Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-18

food out here in this state. OF course |
the one I refer to didn't destroy hun
dreds of homes and lots of people. but i
TO those concerned in 1t it was n |
mighty important affair"
what food do you refer to. Silsby"
asked wilkins. sitting with his feet on
the iron rail encircling the stove and
intended for foot rest.
III I'm going to tell you the story
I'll have to bring the different events
in as they happened" replied Silsbyi
otherwise FfSet 1t all mixed up. To
begin with. Molly McGregor was the
prettiest girl in - county. and not
only the prettiest girl. but the biggest
madcap. But you ought to see her
now. She's the quietest little woman
in the world and afraid OF her own
shadow. She's married and got three
children, the Oldest
"Oh. cut that shortr' cried the man
on the other side OF the stove. You're
putting in the end before the begin.
| ming. thought you said you were 60
ing to proceed in order"
IF you can tell the story better
than
"Oh, go on! said the other foot
warmers in one voice.
AS ] was saying" continued the
narrator. Molly McGregor was tho
merriest madcap in the county. She
had all the men in love with her. from
| the richest ranchmnn to the meanest
| cowboy McGregor. her father, was
Scotchman. who was about as hard to
move when he took position as Pixies
peak, and the position he took with
| Molly was that she was to marry the
man he selected for her.
THE old man didn't worry much
about her not doing as he intended
when the time came. for she had one
man dangling about her one day and
another the next. and sometimes they
were thick as flies about a sugar bar
rel. So long as that kind of monkey
shines was going on her father knew
that there was nothing to fear. and
even il his daughter should fall in love
with some one of her admirers he had
no idea that Molly would marry any
one except the man he picked out for
her."
II thought" interrupted the man on
the other side of the stove. ''you were
going to tell US something new. That
sort Of stuff is to be found in nine
tenths of all the stories in the world"
shut up. Wilkins" said one of the
listeners. land let's have the yarn"
I'm not going to spoil it for him. u
grunted Silsby. 1T was old McGregor's
confidence that was his undoing. sc
far as his daughter was concerned
But. / tell you. my friends. it doesn't
do any good to watch a girl. You
might as we'll watch soldier on tbs
field Of battle with view of pulling
). him out of the way from the bullet
that's going to kill him. Before you
: know it he doubles up. So does the
girl. A certain fellow gives her a loot
and she drops.
1.-THE man that looked at Molly Nc
: Gregor when she surrendered wac Net
Deane, who was nothing but a cow
boy. Ned was a very good fellow. blu
he had nothing laid up. while the own
er of a gold mine that was yielding
$1,000 to the ton was dead stuck OIL
the girl.
First thing Old McGregor knew tina
his daughter was going to go back Oh
his matrimonial plans for her wa
when Bryant. the mine owning sutton
rode up to the ranch one morning an
said:
"'Say. old man, met your daughte
just now driving that automobile 20
bought her last Christmas. with Ne
Deane sitting beside her. AS the
went by I caught sight Of valise VI
der their feet. and I reckon they
running away
"sWhatr exclaimed the ScotchmaI
his eyes bullying out of his head.
"'Bet you $50 it's an elopement.'
"McGregor never did anything IA
II in his life till that moment 1t WASH
q. FIVE minutes before he was in one (
the autos he kept on the ranch. and
tell you the hand on the speed gau:
In Just spun around from zero to fifty
4. no time at ALL"
''Oh. he's going TO give us a runaws
couple in an auto chased by her faith
70 in another auto" interrupted the crI
| w tlhtiS. udt
a, ''Ret you ten that isn't the point
IA the story" said Silsby.
wilkins failed to come up. and 81
by proceeded:
,- "McGregor doesn't come into Il
n. story or my version of it Mt all. exec
that there was n big chase. III t.
you something about that only u
g., friend on the other side of the sto
90 considers 1t WORKOUT story nateri;
One thing I must mention. and that
that while the race was going on {
ba clouds were thickening and there VI
60 muttering of thunder Just befo
70 the lovers reached the turn Of the ro
no where it goes down into one of t
narrowest canyons in Colorado tn
heard a report behind them and. loo
.s ing back. saw that busted tire b
y, sent the pursuing auto of over a ie'
space beside the road II didn't ups
but Molly knew the race was over: L
~. father couldn't hope to catch her
-, foot"
Silsby peused tn Hight a pipe. a
wilkins. supposing the story TO be en-
hi ed. remarked:
cd That's the rottenest yarn | ever
,rp tened to-not new thing in it fire.