Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-04-03
DAILY STORY
LOVE Benin DTHE COUNTER.
[Original.l

" Dedtn! Ibis IS oQudlly true VI iOse- i
making If a man Is bent on telling |
a girl he loves her, there is no earthly |
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 a
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 1t 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 floorwalker 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 at 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 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 1t might be too late.
Not 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 Bounces cheek glowed 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 n customer, the other on the
>, flashing eyed man opposite. The Gus
toner. not finding what he wanted
: moved on. A lady to whom Miss
f Crowfutt had been showing stockings
t moved on at the same time. Johnny
=
Miss Crowfutt." he began. do you
know that it seems very short time
e since you came into the place beside
8 me, but 1t isn't. It's q month. That's
0 long enough for me to find out a Sc
= cret. I've found out Blankets. sir
/ Sixth floor. Take the elevator. I've
0 found out that If l don't Wooden
) ware? Basement. If don't-I NEAR
7 If you don't Mems underwear? RICH
7 here. What size, sir? Thirty-twC
/ waist is too large for twenty -eigh
4 length. Undershirt thirty four? Thinl
you'll find thirty-six more satisfac
r tory. No, the goods don't shrink. bu
n thirty-six will be easier. Don't Xix,
the quality? They're all wool. sir w,
a haven't a better line in the house
Sorry l can't suit you. You'll flint
4 bath robes in the back of the store
four aisles that way"
- AS the man moved Off q lady an
preached Miss Crowfutt's counter, ant
it was half an hour before the tw,
were again free. Then Johnny sdlet
up to Lucy This time he spoke from
= the heart.
| L III IIdSy'
D whats the matter with your You'll
- find lace curtains over on that side
madam"
THAT fellow opposite Is rubberin
you
s. "Pshaw! Do you think I'd look q
e. him? What size, madam? Lisl
o. thread2 We have-very fine articles
Il You'll find the advertised goods owe
d. there, sir. That'll fit you. Openwork
o, We haven't any of these In openwork.
st. The customer passed on and wa
succeeded by another. This time Mis-
Crowfutt made a sale, but the lad
- turned away for moment to speak t
{ friend. Johnny whispered:
Lucy, I love you awful. If 70
IN don't love me I'll go mad. Tell m,
quick, before she turns. Will your
r. "Wili what?'