Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-06

city and acquire city ways are TO b"
blamed when we return and yield to
dissatisfaction at country ways.
Henry remained away a year at col
lege before be came back 10 the farm
| Then one July morning. when sitting
at my window, Garning socks. | looked
up. and there on the opposite side of
the road were the couple | had first
noticed eight or nine years ago as chill
dren. Though Henry was plainly
dressed. his clothes were not country
clothes. 1t seemed 70 me that be might
pass anywhere as Il city bred young
man. And Lia-how my heart went
out to the poor child in her effort TO
dress in a fashion more in keeping
with the apparel Of those girls TO
whom Henry bad been accustomed. IT.
was all Inference with me- but ii was
plain TO see that she had prepared her
self against his return TO modify the
difference between her ard their habiI-
| iments.
wondered If he noticed this and if
it pleased or displeased him. Surely
her effort was rot very successful. In
the country one may get city fashions
hui il is not every worker who can
make them up. Hut in the few mo-
ments they were passing it was in.
possible for me 10 tell If there had
been any change in Henry's feelings for
Lila. SO ! pieced o;it the story in this
wise: Henry was beginning to see the
difference between her aud the girls be
had met | mean by her her clothes
"a certain deficiency in what city PEG
r,1o coll I n
Lila as n soul not even as q body. for
in bodily beauty she would doubtless
far surpass many city girl. We'll.
what do / refer to? Why. clothes and
manner; that's all.
After this Henry seldom came home
during vacations. | heard that be
usually went camping with his fellow
students At any rate. | lost track of
my lovers. was reluctantly obliged
to consider my story. if rot finished. at
least passing through a stage Of inter
ruption. Henry had become interested
in a career which would have nothing
to do with farms or farmer people.
When he was graduated | learned that
he was intending to study medicine.
But before be entered a medical col
on his education. sent him abroad.
When l heard of all these matters,
which were taking him farther and
farther away from proviucialism and
his provincial sweetheart, / groaned in
spirit. for / saw Chat my love story
was likely TO end in nothing.
1t was some time before Henry was
to leave the medical college that
heard bad news OF Lila. They said
she had some trouble that was drag
ging her down. but the doctors could
not discover what it was. They could
not diagnose it-that is what they call
ed it. Her father sent to the city and
! brought a doctor to the farm especial
ly to see if be couldn't tell what was
the matter with her. The doctor said
he couldn't find any organic trouble.
whatever that means. and the only
remedy he thought might benefit her
was change of scene. He advised her
father to take her on a trip. But
Farmer Bunker couldn't afford to do
that, and Lila didn't care to go.
considered this merely a part Of
my love story. II was plain to me
that Henry Morse had drifted away
| 1IOID the li.lIe SHi udu SSCb hAh1 81
ing by our house with when they were
children. and the parting was killing
her.
They say story writers often fall in
love with their imaginary characters
Therefore it's not strange that story
creator like myself should fall in love
with a real person of flesh and blood
| had always known the Bunkers. so |
went to see Lila. That was in the
spring-May. think. / found her sit
ting in an easy chair at her window.
pale anguid and without interest in
anything. 1t may be that she devineG
by my bearing toward her that knew
what was the matter with her. AT
any rate. when | went up to her. took
her hand and drew her head down on
my shoulder she left it there and seem
ed to get relief from the tears thai
came
While she was weeping on my shou,