Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-22

there was a change in the atmosphere
between the two. The girls lips were
tremulous. The man was agitated,
and strangely tender and brutal in his
speech.
'.It will not interest you he said.
"but / am going down tomorrow"
But why so tragic? We will be
back in town in week ourselves
and yet I do not feel so horribly blue
about it."
well, things down there are diff
ferent"
Yes, they are different, but not I'M
pleasant when you first get back to
them. | shall miss the Gamma in front
of your hotel; but / have no doubt the
fall millinery on State street will be
quite as gorgeous"
You are clever, and, like most
clever people, little heartless. You
know how things are different down
there The people are different-why
we are different ourselves. And it is
just the difference of which you
speak-the difference between these
flowers and flowers of silk and satin,
between those lilies out there and lily
stems of wire and paper"
"You are little unkind, Jack" she
said. gently.
The soft reproof, more suggestive O.
tears than anger, brought the story
to his very lips. He wondered how
he should tell it. Then an old schoolbo,
trick came back to him.. He brought on
his penknife. Beside them was a little
spruce and in the soft. flaky bark hi
carved a heart. Within its lines ht
dug deeply the initials of two people
The girl caught her breath and blushe(
little, which are the proper and Gus
tomary things for girl to do at sucl
a time.
Then he told her what was in hi
mind. 1t left her little panic-stricker
and she took the refuge her sisters al
ways have taken-she asked him t,
wait for his answer.
In such case there is but one thin.
for the man to do, and that is to wal
until tomorrow. But when a NAL
| is terribly in earnes. he takes peopl'
seriously.
when 1 see this carving of your
again then we will talk about this
Jack-if you still think this way"
She thought she was putting hin
on most proper probation. 1t wa
only woman's reluctance to give u
her freedom
But he took her at her word. Mex
day he went away.
| Back in town again, at first he sa'
her often. His restraint she imagine
was resentment. In November,
month of storms and dreary skie!
they quarreled. That was six week
ago.
All that six weeks he pondered tn
matter by lonely fires and over breal
fasts late and bad. Then he resolve
to end the suspense and still keep hi
word.
One day young man, whom the n
tfves were satisfied was most &c
tainly insane, stepped off the trai
into snowdrift. He wanted team
a guide, shovel and an ak. AS /
had money and determination he g,
them.
This crazy young man drove fo'
miles and waded through two NOR
On the Point, now bleak with winte
he stopped by tiny spruce protrudir
from the snow and began digging
furiously as if he were hunting f
buried treasure.
A half dozen little trees he unco
ered At last, with boyish laugh,
laid the ak at the foot Of one uni
the chips few.
That night the crazy man who h;
come 300 miles for Christmas tr
started homeward again. Christm
eve the man and the Christmas tr
mounted the steps Of the Wilson re
dence and rang the door bell Violent
Well, what else could she do? TIL
night they went out into the Christm
crowds together and bought the t
sci for the first Christmas tree Ka
had had in years-and the very best.
Copyright, 1908, by Wright A. Patterson
X.