Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-22
DAILY SHORT STORY
NOT
ALWAYS FOREARMED.
fOriginal.1

| no VIE 10 ueIp me Hldke u HoLHc III II
but 1 concluded to occupy it alone till
1 could sell it. l occupied my uncle's
bedroom and was so much annoyed al
naughty boys shouting up the speaking
| tube-close by the bed-that / thought
Of having it taken out. l gave up the
idea on account of the expense. l lived
alone in this way a month, when
grew tired of my solitude and resolved
to rent the place.
Among those who called to inspect
the premises were two young ladies,
Miss Acton and her cousin, Miss Dut-
ton. Miss Acton wished TO rent the
house for herself and her mother, while
| Miss Dutton was to live with them.
Miss Acton was tall. rather elderly
girl, with masculine voice, Miss Dut-
ton fair haired little thing, with blue
eyes and a soft voice that / have OBJ
| served usually goes with these femi-
nine blends. 1 showed them over the
house, with which Miss Acton seemed
to be pleased. and when they went
away she asked me not to rent it till
the next day, when she would call
again.
The next morning feeling indisposed
after breakfast, l took my paper and
threw myself on the bed. There was Il
ring a the doorbell, and was about to
go down TO see who was there when
heard the words. IN bet pound of
candy l catch him within two months"
The voice was Miss ActOn'S. / would
have known it among n hundred.
waited to hear more. Something more
was spok zen. but in Miss buttons softer
voice, and she doubtless stood with her
back TO the tube. At any rate l couldn't
hear it. / kept them waiting as long
as l dared, then went down and adj
mitted them.
Miss Acton told me that she had de-
cided to take. the house provided l
would reduce the rent. keeping for my
own use any room l might select. This
proposition, taken with what | had
heard through the tube. interested me.
1 told the lady L would think the mat
ter over and advise her.
1 made up my mind that the young
lady had taken fancy to me and had
proposed to keep me in the house on
purpose to win me. Had the remark
come from her cousin L might have
been tempted to fall an easy prey to
her arts As il was l was simply in
terested in showing the girl that i was
not to be caught. The next day
wrote her a note accepting her propo-
stion.
In due time Miss Acton, her mother
and her cousin moved into the house.
/ keeping my bedroom. The speaking
tube which l had considered an an
noyance l now looked upon as means
of defense against designing women.
If they would only tell their secrets on
my front stoop / should be always
warned. Miss Acton soon commenced
her wiles. 1 greatly preferred her cous-
in on account of her native modesty
and would have shown her attention,
but she wouldn't permit it. l was the
more drawn to her, since it was evil
dent she was too honorable to interfere
with Miss Acton. l confess it was
rather diverting TO chime in with Miss
ActOn's intentions toward me.
myself one day pretending to
be very plia bic, the next displaying in
difference. She was very forGiving and
seemed quite content that my love
making progressed in the main. One
thing l resolved upon-I would not
write her any loving words, nor would
speak them where / could be over
heard. When, at the end of the farce,
she was defeated in her game, she |
could not at least injure me.
l took her out occasionally in the |
evening. but always behaved myself |
liscreetly. One evening when my ten |
had
months lacking one day Miss Acton |
old me that she had been given two |
tickets to the theater and asked if / |
would be her escort l consented, and |
We saw an attractive play wherein two
desperate f1irts were in constant con-
entiOn. The result was that / went |
lome quite bewitched with the part L
vas playing and feady to go to any
engthS with my companion. When we
cached the door she would not enter
ill l had replied to an indirect Ques-
ion, the only answer to which was q
lenial or declaration of love. 1 lost
ny head and not only told her that /
owed her devotedly, but looked for
ward to the day when I could claim
er as my own. +at
A giggle came through the speaking .
ube.
1 do not own the house Uncle Doctor
eft me any more. 1t is owned by
Iiss Acton. The night 1 made my
Furious proposal her cousin was wait
az in my room with her ear at the ;
peaking tube and heard it. At the :
nit for breach of promise she did not :
retend that she had seen me when l I.
roposed marriage, but swore that a .
sw minutes later 1 and her cousin had
ntered the house. She explained her
resence In my room in this wise:
Vhen 1 was out she frequently went :
lere to read my books. On the even 1
lg in question she had gone there. got
book and thrown herself on my bed /!
, read. She gave her testimony as !
as If she had Just come out I
the nursery. She carried the jury. .
was obliged to sell my house to raise j..
Oney TO nav the Judgment and affair