Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-29

nineteen, year older than you, l cared |
for a man and he for me. We cared |
for each other-terribly. But he was
poor, and, not only that, he came from
people whom mine looked down upon |
We loved each other so much, though |
that l would have married him in
spite of all, but my relations thought
it would ruin my life, and they adj
vised and persuaded and irnplored and
insisted, until / was weak enough to
give the man up. They took me to
Europe, and because L had some money
an Italian prince We met in Rome
wanted to marry me. They almost ar
gued me into cOnsenting, and though
they didn't quite the news went home
to Kentucky that | was engaged. The
man / really loved-loved dearly all
the time, though | was trying to for
get him-believed it. Why shouldn't
he, since I'd given him up for the rea
sons | had? He was Catholic, and he
went into monastery we have in
Kentucky and became Il monk. No one
ever wrote to me about it. All my
friends thought the less heard of him
the better. And two years later, when
| went back home-not engaged. and
thinking in my heart that there was
and always would be only one man for
me in the world-it was 10 learn that
| that man had taken the final vows
| which would separate him from earth
| ly love forever
''Oh. Betty, you don't know what
CIlfi 10 off
| that when | saw him again-as ]
meant to-I would know by his eyes
| at the first glance whether he still
| cared as mich as ever, and if he did
| would ask him to marry me- But |
! never saw him again. except with the
| eyes of my heart, and | always sec
| him so. Not an hour passes that ]
| don't see him So
You poor darling l exclaimed.
| And there was note in her voice that
made my eyelids sting How little l
guessed. And you seem so cheerful
| and even merry"
| lone isn't in the world to be a wet
blanket" said Sally. Besides, one
isn't actively miserable every minute
| for years because one has thrown away
! ones chance of real happiness. One
| gets along contentedly enough except
in the bad hours, when instead of be-
| ing mild gray the world is ink
black. But 1 haven't told you this
to get sympathy, dear 1t hasn't
been quite easy telling, for l don'c
talk much about the deep down
| things iii ElySelf. I've told you in the.
hope thar you'll remember me and my
wasted years if your chance comes TO
be happy, even if it should be chance
which you think, in worldly way,
wouldn't he prudent or what your peo-
pie would like. People have no right
to try and order our lives, no matter
how near they may be to us. It's we
who have to live our lives, not they"
For Il minute we We're both silent
and then Sally said quietly, as if she
were glad to speak: Here comes some
one we've seen before. Do you recog
nize him? And shall you bow?"
| Vivace gave such leap that his
leash, which I'd been holding careless
ly, was jerked out Of my hand. II
was my brown man who was coming
Jim Brett.
My face did feel red! Vitace was
making such fuss over him that Sally
could hardly help guessing whose the
dog had been before he was mine
But / made the best of it. "Of course
l recognize him, and of course shall
bow" said l. HE was very kind tt
me on the dock when L was at let
ter b.
Sally didn't make any remark ahou
Vivace's eapers, though by this tim,
he was wagging all over with joy a
his masters feet and jumping up t.
his knees. was grateful to her.
IN another moment we three had me
in the shady path far away from ev
erybody else, and Vivace began run
ming back and forth between his mas
ter and me, as If he wanted to max,
us good friends and not hurt either o
our feelings.
I How do you do?" said /, holdin.
p out my hand. what a coincidenc,
| meeting you here. And nay dear lfttl
: dog that somebody sent me does seen
| to take an extraordinary fancy to you
e doesn't hep
Mr. Jim Brett laughed and kept hi
9 hat off, which made him look very mic
with the dappling green and gold ligh
5 waving over his thick, short blacl
: hair and his forehead, which is white
Q than the rest of his face.
He had on better clothes than b
t had worn on shipboard, but they wer
q blue serge. with the air Of havin
e been bought ready made at a eheal
;. | shop. In spite of them, however. h
e looked very handsome, and every inc
k of him a gentleman. / don't thin
$ many men, even in STAINS set. coul
n wear those badly cut things and loo
# as he did in them, though he does hav
r., to travel in the steerage.
l. i asked Sally il / might introduc
d Mr.. Brett to her, and she said yes an
1t smiled up SO sweetly that l was de
d lighted. because for all her talk abou
A natures noblemen / felt 1 didn't kno,
e her well enough to be quite sure no,
st she would take it. But she talked [