Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-18
She Hrgus Daily Short Story
The Schemer and the Widow-By William H. Handy.


The three girls-Florence. Molly and
in January, and long enough before
the first April shower they had all
their plans perfected. 1t was to be q
unique and romantic summer outing
Florence's father owned a farm on the
bay 4 frame house had been erected
for the tenant, and an old log house
stood vacant in romantic spot. 1t
was, as Florence informed her two
girl chums, a dear. lovely, sweet. just
o-nice-for-anything old log house. 1t
would make such 4 bungalow as could
not be found for twenty miles up and
down the coast.
On the hill forty rods back of the log
house was the new dwelling. occupied
by Farmer Jones. his good, fat wife
and his lean son Jacob. The girls
would take their meals there and have
no cooking or dishwashing 10 do. When
| they wanted to roast CLAIMS and pota-
| toes they could build a fire on the
shore.
| Just three girls and no crowds, no
dressing for dinner. no keeping the
hair curled: just three girls. boating.
fishing and swinging in their ham
| mocks and cantering DER the dewy
| grass in the morning; no cards. no
bouquets, no f1irtations: the fat Mrs
Jones for chaperon. the lean Jacob to
run errands, old Jones to drive into the
village once Il week after kerosene and
4 4, Ia,
very thought Of it produced t'lriis
Well, 1t all came about = went
down early in July to remain Cor tw'
months. Word had been sent To .Ione
that they wished to rough it and that
he must not remove any of the ro
nance. He obeyed orders. He built
three rude hunks. put in an old table
and three chairs and furnished lamp
There We're a few panes of glass IL
the windows. and he did not add to the
number; there were a'few holes i'm the
roof, and he did not cover them; there
was half an acre of pigweeds around
the house, and he did not NOW then
down. Mr.. Jones was romantic him
self and appreciated the sentiment il
others.
The outing started off with "How
charming" How idealv' and How
very romanticv Then the three girl.
got their heads together and took /;
solemn VOW. 1t was that they woult
remain until the very last day of Au
gust and that in the interval they
would not encourage any Young MAJ
to address thein-any young man ex
cept Jacob. from whom they Learned
that young men came that way Mt in
tervals to fish in the bay.
l. The bungalow was success frou
the start. On the first night it rained
and the water dripped down through
a dozen leaks; on the second night
COW came and put her head through
one of the windows to see wha
strange cattle had arrived and takel
possession; on the third an owl alight
ed on the rooftree and uttered tire
whoops. and they We're followed b.
three EXPLANATIONS of "Murderw "Po
lice" and Help"
On the fourth day jacob appears
with pitcher of buttermilk and som
startling news. He had discovere
a young man had gone into camp
short quarter of mile away. He ha
with him a tent, boat. plenty q
provisions and cooking utensils.
looked us If he intended to stay rigf
there all summer. Jacob had entere
the young mans camp and asked hir
to please move two miles farther u
or down. The young man had glare
at him and kept on reading voum
of poetry The news created intens
excitement at once. An indignatio
meeting was at once called. and it wa
resolved "that the young man hi
got to go and that we wait upon hi
4 in body and tell him So"
Jacob bravely offered his help. b
1t was declined THE body" marcht
j straight for the enemy's camp. eat