Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-09
DAILY SHORT STORY
WOULD SHE BOTHER HIM?
tOriginal.1

MS ndnuS, she hultlluS. IOl t"Ci'S
years once a week they had spent Sat
urday evening together. The custom
originated in their having been mem
bers of the church choir, Perkins ind
ing it expedient to call on Saturday
evenings to talk over the music for the
next day. Since then they had both
dropped out of the choir, but the calls
had continued. For the first seven
years Of this period Perkins had lived
with his mother, and half the people
said it would be shame for him to
marry, the other half maintaining that
he was treating Miss Guiless abomina-
bly, During the remaining five years
Perkins was endeavoring to make up
his mind that it would be safe for a
man of his confirmed habits to enter
upon matrimony. During these latter
years he had sat in the same chair. Ell
gagged in the same occupation-holdin
his hands, with an occasional twirling
of his thumbs-while Miss GuileSS knit
ted. But at last he had come to the de-
termination to ask her to be his wife.
Miss Liza" he began, marriage is
a fearful thing when ii doesn't turn out
we'll"
Il think very likely it must be-
They say marriages late in life sell
dom turn out WE'LL
do they?'
Yes. they say when Il man has pass
ed forty he's set in his ways and Il
woman always around, interfering with
him. is very hard to bear
Ja took ntlt hiS iaf onH
wiped his temples as though the little
picture he had drawn indicated hot
weather. Miss Guiless seemed more
than usually absorbed in her knitting
and made no reply for some time. Then
she said softly:
IF man gets Il sensible woman
maybe she wouldn't interfere with him
much"
I've often thought of that don't
believe you, for instance, would make
it very hard for a man"
Its very nice of you to say So" re
piled Miss Guiless, bending lower over
her work.
Then, you're mighty steady. Some
women are fiiGhty. You can never pin
'em down to anything. If you was to
tell me that you'd do thing L wouldn't
have to argue 1t with you all over
again. | could rely on your doing it
same as if 1t was DONE
II hope l would" replied MissGuiless
mpekly
Now, | tell you. Miss Liza. there
amt no other woman that lives thmt I'd
take the risk on. but I've known ynu-
let me see, it'll be twelve years comm
the 1st of May. and hain't bit afraid
TO say that the man you marry will
get jewel. I've been thinkin' ever
since mother died its kind a. lonesome
up at the house and how different ii
would be if you was there fiittin' about
like a yellow bird among the branches.
Will you do it, Miss Liar
do what?" in scarcely audible
tone.
Marry me-"
She bent lower and lower without re-
ply. He went to her, folded her in his
arms. and she whispered Eyes"
Miss Guiless expected that her ac-
cepted lover would break the rule of
the past twelve years and get in call
carly in the week. Wednesday came.
and he had not called. Thursday and Fri
day passed, with no sign of him. Then
she realized how confirmed he was in
his habits. Saturday evening came. and
as the clock struck 8 she heard the
usual tap at the door. With a happy
smile, she ran to open it. When she
saw her lover she drew back. A more
lugubrious face could not be imagined.
He looked as If for him the bottom had
fallen out of the universe.
''Why, Mr.. Perkins, what's the mat
ter?''
He came in, hung his hat and coat
in the usual place and sat down in the
usual chair. Miss Guiless waited to
hear of some great calamity.
after / left you last Saturday night,
Miss Guiless," he said at last, II could
hardly sleep for JOY. When 1 woke in
the mornin' il occurred to me to look
over my affairs to see If my income
was enough for two. When l got
through 1t occurred to me that our
marriage had better be put off two or
three years"
"It can be if necessary" said Miss
Guiless. with evident disappointment.
"Then l got to thinkin' how unjust 1t
was to woman to tie her down that
way, and 1 thought-well, mebbbe I'd
better release you from your engage
ment"
Miss Guiless' fingers had been flying
with her knitting, the only evidence Of
her Impotence to hear what was to
come. AS he proceeded the needles
worked less rapidly, and when he had
finished they had slowed down almost
to stopping point. While speaking Mr..
Perkins had not dared to look at her;
but. hearing no reply, he cast woeful
glance at her bent figure. At the mo-
ment tear glistened in the freight
and fell on her work. No drop falling
upon substance in a chemical solution
could sooner set free that substance
than the tear dissolved the cloud OBJ
securing the mans better nature He
arose and, going to her, took her in his
arms.