Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-31

me that sooner or later we are forced
into philosophy. There is a gradual
fading of all things
Don't knock me DOWN. said q voice
of one jostled, a feminine voice.
beg pardon. madam
I'm not madam, thank you. I'm
miss"
''why did she resent being called
madam" asked Of my companion.
II can construct her from that re-
mark as Professor Huxley used to con-
struct an animal from a single bone.
She is an elderly woman who has been
disappointed IN love. Consequently.
the bare mention of the married state
irritates her, just as the mention Of
education irritates ignorant persons"
"The fog does not conceal the fact
that you are a thinker
ANY more than it conceals that you
are philosopher. Yet, after all, we
are simply using one sense instead of
another for communicating, Just as
the brute would do the same thing.
Did you hear that dog bark? That
was to let his master. who can't see
him and whom he can't see, know
where he is. You and can't see each
other. Therefore we use our voices
and our ears just as the dog has,
From all Of which I can construct
one feature about you, just as you con-
structed the woman who was provok-
ed that called her madam
"She was not provoked. Her retort
was simply a feminine inconsistency.
But go on with your reconstruction OF
me-"
"You are not beautiful"
How have you arrived at that
TRUTH"
"You are too intelligent. Beauty
and brains rarely so together"
We heard a voice ask, Where am
II" and another say, oxford street."
so we knew we were ON that thor
! oughfare.
-'Now I think + can guide you to the
tube entrance" 1 said to the lady I
was plotting (which way do your
wish to be transported"
ITO the Lancaster gate station"
| knew which way to turn, and by
shouting the question, Where is the
tube entrance?" 1 might have soon
been directed to 1t. But I was loath
to awake from the illusion I had
formed in spite Of what I had said
that the gloved hand resting on my
arm belonged to a pretty woman.
81 presume" said in order to do a
little pumping, that you live near
Lancaster gateT'
|I board there. do not live in Lon
don"
Indeed, Nor do l."
''You need not tell me that I know
from your information that you are an
American"
al am. And your
sT am an American too
81 would never know that from your
speech"
''That is because my home Is in
Canada. But l was educated in the
United States"
<'Where?"
s'At Smith college,
<'Good graciousv'
''Why do you exclaim?"
because am an Amherst man."
"Tube to your rightw cried voice.
1 was now quite ready to see my
companions face, so 1 turned with her
into the tube entrance and in a mo-
ment was standing in lighted space,
where l could see her plainly.
For heavens saker' 1 exclaimed.
Betty Archard!''
There was no surprise on her face,
only pair of dancing eyes and mis-
chievous smile.
you were very stupid not to recog-
nize me by my voice." she said II
knew you by yours at once
81 thought had heard that chuckie
before" 1 said.
Had you?"
Eyes, and If had heard 1t anywhere
but in London fog 1 would have rec
ognized you by it."
"And yet 1 knew you by the first
sound you uttered"
"Oh, women are much quicker than
men in such matters?"
'In nothing else"
"Well, yes; your constructions from
the hoof.' so to speak, were brighter
than mine"
We went down in the elevator they
have in London tube station and
took a train. When we reached Ian
caster gate we emerged, and l piloted
Betty, blind man fashion, again to her
boarding house, where she was good
enough to keep me to lunch.
1t does not require much foresight to
construct from this meeting in a fog
a continuance of an incipient love af-
fair that had taken place several years
, before between two college students.
, And. having gone so far. one may
point out the natural result, girl
keeping man for long while on the
, anxious seat and finally yielding just
when she had succeeded in making him
believe his case was hopeless. There
, have been a number of strange coinci-
, dences in my life, but this meeting the
woman who was to become my wife
and chatting with her without being
r able to see her is the strangest Of them
e all.
Jan. 81 in American
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