Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-30
She Hrgus Daily Short Story
'P1aybills and Sentiment. BY Carl Williams.
(copyrighted. 1908 by the Associated Literary Press

mined to leave Bairsville for the
| greater opportunities of the city that
he would not write. He had not writ
ten, but after the first week the Bea-
con came regularly, addressed in his
strong, masculine handwriting. and
! Elizabeth always smiled a softly tri-
umphant smile whenever the copy ar
rived
There had been an understanding
with Jack Hardy until the stories she
loved to write had so frequently found
publication as to awaken In Elizabeth
an ambition to get in personal touch
with the editors.
| Hardy had frowned upon the sug-
gestion OF removal to New York. He
could not leave Blairsville because
his own and his mothers incomes
were derived from the lumber bust
ness which his father had left. and
Hardy knew that to go to the city
meant beginning all over again the
fight for a competence.
| There had been heated words over
Elizabeth's determination to leave, and
she had been given her choice of ca
reer or marriage. She bad elected in
favor of the career. She had prosper
ed in the great city. She had told her
self over and over again that she had
done the only sensible thing, and yet
Today there was an Enclosure with
the Beacon, a playful announcing in
fiamboyant language weeks engage
ment at the opera house of the Rice &
L cf0
Elizabeth smiled as she read the IA
miliar repertoire. The Rice & Bennett
company was almost an institution in
Blairsville Twice year they played
for a week in the town hall, and every
one who could afford it attended all
their performances. 1t was the one
real dramatic treat of the season, for
the few other attractions that made
Blairsville were travelling magicians.
"Uncle Toms Cabin" companies and
lpn occasional medicine show" The
Rice & Bennett company was to Blairs-
Vile what grand opera is to the cities.
Last year she and Jack had attended
the spring performances together, but
In the fall she was gone. How time
had flown. The Rice & Bennett com.
pany would open their spring engage.
ment the following week. and Jack had
sent her a hanger. An odd lump came
In her throat as she returned to the
table and her neglected coffee.
When she started to tidy up after the
| meal she thumb tackled the Italian
poster to the wall of her tiny private
hall. The wall was bare, and the vel.
low poster with its foreign lettering
gave smart touch to the hall, like
hotel labels on steamer trunk or suit
| case
Elizabeth sat down to the typewriter
but presently there came an insisteni
ring at the hall door. Tony. the rosy
faced Italian, who supplied the ten
| ants of the house with ice. displayed
two rows of cleaning teeth as he ex
plosiyeiy announced "Icev' Elizabeth
held open the door for him while be
lifted the cake from the dumb waiter
and placed it in her refrigerator.
But the smile faded from Tony's
face as he turned to leave. With ar
inarticulate cry he sprang at the post
er. lingering it lovingly and scannin:
every word Of the beloved Italian.
: 1T is from the home," he explained
blushing, when the first shock of sur
prise had passed. 1T is to there that
take-A what you call-sweetheart
All, to the Salone Margherita. me an
} my Marie. Marie she cannot ieav-a, d.
: pop-da fard'. come-a to America I,
make-a mon. 1t is YER lonely. sgnors
: Scus-a mi"
He shuf1ed haltingly from the apart
ment. his joyial face drawn with home
sickness and thoughts of the. distan
: Marie.