Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-13
DAILY STORY
SYMPATHY OF MISS AUDENREID

lOrlS1Hall
Miss Audenreid one day on going to
her window noticed that the sign
Apartments 10 Let which had for
some time decorated the house oppo-
site had been taken down. 4 few
days after this she saw young mau
whose overcoat reached to his ankles
walk somewhat stiffiy to carriage
standing at the door, get in and go for
drive. He was a very nice looking
fellow, faultlessly dressed, and just
before being driven away he cast a
glance ut the window where the lady
was standing looking at him. She at
once lowered her glance and left the
window.
A few days later she saw the same
young man driven away again. He
looked up at her window; but, as she
was standing at distance, she kept
her position and noticed that the oc-
cupant of the carriage kept his eyes
fixed on her window till he had passed
beyond her house. Several times
week he took n drive and always look
ed for her Miss Audenreid's curiosity
was excited to know why the young
man always wore the long overcoat, be
Tie NSdlneT cOlu Of NdIIll, why
she never saw him leave the house on
foot. She also noticed that as soon as
he was comfortably seated he bent
down and adjusted something, but
what the process was she could not
see.
One day she went to the window just
as he was driving away, not knowing
that he was out, and received look
in which there was unconscious ad-
miration. AS the carriage turned an
automobile came tearing down the
street, there was collision, and when
it was over a painful sight greeted
Miss Audenreid. The man who lived
opposite was being carried back into
the house. But the most horrible sight
of all was Il man disappearing within
the house carrying Il leg.
To see n mans leg cut off in this
horrible manner completely unsettled
the lady's nerves. and she had not the
courage to even look at the house
opposite for several days. Mean
while her heart went out to the
mutilated man. She was anxious
to know whether he would live and
would have asked Der brother to in
she had not She restrained her, sym
patty for awhile. then wrote a note
stating that a lady whothad witnessed
the accident wished toy be informed
how the injured man was doing.
This she sent by maid totthe propri-
etor of the house opposite. lIIe sent it
up to the sufferer and in a,few min
utes reply came down, written on
,r4., Il tod viii V
ing that the gentleman was profoundly
moved by the lady's sympathy and he
was happy to say that his physician
assured him that lie would recover.
Miss Audenreid sent her maiN over
again with inquiries, and with thetreply
she brought number of roses with
request that the sympathetic tady
would permit the sufferer to thus, eX
press his appreciation of her kindly
interest.
Miss Audenreid looked at the beauti- |
full flowers remembered the uncon-
scious glance of admira ton the invalid
had given her but imoment before
having been mutilateds for life, and u
tear stood in her eye. ,She considered
that she was ,warrantetTein encouraging
sufferer to get again on his feet-or |
rather his one foot-andSpermitted her |
self by sendipr motel of thanks to |
be drawn into 4 correspondence, for |
the sufferer replied to her note of
thanks begging her to thelp him bear |
his confinement and hisA sufferingS by |
writing him occasionally, tpromiSing not |
to mSconstrue her action. A, number |
OF letters passed between themN and it |
seemed 10 Miss .AudenTeid that lin her |
correspondent she had found a man |
whose sentiments rendered himt worthy |
to be loved by any woman. Indeed, |
she began to feel al regret-somewhat |
selfish, it is true-th.lt he had leen de- |
prived of his leg, Tor she could not |
think of marrying I'd ,man who unjust I,
hobble through life.
Finally the invalida wrote that he |
had been promised TINT he might tgo |
out at the end of the w eek and begged |
that his first exit might be a call upon
the lady whose encouragement had
been the cause of such a speedy re-
covery Miss Audenreid replied that
she took great pleasure Tin granting his
request, and from that moment till |
the time of the appointed visit her
heart f1uttered ominouESly. She, how
ever, fortified herself, with an irrevo-
cable resolution that' she would not
give way to anything which wei ld lead
to her having to refuse Altman with but
one leg.
It was arranged that vthe invalid
should call about s O'Clock Mn the even
Ing Miss Audenreidsh a\great easy
chair placed for him tbefore "a cheerful
open fire and threwt an afghan over
the back ready for use.
When the bell rang, promptly at
o'clock and the visitor had been an
bounced Miss Audenredd went TO the
drawing room. To her astonisfGnent,
the invalid advanced totmeet herCwith
4 buoyancy of step that he had\ not
possessed even before the accident.