Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-09

IT.
Save your salary continued Sackpoe, and after
whe-you1I wear diomonds"
So saying. he tapped Willie forcibly the chest.
pulled himself up in his cI2ir, drew in his chin, and
scQwed very solemnly indeed
But Willie though incrcdulors. determined ret
to have quarrel fastened him after tra-noi1Z
far for job; so he merely said, Yes sir, and asked
That was WiHe's Introductory talk 20 Mr. George
Stackpole. Sackpoe had charge OF the stockall the
on endless of shelving covering the sixth great
floor of sky-scraper on Wabash Avenue. Chicago.
The very first day Willie went up there he figured
out there must be at least ten million sheets Of music
in sight That was excessive. But S!tcr Willie had
looked over the stock he understood why Stackpoles
head large.
Stackpole knew where to find every two-stcp, every
gavot. and song in TIE entire collection. And
nobody else enc Of the thirty-odd girls who
worked in TIC even pretended to be able TO do
that, unless it Tom.
But Tom was OF the independent of fellows,
and if you asked him where song was to be found
had full of the stock floor. and yet appeared 10
have no regular hours for work The girls claimed
president downstairs for good many years Willie
used watch him, rather obviously in his flvorite
Tom would sit there for hours okng across the
OFT the l,ke-frcnt idly counting the trains
that puffcd Up the shore and down.
But never, by any chance. had the fellow kind
word to spare for Willie
Still Stackpole seemed to ike him. and one hour
was pretty sure to find the manager and Tom together
that the unch-hour
After Willie had been at work week. he was in
vted to bring his box and lunch with them. and
he could with half eye that. in spite Of the
were some serious differences between them
For instance, Stackpoe was bald. Will Tom had
abundance of hair and whiskers. StackPOic spec
taclcs. but Tom could see in the dark; and one day
particularly serious difference right in the midst
stepped into the butter. No one could say it was done
Intentionally, yet the result was rat no one wanted
butter that day but Tom; and he rather greedy ate 1t
For week he was denied the courtescs of the man
soft-hearted chap, after all, forgave him Indeed, it
was herd to be provoked with Tom very long. He
h3d qet lnslnuating way OF rubbing up against you
4 can't see low he finds enough 70 eat up here"
remarked Willie. one day. shouldn't think there
would Re any mice Ground music.
Why not?" asked Stackpole. tremendously
Whit is there for them to eat? ~ said Willie, after
a tn 7 9F..c:a,
Haven't you noticed the peculiar kind of mice we
have 10 horc2 >" was Nh stackpole's next inquiry.
Musical nice Samuel Didn't you ever hear of
musical mce?
they doat Music. do they?
Eating r-,t,7ic is what gives them musical turn in
the first Pi--e. How else could they set It? That's
the kind ct mice that ruins cur music, my boy Even
TENS Cct,irc tone. Don't YOU notice it? It's from
Getting thccc rar-icol 11ice. Now hustle me a dozen
q=iclscps to fill this order. Fourth aisle Left, second
Wilic Ryan's part OF the business was not really
finding sheet music: brt he clever that if all
the girls were Busy St2ckpole could safely call on
other Willio-Willic Racl who smoked cigarettes,
aad rather dcs?iscd by the monsoon had to be
Willie Ran STEPPED being Sam Ryan, and became
Niiic Ri morc-wllich co:nfcrtcd his sister
Jra. &c Being young ard nervous, very much indeed
Niiies real work to copy the letters, stamp
them. take them the office, and bring back the
registered" The registered letters all had money in
them, end StaCpoe often said Never part with that
mailbag, r.y boy if you hold your job
However. tire letters with the money in them have
nothing to do with the story, make mistake;
though you may keep IN eye the bag.
One bitterly cold February day Stackpoe and Tom
and Willie had finished thoir luncheon far the
pic. wicn Willie began to sniff
" What is that smell? said hc.
What smell? " asked Stcckpole.
" Dent you smell smoke "
Staokpole jumped UP and ran hastily back to the
hght-shait. Willie stayed to finish his pic
Willie" called Stackpoc. so loudly usual,
but oh. 50 keenly " the buildings aire!" The man
ager continued. Willie ran back. It's below. Make
roise; get the elevator quick, boy while call the
girls. Lightly. swiftly a cat. he into the stock
room. " GrlsEeverybody! HCrc At once! Drop
everything. Quck-to the passcnger-clevator!
lie spoke not loudly violently. but earnestly
and with utmost despatch. Sudden wreaths OF smoke
puffcd into the hatchways and rolled upward Girls
began to scream: q" What shall do? -" Save me!
Fire. "
And in their midst Stackpolc, quoting helping,