Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-07
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Clock of Fate-By Dele Tourtelotte.
Copyrighted, 1910. by Associated Literary Presa

While looking for evidence of mar
riage involving property belonging to
clients of mine 1 came upon a mar
riage license issued to two parties, and
written across the face of the entry in
red ink was the note by the judge:
Returned unused. See page so-and-
So" On turning to the page referred
to there was another record and the
same red ink note. In short, the rec
ord shows that license was procured
and returned unused three different
times. The fourth time. however, was
the charm, and they were married, he at
the age of forty and she at thirty years.
made a note of the names, intend
ing to look for the story that appeared
to be contained in these several notes.
Years afterward stumbled upon 1t by
accident. 1t was told to me by sister
of the lady for whom the license was
taken out. Here it is:
A social party from the city was
husking corn on Berkharts farm.
Among the husl1ing party were the
two persons whose names appear In
the marriage record. They were Nor
man Witridge, at that time aged TWEEN
ty-f1ve, and Rose Anderson, slip of
a girl, lowering between childhood and
womanhood.- Wiridge was a hand
some young fellow, and Rose Anderson
was a very pretty girl. Between fif
teen and twenty-five, nothing but phys
zeal beauty is needed to unite those
of opposite sex. The two were sitting
on a heap Of corn busily tearing OF
the husks when they saw each other
for the first time
WitTidge husked a red ear.
Every one who knows anything about
husking parties is aware that when a
fellow finds red ear he is entitled to
kiss the girl he happens to be nearest
Witridge had noticed the vermilion lips
of~Rose Anderson, and, hungry for 4
kiss, he was eagerly watching for the
red ear that would give him one. The
moment he saw the dark kernels he
took the kiss, and 1t seemed to him
that he was IN heaven.
AS it needs only one electric spark
to send a message around the globe,
SO with two young people it needs but
a kiss to start a home. The couple
spent several hours together, at the
Gnu VI WHICH Tune w llLN1BGs WIZ
had driven to the husking in buggy,
handed the girl into it and drove to
town. 1t was the old story. Swayed
by impulse, he had dared her to marry
him, and, swayed by impulse, she had
taken him up.
On reaching the town Witridge pro-
cured a marriage license and took Rose
Anderson to a parson for the purpose
of marriage. Knowing nothing about
the age required to enable clergyman
to legally marry a girl, she replied that
she was fifteen. The clergyman de-
clined to perform the ceremony and be
rated the young man soundly for
bringing so young a girl to him to be
married. The two went out and stood
for a few moments on the sidewalk,
the young man irresolute. Then, put
ting the girl in the buggy, he drove her
to her home.
The next day the marriage license
was returned unused
Whether or no Rose Anderson's par
ents knew Of how near their daughter
had come to being married L did not
learn, but the fact remains that within
a week after she went to the parsons
she was packed off to boarding school,
where she remained, vacations except
ed, for three years. During this period
she never met the man who had come
so near to being her husband.
When the fates have destined end
in view they arrange situations to
meet the case. In the first place they
knew perfectly well the dispositions
of the couple they had decreed should
eventually marry. They did not bring
them together again in a conventional
way. They took care that the next
meeting should be calculated IN &c
cordance with the inpuIsive natures
OF the young couple. especially the
girls. Not only this. they sent Cupid