Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-04-02
DAILY STORY
LOVE Benin DTHE COUNTER.
[Original. !

Il girl he loves her, tnefe Is no eafully
power TO stop him. The field of battle |
is not too noisy, nor is the churchyard |
too quiet. On land and on sea. at noon,
at twilight, in the ballroom and in the
death chamber lovers have wooed and
will continue to WOO so long as the
human race is on the earth.
Johnny Bounce was a clerk in a de-
partment store in large city. He sold
goods from the mems underwear cOun
ter, which adjoined the department of
ladies' hosiery. Johnny's place was on
the right of the underwear, and on the
left of the ladies' hosiery stood Lucy
CrOwfutt, dainty blond, who from
the moment she had taken her place
there and had brought her robins egg
eyes TO bear upon him had melted Il
way with them straight into the under
wear clerks heart. They had found
opportunity to speak scattered sen
fences or fragments of sentences on
bright days when the store was full
of customers and to chat continuously
on rainy days when the store was de-
serted. but in this chat there was no
word of love. Love had been looked,
but not spoken. Nevertheless. after
several weeks of propinquity, the two
young hearts had become welded.
Then came new man at the glove
counter, directly opposite the mems
| underwear and ladies' hosiery. He
was Byronic in his appearance. espe-
| cially his collar. which. if it was not
| cut in ByrOnic collar fashion, was
| equally ample. A mass of raven curls
We're tossed up on the top of his head,
| one of them falling down upon his
forehead, nearly touching hook nose.
| He had hardly taken his place before
| the flo0rwalkPr was obliged to admon-
| ish him to attend to his customers and
keep his eyes off the little girl at the
| counter opposite.
| Johnny Bounce was panic stricken.
No woman is insensible To admiration,
and the blue eyed beauty from the mo-
| ment the clerk ut the glove counter
cast his flashing black eyes upon her
threw up her hands-nOt in token of
| surrender, but to make sure her hair
! was properly adjusted. Johnny saw
| the admiring glance and its effect He
cursed himself for 4 fool that he had
not secured the prize while there was
no one at the glove counter except two
commonplace middle aged men and an
old maid. Now it might he too late.
Not Il moment was to be lost.
The morning was beautiful. The
windows were full of spring goods.
The wax ladies donned IN the habili-
ments of the opening season seemed
to smile more contentedly than usual
But this has nothing to do with an
artistic setting for this romance. for
within the store was crowded and the
weather being mild. overheated. John.
ny BOunce's check glowcd not only
with the temperature of the building
but with anxiety. He was keeping one
eye on some union suits he was show
ing to 4 customer, the other on the
flashing eyed man opposite. The Gus.
toner. not finding what he wanted
moved on. y lady to whom Miss
| CrOwfutt had been showing stockings
moved on at the same time. Johnny
determined to seize the opportunity.
Miss Crowfutt," he began. do you
since You came into the place beside
me. but It isn't. It's 4 month. That
long enough for me to find out n Sc
cret I've found out Blankets. sir
Sixth floor. Take the elevator I've
found out that if | don't Wooden
ware? Basement. If ! dOn't-I mea,
if you don't Mems underwear? RICH
. here. What size. sir? Thirty-twC
waist is too large for twenty eigh
, length. Undershirt thirty four? Thinl
| you'll find thirty-siX more SatiSfac
tory. No, the goods don't shrink. bu
thirty-siX will be easier. Don't Xix,
the quality? They're all wool. sir. W,
haven't Il better line in the house
! Sorry I can't suit you. You'll finC
bath robes in the back of the store
four aisles that way
AS the man moved off a lady an
preached Miss Crowfutt's counter. anC
it was half an hour before the tw,
were again free. Then Johnny SidleC
up to Lucy. This time he spoke from
= the heart.
5 I'm nearly crazy"
& whats the matter with you? You'll
$ find lace curtains over on that side
& madam"
s THAT fellow opposite Is rubberin;
& you
/: "Pshaw. Do you think I'd look u
* him? What size. madam? Lisl
6 thread? We have--very fine articles
g You'll find the advertised goods owe
S there, sir That'll fit you. Openwork
g We haven't any of these in openwork.
6 The customer passed on and wa
< succeeded by another. This time Mis-
s Crowfutt made a sale, but the lad
& turned away for moment to speak
6 a friend. Johnny whispered:
- Lucy, l love you awful. If yo
- don't love me I'll go mad. Tell me
quick. before she turns. VIII yOu?'
~ evil l what?''
w evil you be my girl and marry m
W so 1 can know you belong to me an
IL