Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-01
Che Hrgus Daily Short Story
An Unfinished Proposa1-By G. B. Lewis
Copyrighted. 1908 by Associated Literary Press

When mothers put it the way they
do we must sympathiZe with them
more or less, especially when the moth
er is widow. 1t isn't through any
spirit of avarice that she would have
her daughter marry rich. 1t is simply
that the money may be in the house
when the man comes around with The
gas bill. 1t isn't because of snobbish-
ness that she would prefer to be the
mother-in-aw of duke rather than
a commoner but dukes are said never
to call their mothers in-law old cats.
1t isn't from any desire to smash To-
mances or break hearts that they lug
the daughter of twenty off to Europe
in hopes she will forget the man of
twenty-five to fall in love with
sutton of sixty. 1t is that the dear
girl may have a grandfather, father
and husband all in one.
Such were the guiding principles of
Mrs Deland, relict of Judge Deiand.
and it is requested that a fair per
cent of the readers of this story be-
come her partisans and give her fair
show.
OF course the daughter, Clara, had
received the education given to all
young girls whose fathers or mothers
are able to pay for the same by the
square foot, and she had arrived at the
age of twenty without causing any
particular worry TO anybody when she
met young Albert Lee. They called
| him young Lee because he was only
| twenty-five and because there was an
old Lee who was sixty
Young Lee was still at college, and
| 1t was still an unsettled question as to
what profession he would select to
make his way through life. In ain in
| definitely definite way he had been
paying his attentions 10 Miss Clara
for several months before the widowed
mother. with 4 woman,s intuition.
aroused herself TO the realization that
her lamb might be stolen away. Then.
like a dutiful mother. she began max
ing inquiries and scolding her daugh-
| ter at the same time
| 1t did not take long 10 exhaust the
schedule of inquiries. Young Lee was
all right socially. and his siXty-year-
| old father would leave him COM
Portable property when the reaper
came. but there was no telling wheth-
er he would pass away at siXty-one or
eighty-fve.
| 1t was long odds for Il mother with
|
at once put her foot down. and of
course it was the wrong foot. She
began by criticising the sutton and
ended by announcing that she would
rather see her daughter in her grave
There were arguments, protesta-
tons, tears. \ girl who is beginning
TO feel the impulses of love may be
largucd or Bulldozed into silence. but
to convince her is quite another thing.
After a few minutes Clara had moth
ing further TO say, and in her exuber-
lance over her triumph the mother an
inounced an early trip to Europe
Young Lee would not follow. The ex-
elements and enjoyments of London
Paris and Berlin would quite drive
him from the daughters mind, and
some day that daughter would knee
at the maternal feet and exclaim:
BLESS you, mamma, that you have
! caused me to forget that penniless
young man and engaged me to the liv
! ing remains of an ancient lord, duke
} or count
: The living remains appeared in Lon
| 7 oh
er. The only certain thing about his
age was that he was over sixty. Th'
, only certain thing about his attentions
to the daughter was that he believed
the mother far richer than she was
and that he had several mortgage;
on several ruined castles that he wish
ed to repair.
, After the first meeting, which came
about through accident. MILFORD was il
evidence at brief intervals during th'
tour. lasting three months and more
! He received all proper encouragement
, from the mother. and there were times
when the daughter sat and looked a
his dyed hair and false eyebrows ant
: pasted wrinkles and was amused.
Y two before the ladies sailed for home
4 he made his proposal 1t was frs
y made to the mother. who received /
Z smilingly: then to the daughter. VIII
y also smiled q little, but prevaricate'
Z by saying that she didn't know he
y own heart.
T. Milford was in duty bound. as ga
y liant remains are. to say that he woul
4 give her time, and Clara looked bac
y at London from the decks of tn
& steamer and congratulated herself tina
y this ended 1t all.
& That was where she was just a
y much mistaken as her mother ha
Z been. They had been home only fou
y weeks when Milford put in All appear
y ance at the American manor hous'
z 1t was no ones business but his ow
y how he had managed to raise the cas-
z for the trip. There are money lender
y in London who will take long chance
K His love had not grown cold with Il
y departure of Miss Deland
H. 10 =,