Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-30
DAILY. STORY.
THE FORLORN MAN.

TO the original happenings as they can
be without pointing to the actual oc. |
currence.
Matthew futile was a good man, a |
good father and a good husband. He |
was comfortably off in this worlds
goods, happy and contented. This
statement is made with the reserva
ton that so Mr.. futile appeared. That
he had means is certain. That he was
contented and happy is assumed be-
cause he showed no sign TO the con-
trary
One afternoon after business hours
Mr. futile did 0ot come home as usual.
His wife waited dinner an hour; 8, 10
o'clock came, and still he did not come.
Mrs. futile supposed he had been I'M
avoidably detained, but why had he
not telephoned as usual? AT II o'clock
she called up the police headquarters,
requesting that they send to certain
places where her husband might posi-
bly, be found. These places were Wis
ited but Mr.. futile was not at any of
them.
The next morning the city was ran
sacked for the missing man-that is,
after the usual hour for his appear
ance at his office. That hour came
and the next. and there were no signs
of Mr.. futile. The day passed with
| out the slightest trace of him. His
wife soon fell into a condition border
ing on nervous prOstration.
Weeks, months, years passed and Mr..
futile was not heard from. The police
gave him up, considering his case one
| of the many in which the subject is
murdered and the body successfully
| got away with. This they at last told
Mrs. futile, and as soon as she became
| convinced of it herself, accepting the
| inevitable, she became resigned and
regained her health. Her husbands
estate was administered. and widow
| and children were found to have in
| herited such an income as they needed
| Five years after Mr.. Tuttle's disap-
| pearance man of forIorn mi2n Went
up to the Tuttles' front door and rang
| the bell OF the servant who answered
| the summons he asked if Mrs. futile
| lived there. He was informed that she
owned the house. but had rented it
and gone to Europe with her children.
The man turned away.
1t was Sunday morning. and he
strolled almlessly for awhile till. pass
ing a church, he entered 1t and took
| 4 back seat.
whats that handsome marble be-
side the chancel?" he asked in Il wills
per of one next him.
That's the futile font" was the re-
ply. 1T was placed there in memory
of Matthew futile. who disappeared
and never was heard from"
The fOrlorn man made no reply and
when the congregation was dismissed
went out with the others and stood on
the church steps as If not KNOWN!
where to go. Presently he went down
into the street and boarded a trolley
car. After half an hours ride he got
out at Il cemetery and. entering the
gate. followed walk till he came tC
a lot whereon was a handsome mOnu
ment. He read the inscription, IN
Memory of Matthew Tuttle." The mar
looked at the other graves in the lot
taking in each separately, then went
away.
One morning in Geneva. Switzerland
where Mrs. futile had gone to put he
children at school, she was walking
over the bridge leading to an islant
, in the Rhone, now and then stoppins
to lean over the stone guard and lool
, into the crystal waters. After one o
these pauses she raised her head t.
! proceed. Suddenly she clutched at thu
stone beside her and was sinking dow
- when n man caught her in his arms.
1t was her husband.
Some time passed before the aston
ished woman could speak. and thel
the idea that filled her brain was tina
she had been deserted.
"Where have you been?" she asked
drawing away.
Il remember" he said, placing hi
hand on his forehead, "a long Will
II ago boarding n train. Where | wa
! going l don't know. After that l re
membered nothing till three week
ago. when | suddenly seemed to com
to myself. l was in Philadelphia.
took a train for home and found yo
V had come over here. l had no troubl
4 in identifying myself and gettin
f money to follow you. l have just al
rived. AT your apartments they toll
- me you walked here mornings Will
the children are at school,"
The wife looked at her husband fo
confirmation and saw it In his forlorr
half daZed expression. Then, thong
not entirely unobserved. she threw he
arms about him. At that moment
clock near by struck -, and 500
after three children came running I
the bridge. A man none of them n
membered who stood by their mothe
took them one after another in hi
3 arms and kissed them. Then the r,
s united family went away.
< Later, when the children's scho'
s term was finished. the family went il
& to the Alps for the summer. In til
s autumn Mrs. Tuttles health had bee
g restored by the invigorating mountai