Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-31

of Gibson ,Yne'ii az would have yield
ed to his affection for his old friend
and offered TO Seed the place back to
him.
And now came one of those comb
nations of circumstances calculated TO
drive apart instead Of weld together
those who love. Robert Spooner as II
young man had desired to accumulate
partly that he might help the friend
whom he looked upon as his inferior
He now saw that inferior in posi-
ton 10 help him. Had he been unin
fuenced he might have stood the
strain occasioned by Jealousy. But
Mrs. Spooner disappointed in not be
ing able to retain the grip she had Sc
cured on society. smartinG at seeing
the man whose influence over her
husband she had disliked successful
while SpOoner was n failure. began Il
series of innueudoes against Gibson.
These had no effect Mt first. but. being
followed up pertinaciously. at last in
fected the subject on whom she work
ed
Finally Spooner. seeing n rare OPP
portunity, made a desperate effort to
interest certain men with capital. sue
ceeded and with one Of these brilliant
strokes for which he had formerly
been remarka BILE made q fortune. AS
soon as Gibson heard of the fact he
sent note to his friend offering to
sell him his former home ut the price
he had paid for it. which was about
half its present valuation. But the
poison was in Spoon"r's blood. and he
replied curly that the place would
not DOW he commensurate with his
altered fortunes.
From that time there was a contin-
ued effort on the part Of the Spooners
to faunt their position in the face Of
the GibsOns-that is, on the part OF
Mrs. Spocner What her husband did
was inspired by her. But this Gibson
didn't know. and he felt his old
friends antagonism keenly. The
Spooners grew richer. and the richer
they grew the more they snubbed the
Gibsons. Mrs. Spooner's chief desire
seemed to be TO make them under
stand that while they had thousands
the Spooners had millions and that
there was as wide n difference in the
social position Of the two families as
there was in their financial position.
And SO it came that the two friends
drifted apart. Both retired from bust
ness. and both were old men. Neither
had any use for the money he had
accumulated beyond q bare living.
Whatever enjoyment there was in
wealth was derived by their families.
ri Il. Hroy,nad q and the
old men were companionable with no
one One evening while Mrs. Spooner
was entertaining a house full OF guests
her husband. letting himself out
through n back door. walked into the
street He felt the desolation of a
homeless man.
Passing q cafe that had been in the
same location for half century, where
he and Gibson had in their youth met
for a bite. a glass of beer and to talk
over their affairs. he was seized with
a melancholy desire TO go in and sit in
the old familiar seat AS he ap
preached the stall he found it occupied
by an old man. He was about to pass
on when he heard his name spoken
Turning. be saw the veteran in the
booth looking st him intently.
Bob
"Iars!
They sat side by side. as they had
done when boys just entering upon
their careers. remaining for tim"
hand in band like two lovers. The pasi
was net referred TO.
Lars" said SnOoner. here we arc
in the place from which we started.
-uccessfUI In The end and unable 70
enioy the results Of our success. The
only marked effect it has had has been
20 separate us. WHIST use was there in
the struggle after ail:"
without the interest we took in II
we would bIve always been what we
are today-men without lie. Our chill
dren are moving it. or at least they
think ;Ney are. but I doubt If their
lives have the intensity in them that
ours have hod. We love our wives and
them. but there is a different affection
which they cannot supp'y-it is that
which we feel for each other"
The place had run down since they
were there as logs. but it was all they
required. They met often during the
remainder of their lives in that old
booth. before which Il curtain could be
drawn to Shut them from the view OF
others. OSe night a waiter. entering 70
tell them that the closing hour had
come. found them sitting hand in
hand. both dead.