Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-17


TO urge the matter except by signs, 1
let It drop and took my departure.
II did not occur 70 me til after noon
that 1 had given my relatives no ad-
dress. I could only account FOR the
omission from the fact that my Rtter
tIon hsl been taken up wish the little
creature in the shop where I had writ
ten the note. To rectify my error
went there for the purpose OF writing
another note to tell where l was TO he
found. When I reached the shop and
siCnihed that | wished for more paper
the girl handed me an envelope with
my address on il. Evidently she had
either delivered the note herself or
sent it by n messenger. and my rela-
tives. not knowing where 20 send a.
reply. had sent II TO her, trusting TO
my going back to her for n reply.
opened the envelope and read an
/ invitation 10 call that evening. How
ever, ] found pantomiming with the
little shop girl so pleasing Il way OF
passing the time that l was in no hur-
~ 10 leave her Perhaps IL was eXer-
CisinC my inventive powers I'm making
myself understood. I told her that l
was from America and New York city
by simply writing the words I'm Eng
llsh and pointing to myself. It did
not REQUIRE a knowledge OF the Eng
ush language for her 10 understand
what 1 had written. for these names
are the same or nearly the same In all
languages. Then I showed her my
uncles signature and drew a family
tree, showing that he and my father
NnuA
TO say, being rather receptive than
communicative. After amusing my
! self in this way as long rs possible
left her to get through the rest OF the
/ afternoon as best | could.
In the evening | called on my rela-
tives. One OF my cousins. a boy OF
/ twelve, was studying English at
! school, and he served tolerably well
! for an interpreter. At any rate It was
easier communicating through him
than by signs The evening wore
away without my cousin, whose nc
duaintance | had come abroad to make,
appearing Finally l asked for her.
1 was told that she was indisposed
/ and had gone TO bed; when L came
again | should see her.
One thing impressed me during my
visit-that the family was endcavor-
ing to hide their poverty from me-
/ MY uncle talked about the possessions
Of the family, but | noticed that he
made no mention Of the fact that they
had dwindlcd. My aunt said that she
would invite me to dine with them.
but that her cook had recently left her
She hoped to secure another within
few days, when / would receive an In
/ vitation.
The next day. having nothing to do
/ I went again 30 the shop from which
/ / had sent the note, making an excuse
/ to buy some more paper. / remained
/ for some time chatting by pantomima
/ with the Hltlc Dutch girl, then went -
/ my hotel and wrote letter 10 my
! mother. In the evening ! went again
| to my uncles, but failed q second
/ time TO see the cousin whom my IN
! Their desired that | should marry. On
! this visit my aunt made an excuse for
! not asking me to make their house my
| home while in Holland by saying that
| my cousins indlsposition had devcl-
/ oped into positive illness. ] accepted
! the excuse but attributed the real req
! son 10 poverty.
,aca-,. NV, ,,,,t onnopn,nd to mo that
,,,, c,,,.J,, b,d ,.oc,,nrcd and on INV
noyt coII she would see me / was
/ NOT et,ocioIlv t,ratifIad with the an
pounce,nept had beou making ex.
cuscs to go almost every dav into the
/ sb,p from which 1 had sent INV frat
note. and. while ! had found signs in
/ adaouate 10 cxprae- some things. one
/ thing IL had expressed very rendiIy-G
| had Welded so far 10 my iucliuutiOns
/ rs to imprint kiss on her young llpg.
had scarcely done 500 when was
sOrely priekrd by conscience. Marriage
( with the little shupgiri was not to be
/ considered. ! left her firmly resolved
! not 10 enter the shop again
The same evening I callri on my