Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-10-19
DAILY STORY
CONSOLATION.
lOriein1l.l

| mas pdSstu away. Ioot Liza uh'eI
| TO have been obliged to endure that
woman for so long! It's wonder lie
lived as long as he did. Well. | sup
| pose l must go over and offer the usual
! consolation"
| Now. there was not only a want of
reason for Mrs. Cressler's going over
| to offer the usual consolation but
| there was superhuity of reason why
she should not do so. Mrs. Cressler
had herself been Mrs. Chittenden and
| by good rights should have been the
| widow. But she had tired of Cbitten-
den, sent him off and secured divorce
on the ground of desertiOn. On the
day the divorce was granted she had
married Tim CreSsler. Chittenden,
who had been forced to desert one wo-
man. chung to another and married her
Cressier was still living with Chitten-
| den's first wife. but report said that
he was very abusive, the reports ema-
| mating from his wife, and if lie did not
| mend his ways he. too, would be forced
| to desert her. Mrs. Cressler's inten-
| ton was to offer Mrs. Chittenden that
kind of consolation which Satan would
give soul he had purchased-that is,
he would thrust it into hell.
Good morning, Mrs. Chittenden. 1
have thought, considering what we
have both been TO poor Chauncey, l
| would come over and offer my SYM
| pathies. notwithstanding his faults
he was too good for most women
He was too good for me-" said the
widow demurely, but l suppose lie
wasn't good enough for you, Mrs.
Cressler, or lie wouldn't have left you"
II was glad when l saw that you and
Chauncey were getting on so well to-
sether. There was too great n gap
between him and me. Chauncay was
not smart man.
His first wife was"
1T isn't that l was very smart" said
Mrs. Cressler mOdestly, but Chauncey
was very dull. He needed a wife of
very moderate intellect"
You We're fortunate in getting an
other husband the day you got your
divorce from the one that deserted
you" said Mrs. Chittenden. Maybe
instead of luck it was smartness.''
Il didn't want poor Chauncey To suf-
fer from thinking I'd take him back"
1t was very kind of you not 10 make
him suffer any longer than he did
There wasn't any time-if l hadn't
been married-that he wouldn't have
been glad to return to his Sufferings''
''Then it must have been lucky for
him that you were married.
Wed see about that some day, only
in heaven there's no marrying or Civ
ing in marriage"
How is it i'll the other place? Do
you think you're going 10 have him
there"
I'm not going there. Mrs Chtten
den, nor is Chauncey. II there's mar
ryinS there you'll have to look out for
a new husband
You'd have both Chauncey and Tim
Cressler in heaven. only there's no
more bigamy there than marriage"
Mrs. Cressler was not getting ahead
in the game. Her thrusts were vigor-
Gus. but they We're parried with great |
skill. There was one thing she had |
come over for that thus far she had not |
gained-a knowledge of what funds |
Chittenden had left his widow. She |
had 4 vague hope that the law might |
look kindly upon her and consider her |
a fraction of that widow.
II hope Chauncey left you comfort
able. Mrs. Chittenden." she said in
tone to intimate that she would like to
get back TO her purpose Of offering con
ISOLATION.
Its you he's left comfortable re-
Piled the other. because he was moth
ing to you. He left me uncomfortable
because we We're everything to each
other"
They say you made Il frugal Wife
and he left penny or so in the bank"
He did, and to his widow"
There's alimony due me-
II hope you may get it,"
'If it's due the law II allow it"
Yes, IL it's due. You got your d.
vorce at noon and married at O'Clock.
There's alimony foc one hour due YOU"
Il suppose it wouldn't look well for
me TO come to the funeral
'Chauncey's funeral. so far as his
first wife is concerned, occurred long
ago"
''Of course I'd like to show my kind
y sympathy for you. The neighbors
night think it queer of me to be here.
put IL would show them that I'm not
malicious"
'Oh, they know you haven't any
,rudge against me. Why should you
AVE? It was l who made it easy for
'ou. Chauncey was well enough salts
led with the desertion plan after he
net me-"
i HIN! They all know that 1 wouldn't
tand him any longer
He told me he was afraid you
would"
I'D have just liked to hear him say
hat in the fiesh''
There was n step in the back room
he room where Mrs Cressler supposed
be corpse was lying-a mans step,
nd who should walk into the room but
'haupcey Chittenden.
LAS a-mercy," exclaimed Mrs. Cress
ar. q thought Won were deadr' j.