy should be free from Il
responsibility OF making n living for
IA family: the soldier should carry his
life in his hands,
Il don't agree with you. / believe
that every man is II better man and
consequently better able 10 do his duty
in any field when married than when
single"
What would You. for instance. do
with wife: You are ordered from
pillar TO post. and every time You
move your wife would have to pack
and unpack household goods. What IL
life for woman TO Lead
But think Of the certainty of the
income Uncle Sam Is the best of
pay. \ clerk marries. loses his posi-
ton. and poverty stares him in the
face The officer holds his commission
for life"
but not for death. have heard
that it Is the part OF soldier TO die
There was not IN all this one word
to Indicate an unbalanced mind, and
instead OF leading up To a point where
she might decline To marry me her
words tended To keep me away from
such an event.
Death i such an uncertainty. |
said. even I'm the army. that il *
scarcely To be considered. The army
is delightful circle. We are all broth
ers and sisters in the service. and the
lives Of officers families. / believe.
more than an average of hap
U i'll H..,. i'll
Or poor. could not do better than mar
~ an officer. II poor. she Is sure OF
q fiXeI income: II rich. the army may
give her u social position she-would |
not otherwise attain
She turned her head away and made |
no reply for few moments. then spoke |
with her head still averted.
Captain. YOU surely cannot blame |
ne for this. ! have endeavOred TO keep |
rOu from saying what you have said |
mi cannot cOnscieniiously permit you |
q say more IL l. useless for ysu TO |
lrgue I will never marry I'm the ar
nv"
Though I had angled for II. expected |
{. was surprised when il came. In
Iced was heartily ashamed Of the |
'art had played.
My dear Miss Dudley" ! said in a
'oice melting with pity. ''let us Join
our friends
We arose and Joined group sitting
lear. Somehow IL struck me that the
'oor girl had led To show her mental
weakness wore a look akin to distress.
During the evening while at the hotel
saw Miss Dudley at "A distance. She
'owNi To me. and with the bow
bought noticed an embarrassed.
"a tined took.
AZ any rate. I was curious to know
rore OF the emotion that possessed her.
nj. Joining her. led her to a window.
where we sank into easy chairs in view
Z the water
Captain" she said. forgive me.
IN not the poor girl who declines offers
Z marriage. Your friend was mistak-