Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-16


the lounge, Mary Sands was perched
on tie side of a table swinging her
feet, while two or three other girls
were comfortably seated in armchairs.
Myrtle Reed was reading the Goshen
Leader, the principal local paper.
Girls, it ought to be stopped. Here
she is advertising for a man to fix the
roof of that old stable Yesterday she
wanted a man to fix the furnace, and
the day before it was a boy she want
ed to water the mushroom beds. Her
family are poor enough without en-
couraging Florence Weiss in any more
of her foolish fads. Why doesn't she
marry, as the rest of us have done?"
That's what 1 asked Jack the other
night" chimed In Mary Sands. But
she says size hates the men and wants
to raise mushrooms and make a for
tune of her own. Her grandmother
left her $500, you know, and that is
what she invested in the mushroom
fad"
Lets 80 down in body and apply
for the job" suggested Clara. st is
y,
good"
In the meantime Florence Weiss was
unlocking the door of the old stable
| Dressed in n short walking skirt and
| scarlet sweater, with an old tam-o-
shanter on her golden hair. she made a
| picture most unfarmer-like. Her blue
eyes sparkled with anticipation as she
entered the cellar of the stable to view
her precious mushrooms. Florence had
ideas and ideals, and she meant to live
up to both. If the family expected her
to marry just to replete their purse
they would be sadly disappointed. Wo-
men were born for nobler things, she
argued, and she would go forth and
make money with her own hands and
brains and not tie herself to any man
She knelt down by the side of one
of the beds and with spoon cut off
! tiny mushroom sprung up overnight
She examined the spawn in another
| bed, felt the temperature of a third
and then went to the door to call Mala-
chi. the boy whom she employed to do
chores.
Malachi, Malachir' she called out,
but Malachi did not appear, so she
went out to look for him. Behind the
stable on the side hill she found him
covered with tar and beating Il fire.
Malachi, what is all this:" she de-
manded.
yes. ma'am-you see, ma'am-O
Lord. miss. I've set fire to the tar" he
walled. You see. miss. l was gettin'
ready for the man to fix the roof, an 1
opened the barrel of tar, an it
wouldn't run, so l thought, you see.
ma'am, l thought I'd melt it-yes,
ma'am."
well, Malachi, you're an idiot. that's
what you are, and l never want to see
your face again. You've melted it all
right, and I'll have to buy more tar at
IS barrel
Malachi was discharged, and the
man who applied TO put on a new roof
was installed in his place.
Clean up the place." said Florence
when asked what he should do until
more tar arrived for the roof
Florence started for town and sc
missed the call that the girls paid
ever, to see her new man started or
his work.
Get some of that fertilizer. Joseph
and bring it to me. This bed is in very
: poor condition and will never yield
. anything unless we work on it,
: Joseph stared in blank amaZement.
t Fertilizer, ma am" he said. as II
: that pile of rotten stuff that was lyin
a out yonder what you're speakin' off,"
! Yes, yes.' answered Florence
+ Right there at the side door"
f We'll. I'm after dumpin' it in the
o brook, ma'am," he announced. "YoI
i told me to clean up the place, and
done 1t. ma'am. to the best of my abil
:. ity.' And he Strengthened up his some
: what bent shoulders as if to emphasiz,
:. his brilliant stroke of work.
- 1t was too much added to the loss o
I the barrel of tar and Florence sa
down on the damp cellar floor ant
IS cried but not for long. She soon driet
" the tears on her old apron and vente,
a. her bitter anger on the head of Joseph
q He stood for moment listening, the
turned and went out, muttering:
II thought it was a lady, but
f. might of knowed diggin' in the dir
never made lady yet" And JOSEF
II was a thing of the past.
= Florence sat upon the stone wall
- think it over. Eight dollars for the ia
- of yesterday, S12 for the fertilizer G
= today. Ideas were not always prat
: teal, and ideals did not materialize q
:; they might Fight as she would agains
= them, the tears would come again
" The sound of wheels on the road nea
- at hand reused Florence. She turne
y to see the express wagon from the gel
M eral store about to deliver the BARR
10 of tar. She jumped down from til
~ fence and hurried to the gate whic
III led to the old stable.
~ ''Why, Mr.. Rivers, what are you d
~ ing? Driving the express wagon?" 81
exclaimed as she recognized in Il
or driver one of Goshen's leading your
IN men.
ie. Hello, Flor he cried as he tied I'll
~ old horse to the gatepost. Its m
= all right. Just loafing around for