Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-29

Silas Barker was bachelor farmer OF 7
thirty-five, in good health. prosperous
and steadily growing rich. One who |
saw him and remarked upon his con-
dition would not dream that there was
anything in the world be wanted un-
less 1t was a wife.
There was jog in Mr. Barker's
farm that made it look something like
a pie, with one piece cut out OF it.
This piece was owned by Miss Clemen-
tine Wilson. maiden lady a year or
two older Oh a year or two younger
the women of the locality all claimed
that she was older-who lived alone.
Just as Silas did. and every one said
what sensible thing it would be for
Silas to marry her and complete the
circular outline Of his farm.
One day Miss Wilson received call
from a real estate agent. who asked II
she would care to sell her property,
adding that If she did he thought he
had a purchaser for 1t. Miss Wilson
told him that she had never consid-
cred selling 1t, but she would think the
matter over and if she came to a con-
clusion to part with 1t she would let
him know. The agent left his card
with his address on 1t and departed.
A few days later she wrote a note to
Mr.. Barker in which she told him that
she had been approached with a view
to the purchase of her property and
since she supposed that If it changed
hands it should be a part of his farm
she thought it proper to notify him be-
fore taking any action in the matter.
To this note she received a reply stat
ing that he had as much land already
as he had ready capital to work and
did not care to purchase any more.
However, he thanked her for notifying
him.
Here the matter ended for the time
| being except that Miss Wilson wrote
to the agent to ask what price would
be offered for her property and re-
ceived a reply that he could get for it
what she considered about half its val
ue To the offer she made no reply.
Though Silas and Clementine had
been neighbors for years, they had had
nothing more than speaking acquaint-
ance. One day some time after Glenn
entine had been approached with ref
erence to the purchase of ger property
when coming from the postofice she
met Silas on the road. He stopped to
reiterate his thanks for her notification
and to explain why he wouldn't care to
buy her farm. He would have to en-
large his buildings, buy new nipple
ments, and all that.
by the bye, Miss Wilson," he said,
81 find 1t kind O. lonesome evenings at
home, and I've often thought I'd like
to come down to your place and visit
for awhile"
A light of mingled pride and pleas
ure came into the woman's eye at this
expressed wish Of one she had always
considered her superior. She replied
that she was always at home evenings
and would be glad to see him any time
he chose to drop in. He called the next
week, and the day after the farmers
wives and daughters round about were
passing the news that Silas Barker was
going to marry Clementine Wilson and
unite the two farms.
Nor was 1t long before appearances
seemed to justify the report. Miss
Wilson began to spruce up" Instead
of being the worst dressed woman In
the county she became the best dressed
Watchers averred that Silas spent two
evenings q week with her On Sunday
/ fNN,- y H<,. I.fs-
sidebar buggy with red wheels. Per
sons began to say that the day was SET
for the wedding when suddenly the ar
fair was off.
No one dared ask Silas what had
come between the two, and as for Glen
entine she wouldn't tell. But it leaked
out that Clementine's farm had some
thing to do with the matter. This was
puZzling because it was supposed that
adding her farm to Bankers was al
element of strength in the matter
Then an uncle of Clementine's who
was her financial adviser let it all out.
Isl Barker" he said, sis the mean
est man out of Jail. What he was afteI
was Clem's farm. He sent real es
tate agent to buy it for a song. Glen
wrote Barker about the offer, knowing
that If the property passed out o. he
hands 1t ought to pass into Barker's
He said he didn't want it. The reason
he did this was thinkin' II he bough
it from her direct he'd have to pay {
fair price for it. When the schem,
+, failed he set In to court her. The mat
ter went so far that the day was sc
for the weddin'. Then Glen found tina
he wanted her to deed her farm to hin
, in consideration Of money paymen
, OF $50 an acre when she could get
hundred for it by lettin' it be known
that It was for sale. He said that sine
a the property was to be united that wa
r the legal way to do 1t. Glenn saw hi
game and broke it all Off"
While previous to this denouemen
Silas Barker had stood well in tn
community. after it he lost caste witt
his neighbors. Some who had suffere'
by certain undetermined schemes of hi
twitted him on his inglorious failure
| others, while outwardly they treaties
him as before, inwardly knit thei
brows and drew down the corners o
. their mouths when they saw him cob
! ing. But this in no way interfere'