Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-17
DAILY STORY
MRS. ENDERBYS CALLER.
[Original.I


home for the day, and Mrs. Enderby
went to the door. A man whose fea-
lures denoted that he might be from /
forty-five to fifty, but whose hair was 4
quite white, stood before her He had |
a white beard and wore colOred glasses. /
is this Mrs. Enderby's schOolr'
ut is" she replied
us Mrs. Enderby at home"
81 avn Mrs. Enderby."
81 desire to speak with you with ref |
erence to putting my little niece IN |
der your care"
The gentleman was invited in and |
made many inquiries regarding the |
terms of tuition and other matters per- |
tanning to the school Then he asked:
"Are you married, Mrs. EnderbyF'
Mrs. Enderby looked panied. Il can't
answer that question" she said. Il
don't know whether my husband is liv-
ing or dead"
The gentleman looked sympathetic,
and Mrs. Enderby changed the sub
1ect. But it was not long before her
visitor made an excuse To return TO 1t.
at seems a pity" he said, "th't so
young a woman should be prevented
from marrying by an uncertainty as
to the fate of an unworthy man"
81 beg your pardon, sir; l did not
say my husband was unworthy"
"You do not need to say so. The
very fact that he Is not living with
you indicates it"
Il don't see, sir. what my husband
has TO do with your sending your niece
to my school"
Pardon me, 1t has Il great deal to do
with it. The position of married peo-
pie who are not living together is
bad example to the young. II your
separation from your husband is your
fault it is your duty to undo what you
have done to bring about separation.
| But I have assumed that it is not your
| fault
The mans tone was so firm and
| withaI so kindly that the lady's man
ner toware him changed.
| at was my fault" she said. II mar
ried man and sought to change him
to meet my views. He sail that he
was perfectly satisfied with me rs he
|
| him over Another trouble between
us was that neither Of us had been
| brought up to know the value of mon
| ey. and we were living beyond our in
come. tried to lessen our cXpendi-
lures. but failed Finally 4 crash came,
! and | went to live with my mother.
! Ny husband went away. saying that If
he ever made enough money to keep
me in comfort he would come back to
| me. He has never come, so | suppose
he has remained poor Perhaps he is
dead"
Tears started into the lady's eyes as
she finished what she rw&s saying. The
gentleman respected her grief and said
nothing for Il few moments.
your having taken hold of the prob
lem of making a living" he said at
last. proves that the fault was in
your husband"
"On the contrary, he was very cncr-
getic and very bright He received an
excellent salary, but we spent it all
and more. managed our household
affairs and should have managed them
more economically"
Glow long ago did your husband go
away?"
ut is now about fifteen years"
zone word more on this subject. Mrs.
Enderby. and I will not presume fur
Their. Fifteen years absence is quite
enough to get a divorce for deSertion.
Do not waste your life from reluc-
lance to break bonds that have decay
ed Let the law make You single wo-
man. Marry again and be happy"
"Sir, by what right do you offer this
! your unasked adviCeE'
"The right any man has to endeavor
to make an injured woman see the
| true path before her. And am ready
| to make good my words. Let me be
| your protector. Give up this school.
| have plenty for us both"
| "IIow dare yOu?"
| Il admit your right to be offended
I, stranger to come into your house
and make you such an offer upon oul
| first meeting. Dut | am alone in tho
world and crave sympathy. After all
are not such unions in a sense expert
| mental? In your former union yOJ
were duly courted, but the courtshiI
did not prevent the parting. Wht
knows but that in the present case {
long continued happiness may RESULT
| "You ere a singular man." said thu
lady in kindlier tone. land l see tina
you have honored me instead of in
sulting me, as it at first appeared.
thank you, sir. but must decline YOU
offer For years / have cherished
4 hope that my husband would CONF
back to me. I admit that that hop'
grows sliGhter every day. Neverthe
| less | cannot turn from my early love
shall die waiting for him.
H If the stranger had been hurried
wooer, he was now a demonstrativ
one. He threw his arms about tn
lady and covered her face with kisses
Disengaging herself from him, sh
stood crimson with Indignation.
MARY" he said.
She started The word was spokel
IL u