Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-12

native heath FOR a few months,'' re-
marked Mr.. Doremus in his quaint
way. THAT chap down in the steer.
age is an American, whatever else he
may be, or Ill eat my best hat, and
wouldn't for five cents be in the depu-
tation to present him with the some
thing not fulsome, but nice ON lit
tie silver salver / should expect him
to give me the frosty mitt."
This expression struck me as being
so funny that l burs. out laughing
though l had TO stop and think for
second before 1 could quite see what
Mr.. Doremus really meant, but I
wouldn't forget my point in a laugh.
Perhaps it wouldn't do to offer
money" l went on. Suppose We got
up subscription to buy him a second
class passage for the rest of the
way. That would show appreciation,
wouldn't it,"
at would" replied Mr.. Doremus
gravely, land if you'll start the sub
scription, Lady Betty, it'll go like wild
fire"
L,
Though I'd rather some one else did
it."
'It wouldn't be so popular from any
other quarter. I'll help you. Well go
floating around together and pass the
plate, and if you like I'll do the talk
ing"
l agreed TO this, and if I'd thought
ol ct oil 7 oh hax
that Mrs. Ess Kay would be as
pleased as Punch with such an ar
| rangement, because Mr.. Doremus, as
relative of Mrs. Van der Windt's.
is the only man on board to whom she
makes herself agreeable. 1t appears
that he has started several fashions
| in New York, the most important be-
| ing to drive in some park they have
there without hat. But probably If
the truth were known he lost it, like
the fox that tried to make his friends
chop off their tails.
| Mrs. Ess Kay had gone to her state
| room soon after lunch. as the motion
of the ship had given her headache,
and 1 didn't happen to be near Sally
WOODBURY.. So l said yes" to Mr..
Doremus on the impulse of the mo-
ment without stopping to think wheth-
err 1 ought to ask permission first.
We had great fun going about, for
Mr. Doremus was SO witty and said
such amusing things to the people he
| begged Of that | could hardly speak
for laughing. and every one else laugh
ed too. | wished that he wouldn't put
me forward always and say it was my
| idea and l had started the subscrip-
| ton. But he argued that / must sac
rifce myself for the success of the
| charity just as l would at home if
had to work off damaged pincushions
or day before yesterdays violets at a
/ bazaar OF course, not being out,
I've never sold anything at a bazaar,
but Victoria is continually doing it in
the season, and she makes quite q
virtue of forcing perfect strangers to
"stand and deliver" as she calls it
This seemed much the same sort OF
thing to me- and so / felt nice and
virtuous, too, as Vic does when she
! comes home with a new frock torn
and stepped on and lies in bed late
next day, with Thompson to brush her
hair and me to read TO her.
People were very kind, and. though
they laughed great deal. they gave
J, so much that before we'd been hal
the rounds Mr. Doremus said we ha(
more than enough for our friend. H,
wanted to know if l would like to chi
the nail on the head and settle mat
tiers at once by arranging with thu
!, purser for a second class cabin to b,
put at the hero's disposal. 1 wanted
! him to do that part alone, but he pre-
tended to be shy and said he hat
: grown to depend so entirely on my CO
operation that he felt unequal to un
dertaking any responsibility withou