Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-04

1t stretched across the salt marsh
and connected two villages. Harbor-
head folk called it 1.-The red bridge"
while Portside people grinly referred
to it as 1.-THE white bridge" AS a mat
ter of fact. it had never been painted
at all. and now. after two years ex-
posture to wind and weather. the new
blended with the silver tide that ebbed
and flowed between the piles.
Although Harborhead and Portside
were connected by the new bridge
bled to and fro over the planks. the
inhabitants were widely separated by
a growing bitterness.
Parson Lane of Portside had pound
ed the pulpit vigorously over the mat
ter. POTS of paint. Pots of paint"
he exclaimed one memorable Sunday;
Have my people drowned their souls
in pots of paint? The good Lord made
it possible for these villages to be unit
ed by a beautiful bridge. and you
wrangle over the painting of it as If
the color mattered. Brethren. see that
your souls are as white as you would
have the bridge painted. Let not the
red smirch of anger sully its purity
After that sermon the bitterness was
intensified. The Harborhead people
who weekly crossed the bridge to at
tend Parson Lanes church futtered
homeward TO spread the good mans
words far and wide with most unhap-
by results.
Noah Wade and Almira Turner were
TO be married in June. Three times
week Noah crossed the bridge to Har-
borhead 10 see his sweetheart. They
had never discussed the bridge matter
because they had been TOO happy to
talk about anything except their own
wonderful affairs.
The Tuesday after Parson Lanes
sermon Almira waited at the front
gate for Noah. She could see him
stepping quickly across the bridge.
tall. erect. with his head poised high.
Ali the Wades were proud The girls
OIGG cg CO 0Iu IiOl 1T hGA wei
approach. A new expression came
into them.
Waiting for me?" smiled Noah. TAX
ing the hat from his brown hair and
covering Almira's little hand with his
own sunburned fingers.
She drew her hand quietly from be-
meath bis touch. Yes" she said grave
~. Come with me. Noah; l have
something to say to you Let US go to
the orchard
What is the matter? Are you in
trouble? Has anything happenedT'
demanded Noah anxiously. falling into
step beside her.
Almira shook her head. In silence
they went across the grass to the or
chard and paused in the shade of the
gnarled old apple trees.
What is the matter, Almira?" re-
peated Noah at last.
II can't marry you. Noah" replied
Almira quietly.
why not?' Noah spoke gruffly.
He was angry at Almira's strange
manner. at the GOODNESS in her voice
and her sudden aloofness.
She looked at the distant sails with
steadfast eyes. Father says L shant
marry any one from over the white
bridge and don't know that want
to-"
PERSONALLY 1 don't care rap what
color the bridge is retorted Noah.
I've crossed it for two years to see
you. Almira. and now at this late day
you suddenly drop me and say it's be-
cause l live over the bridge-a f1imsy
excuse. Why don't you say outright
that you don't care for me and never
did," His face was growing whittier.
and the hand pressed against the tree
trunk was clinched until the knuckles
were livid.
Suddenly Noah swung away from
the tree and without one backward
glance tramped across the grass. leap
ed the fence into Il winding lane and
along the shore road.
After that it became known that Al
mira's wedding garments were care
fully laid away out of sight, and Noah