Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-07-15

bowling very low and backing respect
fully out of the stateroom, he left the
lady looking after him with n curious
expression on her face. 1t was blank
look in one sense and one full OF mean
ing in another 1t meant great deal.
but Mr. Jones could not interpret it
There was one circumstance connect
ed with the brief meeting that meant
great deal That was the bestowal of
the rose. 1t enabled Mr.. Jones to ad
dress Mrs. Jones. when he met her
again. on friendly terms. Without it
he would have felt constrained TO wait
for her to speak TO him. AS II was the
day after sailing, the weather being
fine and the ocean smooth. Mrs. Jones
being on deck in her steamer chair, Mr..
Jones approached her. DOTTED his cap
and entered into conversation. The
sun was glittering on the water, merry
young men and maids were playing
shuff1eboard. the deck stewards were
handing II O'Clock bouillon-in short.
Mr.. and Mrs. Jones were in the midst
of one of those scenes of idle comfort
that are afforded by an ocean liner
when old Boreas is asleep.
Though Mrs. Jones was still young.
she was a widow and even before mar
rage had had a natural insight into the
management OF men. 1t was her de-
sign to make herself attractive to MIR.
Jones. and how did she go about it?
Did she charm him by the depth or
sprightliness of her conversation? No:
she let him talk to his hearts content,
she drinking in every word he was say
ing. The only subject she seemed able
or at least willing to discuss was the
singular coincidence Of a Mr.. and Mrs.
E. r. Jones who were not married and
had never seen each other before hav-
ing been assigned to the same room
She kept harping on this subject. thus
leading him to dwell on it till he be
gan to wish he was married. And once
a man begins to wish for the double
state and his ideas of a partner in that
state become fixed on any one woman
it is merely a question OF time with
him, provided the woman consents.
They were taking the Mediterranean
trip, and there We're thirteen days
during which Mr.. Jones couldn't get
away from her without jumping over
board. She made no mention OF the
remark she had overheard. He had
not attached any especial Importance
to her having heard it and had al
ready forgotten 1t himself. 1t did not
occur to him that so small thing was
to be the turning point in his whole
life.
Mr.. and Mrs. Jones parted at Naples
to meet again at Venice. Moonlight
on the Grand canal was the cause. sub
sidiary to that of the stateroom. which
turned Mr.. Jones from a bachelor to
married man. He proposed in a gon
doIa to the sound Of music from floats,
or, rather, Italians screeching out Of
date songs. Love. moonlight and the
enhancing scene made the songs seem
delicious harmony. But Mr.. Jones
didn't need romance to plunge him
into matrimony. He had some one to
drag him there. He awoke to a con
seriousness of having, after all. wanted
a wife.
But the question that troubled Mr..
Jones was. Did the widow wish sec
ond husband. and if so did she wish
him to fill the position? All that Mr.
Jones could get out Of her was that
she would take his proposal under con
sideration. She was going to Switzer-
land. where she would remain until a
few days before sailing from Genoa.
If he could meet her in that city she
would give him his answer.
Mr.. Jones spent the rest Of his So
journ in Europe not In sightseeing, but
in waiting A week before the sailing
of the vessel on which the widow was
10 return to America be appeared at
Genoa and fretted and fumed till the
widow appeared. Meanwhile she had
concluded that she wanted Mr.. Jones
more than revenge. She gave him a
decided Yes" They were married nj
once and the same evening went
aboard the steamer.
Upon my word" exclaimed the
groom, 'she's the Polyhemnia"'
Mrs. Jones led the way 10 their state- /
room. On reaching It her husband
made another surprised remark;
And stateroom No. pa