Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-17
The Argus Daily Short Story
No Fool Like Old Fool-By J. Berry Grape.
Copyrighted Literary

! to school with boys and never asso-
ciated with girls. From the time /
/ was fourteen till | was twenty l did
not know what it was to have n girl
friend. When I saw them on the
street going to school would turn to
follow them admiringly with my eyes.
One day when l was about sixteen,
walking with my uncle, one of those
1.-the creatures whose skirts extend
only to their ankles passed me. He
observed me turn and look at her.
You have remarked. l see,' he said
to me, that innocent looking crea-
ture She is very pretty to look upon,
1 admit. but under that grace and
beauty is pOison-pOison of the most
virulent kind. She will grow up to
womanhood without a spark of that
sense of honor which is born in us
men and which ! and your school
masters are endeavoring to stimulate
in you"
Nevertheless, Uncle Frank" l re-
piled. shes mighty pretty"
A deep sigh was his only response.
This girl | used to meet every day
as we were going to school. She must
have seen admiration in my eye. for
after awhile she would pass me with
very conscious look. casting her eyes
in every direction except toward me.
hitching her shoulders, brushing back
curl that hung on one of them or in
some other way indicating that she
was aware that a youngster of oppo-
site sex was interested in her. In one
of these meetings she was sufficiently
aCitated to drop several of her books.
took them up and handed them TO
her. she avoiding looking at me as II
l were an ogre. glance at whose
face would turn her to stone.
Not having any assurance and de-
string to give her n flower. one morn
ing upon meeting her I dropped 1t on
the pavement shortly before we pass
ed. I turned. dreading to see her
walk over il with her head turned
contemptuously upward. and when
saw her stoop and pick it up my heart
beat like a trip hammer. l considered
that / had been a marvel of bravery.
1 wondered how had dared do ii.
What avail is it for the old TO at
tempt to instill their ideas. their fears,
their hopes-indeed, their varied ex-
periences-into the young? 1t did not
enter my head that this delicate crea-
ture would ever be aught but a thing
of beauty and a joy forever. My I'M
cle's prophecy had no more effect
upon my heart than drop of rain on
my cheek. From the moment l saw
her pick up the flower / had not the
courage to hand her openly l was
changed man-boy. grew bold as
lion. A few days later / went to
school with a bunch Of violets in my
hand and on meeting her did not fear
marvel OF courage that i waste
toss them TO her. She caught them.
and the smile she gave me set my
heart afiame
And so Dame Nature went on with
her work as quietly as If an old cur
mudgeon was not attempting to
thwart her, as unconcerned as the vio-
lets tossed to the maiden with whom
she designed should fulfill her inten-
lions. OF what importance to me
were my uncle's warnings that this
sweet creature was a reptile with poi
son in her breast? And what booted
It that / had made a contract with
him never TO marry Aarrye What
had my love to do with marriage? II
was love-Iove absolutely pure-ttat
had taken possession Of me. Mar