Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-04-07
DAILY SHORT DRY
HOW A STATESMAN WAS
STARTED.

lOriginall
One spring morning when the buds
were opening Howard Lane, young
New Yorker. left his room on Central
Park West and entering the park
s:t..l.ed along the Mall smoking a
cigarette. Presently he looked up at
man passing him and saw that he was
the very counterpart of himself. Each
stopped and stared Mt the other.
you're myself. only better looking"
said Lane.
Permit me to return the conlpli-
ment."
You must be q near blood relation
of mine. What is your Nance"
"Spencer-Raymond Spencer. And
yours?"
Howard Lane Come; let us sit
down on one of the benches and COM
pare notes. l don't remember any
Spencer connections"
"Nor l any Lanes"
The two passed an hour together,
| each now and again looking up at the
| other in wonder, almost fancying he
had mirror before him. But. while
| they were identical in face and figure,
| they soon noticed that they. were very
| unlike In disposition. Lane was philo-
| sophical, analytical critical, cynical
indeed, everything that ends in al
but he was man Of intellectual vigor.
| Spencer was an OptimiSt and very
shallow. He was ON his way from
San Francisco to Europe.
81 have an idea" said Lane.
"How does it feel?'
You are stranger to me, but you
are gentleman. I'm going to take
you into my confidence. I'm In love"
Poor fellow. Is it more bother than
having an idea?"
II have been unsuccessful with the
lady. She likes me, but says I'm too
dead and alive for life companion"
why not turn her oyer to me-"
That's just what Pm thinking of.
Ia lilse to try your effect on her"
4 bargain was made, and when the
tive left the park they went to Lanes
rooms, where Spencer was put in tenn
porary possession of the owners ward
robe. That evening Mr.. Spencer APP
peared at the residence of Miss Mar
garet Thorne and sent up MIR. Lanes
IL
settled purpose. That purpose was to
give her lover his final Quietus.
II have been thinking over the mat
ter between u.s." she said, land have
come to the conclusion that l am
wrong In permitting you to hope. A
man who has reasoned himself into
the. belief that life is but an empty
dream 1 could not be happy Win.
Will never be yours"
The man grasped the back Of chair
for support and brushed back his hair
dramatically.
Too latei' he exclaimed in the tone
of one for whom the bottom had drop
ped out of his life.
Have you colk?" asked Miss
Thorne, surprised, especially at the
tone of his voice, which was deeper
than usual. She was still more sur
prised when her lover rushed toward
her and, seizing her hand, poured
forth an impassioRed appeal.
Until our last meeting" he said, Il
did not realize that you were right and
I was wrong. Life is not an empty
dream, and you have made me see II.
Life is real, life Is earnest / had re.
solved to throw off the depressing phi
losophy by which have been bewitch-
ed / had set goal-under your in
Observation-Disclosures to do or die. We
need our gentlemen in political affairs.
1 had resolved to enter upon career
which, beginning with the state legis-
lature, might end in the White House.
But, alas, without you / am powerless.
nerveless. l shall go abroad and sink
away into degenerate globe Totter.'
Miss Thorne looked at her lover In
establishment.
What has come over you?" she
asked
"Your influence. 1t has had it's effect
at last And why not? 1t is the prod
uct of love. Spurred on by your APP
prevail 1 could conquer universe.
Do not cast me off. / know / am I'M
worthy of you; that 1 am not fit to
touch my lips to the fair hand hold.
But spurred on by your love-
He broke down, bowed his head and
moaned.
"Mr. Lane-Howard. / cannot I'M
derstand this sudden change. Do you
mean all you say?"
81 swear it,
Looking up. he saw a puzzled, unde-
cided look on her face. Rising. he
clasped her in his arms, and, while she
turned away her face, she did not
struggle to be released. In three min
utes-ten since he entered-she had
promised to be his wife.
The next morning the two counter
parts sat in Lanes room. Spencer was
smoking; Lane was reading a note
from Miss Thorne. 1t was to say that
a previous engagement prevented her
seeing him till the next evening. II
cannot realize my happiness" she add
ed, '.in the love of man of your abil-
ity inspired by that love for me.
predict great career for you"
Spencer had enacted to his counter
part the scene between himself and
Miss Thorne, and Lane asked him to
enact it again and again. Then Spen-
Ger perSOnated the lady, and Lane en-