Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-08-22
DAILY STORY
THE STORM TELE-
PHONE MESSAGE.
tOriSiudl.I


LavOnia Mills was preparing for her
wedding. In room Uttered with
scraps of fabrics and half made wom-
ans apparel sat her mother and sew
cral other women plying needles. L
was early summer and sitting hot.
Distant thunder rumblcd.
We're going to have a Storm said
Lavouia, rising and going to the win
dow Gracious, how black, And
what a whirling of clouds! Its going
to be windstorm."
There is something terrifying in the
approach of these summer storms. The
unnatural stiffness. broken only by an
ominous muttcr, and the inky cloud bank
growing rapidly in size as it comes,
however many times we have seen
them. will still excite trcpidation. 1t
was so with Lavonia Mills. There
was Il sinking of the heart as she
looked out at the black mas from
whose bosom occasionally darted an
angry flash.
The women remained mOtionlcSS,
scarcely able to distinguish one anoth-
err in an appalling midday darkness.
| Branches were laShing one another;
tree trunks were cracking; the wind
was one wild shrek. The storm had
lasted some elinutcs when above this
confusion of noises Il ring was heard
at the telephone on the floor below. 1t
struck upon those who heard it like Il
knelI. Lavonia whitCned, hesitated.
then went downstairs and took up the
receiver.
Sweetheart" came voice which
she recognized as that of Henry
Thurston. her lover. Without asking
a question the voice went on hurried
ly: The - something she could not
distinguish) Is under the floor in the
stable, in the left hand stall as you
- (uninteligible). Everything there
Everything. everything" There was
more which was drowned by the roar
of the storm. ending in what might
be burst of laughter or a succession
of walls, then silence. Lavonia called
eagerly. fearfulIy. again and again.
but could get nothing further.
Henry Thurston had no blood rela-
tives except Enoch and Lydia Thurs
ton. the children of his fathers older
brother. These cousins were grown
when Henry was born. Henry owned
fine farm and was supposed to pos
| sess other property to which Enoch
and Lydia We're hcirs-at-law. They
| were selfish and crafty and had for
| years been watching Henry to see
| that he did not marry, thereby placing
| an heir or heirs between him and
| them. About the time he came of
4, age they broke up one or two incipi
ent love affairs for Henry was toe
young and they We're too crafty to lei
him see that they were the prime
movers in the ruptures. Henry was
thirty-five years old when he became
engaged to Lavonia Mills, and by this
time he knew we'll the game that wa.
being played by his cousins. They
| had settled themselves in his house
at the death of his father when h,
was mere lad, and upon attaining
mans estate he had found it impOS
sible to get them out. Soon after hi
engagement he had served them ;
notice TO quit, and, knowing that ;
woman was to he the manager o
the household. they had prepared t,
stay and struggle for the mastery.
The day after the storm Lavoni'
Mills harnessed up the rockaway ant
drove over to the Thurston farm
When nearing the house she saw
/ long streamer of black Grape hanSin
from the knocker. and her heart san
Z ,l.1-n