Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-04-15
DAILY STORY
1T FADED LIKE A DREAM.
LOriginai.1

one man or would still need that or q
great number. Mrs. Fitch, for awhile
at least, agreeably disappointed him.
She was very fond of him and seemed
to be satisfied with him alone. The
young men to whose attentions she
had been accustomed took no further
interest in one who was happily mar
rled. This did not disturb her. So
long as her changed life was new she
had no use for them. But when that
life had lost its first freshness and she
realized that her former admirers, buzz
zing about other luminaries, We're en-
tirely forgetful of her she felt a sink
ing at the heart that surprised her.
From this time forward Mrs. Fitch
began TO pine for attention. She could
have had attention, and all she want
ed. provided she chose to jeOpardiZe her
relations with her husband. Men only
have use for married women who are
not en- rapport with their spouses. To
secure attention she would have been
obliged at least to make the men sup
pose that she had tired of Mr.. Fitch.
To hold attention she would have been
obliged to make them believe she cared
for them She did neither, but became
dissatisfied. and her dissatisfaction
was manifest.
One morning after her husband had
gone to his office. the postman left Mrs.
Fitch note. 1t was written in a mas
culine hand and was anonymous. The
writer declared that he had loved her
before she was married and would al
ways love her. Mrs. Fitch was fright
ened at the pleasurable excitement the
note gave her. She cast it at once into
the fire and. noticing that a corner re
manned unconsumed, took the poker
and pushed it into the flame. that it
might not fall into the hands of Mr..
Fitch. The letter had given n ficti-
tious name and an address to which
she might send n reply if she chose,
but she did not choose. She would like
to do so, but was too loyal to her hus-
band, besides being too prudent.
At the end of Il week the pOstman at
the same hour as before left another
note from the same unknown. He
blamed himself for having written
feared he had shocked her and begged
forgiveness. On the whole, he seemed
to be in a specially unpleasant frame
of mind. Nothing can be more pleas
ing to a woman than this same I'M
pleasant frame of Il lovers mind. 1t is
also very useful to story writer's and
poets. Mrs Fitch was delighted. She
was so delighted that she pitied the
l., hot
he had been tempted to insult her. She
wrote him a note gently Gliding him
and promising to forgive him if he
never did so again. He wrote thank
Ing her for her clemency. and made the
promise provided she would declare TO
him that she in her heart of hearts
wished him to do so. This was i'm
possible. though Mrs. Fitch declared
that she loved her husband and could
not love any other man. Apparently
there was no convenient place where
the correspondence might stop.
Mrs. Fitch showed plainly that there
| was something on her mind. Her huS
band said to her one day:
Sweetheart. l always feared you
man, would find life dull as a married
| one. Don't think l want to pen you
up with myself l wouldn't even oh
| ject to a mild Irritation"
Mrs. Fitch threw her arms around
| his neck with the intention of showing
him her appreciation of his enlarged
| views. but the embrace was somewhat
| feverish.
One day Mrs. Fitch wrote her un
| known lover that she was going to Wis
| it relative in q neighboring city an
he must send no more letters to til,
| house while she was away. The truti
| is her lover had been resOIute ON one
| pOint-he would not reveal himself
| averring that so long as he was un
| known she might accept his love will
| purity, but that the moment he became
| to her known person their CORE
| spondence must cease.
In her note informing him of her de
| parture she told him by what train
she would travel. scarcely acl:nowl
| edging to herself that she was tempt
ing him to take advantage of the Op
portunity to meet her. The temptation
was too strong for him. He wrote tina
he would be on the train and SHOULD
he find her alone would join her. Blu
he admitted that for this one joy thei
correspondence must cease and h
must fade from her like quickly dis
solving dream. Mrs. Fitch though
this a beautiful comparison, but didn'
intend that the dream should dissolve
On the morning of her departur,
Mrs. Fitch was very distrait. She for
got everything she should have remem
bered and remembered everything sh
should have forgotten. Her HUSBAND
feared she would lose her ticket an,
get out at the wrong station. He in
sisted on going with her, but sh
wouldn't have it. So he kissed he
goodby in the car and waved to he
from the window.
Half an hour after the train starte,
the forward door of the car opened, an
| IrSI 4aI,