Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-08-08
DAILY STORY
A SUDDEN CONVERSION.
tOriginal.1

II
two months when his wife announced
TO him that she wished her mother to
come to live with them. Frost had only
kindly feelings toward Mrs. Englehart,
but he fatty refused.
From that time his Bertha was
changed toward him. She often failed
TO give him the connubial kiss when he
went to business in the morning or on
his return When she did SO it was
without the previous heartiness. From
feeling kindly toward her mother he
gradually came to consider her Il mon
ster who had turned his wife from him.
Certain hints as to this he dropped
from time to time did not improve
matters, and there grew Up between
the couple an estrangement
One day when the husband returned
from business he found that the blow
he had begun to dread had fallen. His
wife did not meet him at the door as
she had done always before this mat
ter had come between them, and, GO
ing into the house, there was an omi-
nous silence. He called, but received
no answer Mounting to their bed
room. he found a note on the dresser
announcing that. since he considered
his wife's mother not worthy to live
with them, his wife did not consider
that she ought to live with him.
A week passed. long, lonely, mis-
cradle week He was at times tempt
ed to 90 after, his wife and bring both
her and her mother back with him, but
invariably decided that if his wife
hi tIn1nSc no
ceived into the house that which would
make his life still more miserable he
had better accept the lesser evil. Be
sides, he considered that Mrs. Engle-
hart had made all the trouble, and with
each day his antagoniSm to her grew
more bitter He finally made up his
mind to go and make an effort To in
duce Bertha to return - without her
mother-and, if he failed. to give her
up entirely.
1t was at the beginning of the second
week of Bertha'S desertion that he took
a train and rode n hundred miles to
Mrs Englehart's home. One evening
he was admitted to the house, to find
mother and daughter sitting together,
the mother reading. the daughter do
ing fancy work. The former looked at
him with Il surprise which, to his as
constituent. was accompanied by
pleasant smile. The latter. on seeing
who the visitor was. bent her head low
over her work, but he saw the color
vanish from her face and her bosom
heave unanimously.
.'Why, Frank" said Mrs. Englehart,
Bertha didn't tell me you were COM
ing. My children have got up Il sur
prise for me- Then, noticing that
Bertha did not rise to greet her hus-
band, she added. Its Frank, Bertha.
But, since Bertha maintained her posi-
ton without even noticing her hus-
band, the mother added further, What
does this mean?'
1T means" said Frank, that l can't
live alone as l am now doing any
longer. If Bertha prefers to remain
here with you 1 must close the house
and go into bachelor quarters
Bertha" said Mrs. Englehart, sex
plain
Bertha still hung her head.
'.You didn't tell me there was trouble
between you and Frank" said her
mother
..She didn't exclaimed Frank, as
tonished.
NO. She told me she had come to
make me a visit
Notified toward the supposed enemy,
Frank related the bare circumstances
preceding his wife's departure.
Bertha said her mother in the
same tone she would have reproved
ha,. Nrhan child
HE didn't act with proper consid
Grafton toward you. mother" said Ber-
tina, land L wouldn't stand it."
Whom did he marry-you or meF
''Ie. l suppose"
Bertha. | am astonished. l am
ashamed of you. Why have you done
thiS?''
Il wanted you. mother, and thought
that if i came to you he would
BE weak enough to yield to your
To this there was no answer.
Frank said the mother-in-law
ogre. ''go upstairs and get the dust off.
Then come down, and l will have some
supper ready for YOU"
Never was a dank, heavy atmos-
phere more quickly cleared away
lIllu l. IIOSt W.
ward the supposed cause of his trou-
BILE Stepping forward, he folded Mrs.
in his arms and gave her
d hearty kiss; then, without noticing
his wife, he left the room. He was
standing before mirror, brushing his
hair, when he saw Berthas reflection.
She was standing in the door, pic
ture of contrition Turning, he caught
her in his arms.
Il suppose I've been very wicked
she said in a voice so faint that had
his cheek not been against hers he
would not have heard her.
Never mind, sweetheart. I've been
a fool. I've been lnwardly abusing the
best woman in the world. Hereafter
1 must have her always at hand to
help me manage lovely but hayward