Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-25

Michael Angelo Moultrie was his
name. and the dininutive of Angel"
bestowed upon him by doting moth
er, was we'll applied. At least this was
the opinion of other tenants in the big
Burlington apartment house.
Angel was eight years old. but he
scarcely looked six. with his long gold
en- curls and ethereal beauty. In his
velvet suits he suggested some child of
the Little Lord Fauntleroy period held
over into an age Of Buster Browns.
Mrs. Moultrie was possessed of a
theory that as the child is named so
the tastes incline, and she had set her
! heart upon his being a painter.
Angels splotchy water colors were
carefully preserved in huge portfolio
against the day they should become
| the priceless mementos of a world
famous painters youth.
The only child of widowed mother.
Angel was about as badly spoiled as a
! boy could be and yet escape the reform
| school, but his seraphic countenance
and his big. innocent eyes had enabled
| him to successfully lie out of compile
fty in many juvenile crimes. Though
| the small boys of the block invariably
explained that Angel was the instiga-
| tor of all the mischief, even their own
| fond mothers believed them to be in n
| conspiracy to destroy the fair fame Of
the model child.
| Angel was quick to perceive his pop
1 lie ,,;f I,r.
found his way to those apartments
where candy and cake were to be had
He seemed to know when callers with
offerings of candy had visited the diff
| ferent young women. and his own calls
were scheduled for the following day.
His one exception was Mamie DIM
mick. Mamie seldom entertained call
efs of the sort Angel most approved.
No five pound boxes of sweets lay
upon her table. and no great masses of
I flowers scented the room. yet Angel
liked best of all to visit at the Dim
mick apartment. for there was n GER
tain tenderness In Mamie Dimmick' S
manner of which Angel approved most
highly.
"She always looks like she's going tG
cry" he had told his mother in an en-
deavor to discuss the girls peculiar
] charm, "She looks like she's going tt
cry. but she doesn't. She just holds
you tight in her arms. and you fee
| glad and sorry all at once"
Clearly this blending of emotions ap
pealed to Angel. for he was regular
visitor to the Dimmick apartment. ant
/ the girl found odd comfort in his pratt
: tie.
Mamie sorely needed comfort. fo
the look of sadness in her eyes deepen
ed as the weeks sped by with no wore
from Arthur Ryder. When he hat
come to her with his face afiame will
happiness to tell her that he had found
his chance at last. that the firm hat
decided to send him on tour of thu
African and Asiatic countries to intro
duce their wares. 1t had seemed tina
fate, with kindly hands. had swep
barriers from their path.
at will be the making of me-" Ar
thur had explained. 81 start at Cap
Town and work up the east coast o
Africa, then cross to Asia and so "a
to China. 1t will take about eighteel
months. but if I make a success
shall be taken into the firm and W
can be married. dear"
Mrs. Dimmfck had refused to listel
to an engagement. Time enough 70
that when Arthur came back, she ha
told them. An engagement of a yea
and half would be worse than use
less.
y 1t would deprive Mamie of man
pleasures. and no formal engagemer
! was really necessary. Il. they bot