Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-03

Ing me approach. held up her hand and
mUriOned NE TO stop
And now. Mr.. Palmer" heard her
saying. AS u stranger to the wishing
stone it behoovPs you to approach it
reverently. There is no reason to tell
the others this. for they know the
legend and IFS secret charms. but to
you. who know II not and who come as
a stranger TO il. tempt not its anger by
deridlug l.. even in YOUR thoughts. or
it's Indifference bv wishing for what
Is impossible II was nj this stone that
my great great Gra ndfathrr wished for
his bride. ana III less than a fortnight
they were wed. He eniOined his sOns
to seek this spot before wooing the wo-
men OF their choice. and it is a strange
fatality that all our family who have
not done so nave gone to their graves
unloved old bachelors and the women
who have derided it as Old maids or
later years il has become the custom
for lOvesick youths and maidens in the
town and county to seek ii out and test
its charms. and many happy home
owes more than we may imagine to the
legend which clings about this ivy col
ored dial. The momrsr has arrived
when you can test its swer too"
Already / had become firm believer
in the wishing stone. Laying my hand
on il and looking into the lovely eyes
OF Ellen, / made my wish and added
prayer that it might find favor with
the fateS After had finished we
Joined hands again and made three
circles around the stone. Then all be
gan TO laugh. ana some one started up
the ro!lickinE chorus Of
It's love. Ills love.
IT'S love that makes the world 20 round
All joined in save Miss Ellen and me.
for we strolled back somewhat slower
than the others.
What did you wish?" | asked. but
! she only shook her head and said she
/ could not tell
Il wished that you ! got no fur
| Their. for she gave a startled cry that
( checked HE before could finish the
/ sentence.
A''A 'lAs N'lA - st4' EfAAN w
! have already said too much | ought
/ TO have told you not TO tell your wish.
| for II you do the fates become perverse
! and mock you. If you even hint of
what you have asked in secret some
/ thing will happen to mar its complete
I fuIGllment | am sorry you spoke
/ about il at ALL" and thought her face
! grew a little paler.
! | dared not speak again. and we
walked on in silence and joined the
/ others in the old oaken dining room
| Mr. Lamb asked the blessing. and the
! girls sat down. while the men waited
on them and brought them supper
! After a merry hour we danced again
/ and the incident of the wishing stone
was soon forgotten in the frolic of tbs
old Virginia reel. Miss Ellen led this
| old fashioned dance with me, ana
| many a pretty ankle was displayed
that night as toes were pointed anG
/ COurteSies made. and many a little
love scene, too, went on that night
but | was too busy with my own af
fairs to watch what others did.
When the candles had burnt dow
TO their sockets and Mr.. Lamb salt
the band had struck, then began tn
good nights. which lasted for anothe
| half an hour. The wagons wert
brought round and the horses saddled
and soon the whole gay company start
ed Ike a cavalcade. Long after the,
had left we could hear them singin,
through the pines.
Bud saddied his horse and rode on
into the night 10 think of some youn:
girl, / thought. but Miss Ellen said no
that sometimes when he became rest
less he would ride for hours and re
turn always with a brighter hear
and more cheerfully take up the bur
den OF his life again. When I bad
Miss Ellen good night on the landing
held the tips of her fingers for a mo
ment.
You are my queen tOnightr' I erie,
earnestly
She let me raise her fingers 10 m,
lips and looked down at me in 4 sad
sweet way. Then. laughing softly an.
somehow. felt, a little bitterly. sh
said:
Your queen Of tonight will be you
cook again tomorrow
Before could reach her side for n,
impulse was 10 throw myself at. he
feet and pour out my love to her. 81
glided swiftly up the stairs
Within the next week received
COPY Of the paper with my letter in IL
prominently placed on the first page