Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-19

each other. though he was very much !
older. That evening. as he informed |
me, was the twentieth anniversary OF !
his wedding His wife was long In her |
grave. In return for this confidence
] told him that l had spent all my
money and must go to work. The
result was that became his errand
boy. though he treated me like friend.
This relation continued for months
One day toward the middle of Deem
Der he told me a queer tale about hav-
ing sent money to some poor relations
on the Maine coast for a year and a
half. They were his cousins widow
and her son and daughter. Recently
he had received a letter from the son
this money had been received. where
upon he had sent a check--tf1e other
rcmittances having been In currency
which also seemed TO have gone astray.
He showed me the stub marked Celia
X. Garland. Nov. "a. '0I. $3.50"
could not understand this story-ln
fact. l never expected TO understand
any story of his. for he always omit
ted all the essential particulars-but ]
agreed 10 go to Easterly Harbor and
see what was the matter. II was ar
ranged that on the next day after my
departure he should mall another letter
IN pink envelope of unusual shape
and ! should watch for IL. I was to
say nothing to anybody and conceal
the fact that I came from him. But at
the last was to play Santa Claus for
this family In munifcent fashion. for
which purpose be gave me some checks
signed in blank and letter to a bank
er named Manning in Belfast, an old
friend OF Garland.
On Saturday. Dec. IA, l arrived at
Easterly Harbor and found my way to
the Garland house, where It was be-
lieved that I could secure board.
was. In fact. welcomed with the most
charming courtesy.
And here I received a surprise quite
characteristic OF Garland and his err
rands. The household consisted of
the mother, whose name was Lucy; a
cousin OF about her own age. who was
called Aunt Kate: the boy, Frank. and
the most beautiful blue eyed, golden
haired girl who ever existed. And she
was Celia!
Surely nobody but Garland would
have failed to tell me that he had sent
his benefactons to the daughter and
not the mother and why be had done
so.
IL was possible. of course. that al
the time when he began to send the
money Mrs. Garland may have been
prostrnted by her recent bereavement
IN which case Celia would have been
the natural head OF the family. for
Aunt Kate seemed not quite OF sound
mind. her great affliction tempered by
Gods mercy and her own lovely ma
ture Into a gentle. dreamlike detach
ment from the worlds realities.
II required no de.ective skill to dis
rover that this family was In very
narrow circumstances and that Gar
lands remittances had gone astray
waited with great interest, there
fore, for the test letter. OF. rather. FOL
the day set for fits arrival. The truti
Is that had no expectation OF seeini
Il. having made up my mind that tn,
whole series OF letters had been stoles
In the Easteriy Harbor postoface.
But the letter came. I saw Franz
take Il from the box at the postofice.
Right at the foot OF the steps b,
met his sister.
Nothing for you. SIS" said be-
This was dire. I had not for Gl
Instant dreamed OF theft by a membe
OF the family. What should do
After some hard thinking decided 4
state the facts to Garland IN the mid
est possible manner. not condemnin
the boy unheard. but merely askinI
for authority to question him. A n
ply By mai could not be expected be