Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-04

ind him and he won't pay up. III pay |
him! | grant you it was my own |
cursed fault in the beginning. But |
what about that last E35? Who got |
that? Why am | rotting and starving
here? Who threw me on the mercy of
kind. good folks like yOu-yes. and
made a sponge of me in my turn?
Whose doing is it that I've got to pawn
the clothes Off my back or beg my
meals, to tramp the streets all day. to
lie all night In the fields
"Your own" exclaimed the woman,
hastily down from the step
upon which she had been standing all
this time. TITS your own fault. is that,
however You know well it isn't mine.
Our attic has been empty ever since
you went. You're welcome to 1t unit
It's wanted again if only you'll CONT
back. Nay, sir. | do assure you ID
rather have you for nothing than mos
Of them that pays Come back tonigh
or I'm sure | sha'n't sleep wink 70.
thinking of you. Come i'll now, ant
I'll get you some nice 'ot breakfast"
Erickson held out his hand.
NO. no. said he. II owe you quit
enough already. Mrs. Adcock. Resides
I'm as strong as Il horse and doinf
much better than you think. But thu
world is full OF Kindness after all, ani
God bless you for yours
And his dark eyes. that but now ha6
flashed and burned with bitter fires
that were far more striking always 70,
q shock OF almost fiaxcn hair-stoot
full of tears. lie could say no more
but only wiring the dry. chapped hant
in his. Then he was gone and might
have been seen 4 little later hurryine
with bent head toward Temple Bar oil
later yet spread ut full length i'll tina.
green asylum OF his homeless days. the
southwest corner of st. James park.
And here he read the letter from his
friend. 1t began OH one side of the
large white paper and ended on the
next. The girlish handwriting was
pitifully tremulous, but yet instinct
with Il self reliance then uncommon in
young English ladies. The letter ran:
Avenue Lodge, Regents Park April 20
Darling What does it mean? / was
picturinG you in Calcutta when l saw you
this afternoon in Piccadilly! l had beer
thinking about you just then-I always
am-and there you were. Oh. my dar
ling what can it mean? Tell me quickly
or l shall go mad with anxiety. as | near
ly did the spot this afternoon. Come
here, as you love me, and tell me all!
Darling. what can 1t be that has KEEP
you here and SO silent all this time, OF
did you go out and come straight back
No; there has not been time. The Jumni
sailed on the last day Of September anl
l have prayed for her safety all These
months. | was 50 sure my love was OF
board
Oh. if only l dare have stopped to speal
to you a few more seconds. The groom
was so close behind But, Tom, yol
seemed not to want to give me your ad
dress! l would not have left you withou
| 1t. And now | shall come to you Their,
| unless you come to me. You looked 81
! sad and Ill. my sweetheart! / can Sc
| his poor face still
Come and tell me all and let me he'll
! you or my heart will break. You are il
| trouble. / know II and must help you
| 1t is my right. We are in the new Ave
| nue. road; you will easily find it. TIL
| house is far the largest on the right han
| side as you come from town There ar
| fields behind, and our garden goes tn
| farthest back-that is. we have a field O
| our own walled in with it, and there
green gate in the wall. 1t is KEEP
locked. but l will be there at . ocloc
| tomorrow Thursday night. and so mus
| you. Be there for my sake and tell m
| all.
/ l have written the moment I got in
| will post 1t myself. Dear Tom, do nd
be hard on this girl If you think her over
| bold. for she loves you, she loves you an
| would give her life to make yours happy
| Your own true CLAIRE.
Twenty-eight mortal hours to wait
shall hear my heart beating-as | hear
now, as | have heard It ever since l sa,
that sad sad face-until l sec it again.
When Thomas Erickson came to tn
end of this passionate. pure love lette
he buried his face in the sweet sprin
grass and lay immovable with grie
too great for tears. The sounds @
London louder then than now boon
ell and ratified in his ears. To thos
of his soul brave soft voice wa
whispering the last g0dspeed. Will
his own, the more broken Of the tw,
was vOwing not only eternal COZ
stancy. but eternal goodness and a
honest life for her sake.
He could see the steady gray eve
filed with tears that never fell an
shining into his with the love tia
knew no shame. He must never loo
in them again nor ever more defil
with his the brave lips that had tren
bled. truly, but yet spoken comfortably
words up to the end.
And here Tom lay In culpable POI
erty and dishenorable rags. fallen a
ready to an ultimate deep. SO nov
too late, as through the gates of hel
must come this message of angel
love!
He read 1t again. tore off the clea
half sheet and, sitting cross legge,
wrote az follows in pencil upon h
knee;
| 1t means that | am n blackguard ar
no longer worthy to be even your friend
{ The JunHa was ten days behind h,
q advertised time of sailing. and l W;