Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-20

sparseiy settled country he covered the
route but once a day, and the distance
was considerable. Monson drove a
four wheeled one horse calash with a
leather pouch attached to the dash
board facing him with different peck
cts in 1t. In one he kept the letters he
collected for the post, in another those
for delivery.
Monson was twenty-three years old.
a good looking fellow and of a CHEEKY
disposition. He knew every one along
his route. and every one knew him.
He especially knew the girls who had
sweethearts in other places. for they
were always out looking for him as far
as they could see him, anxiously wait
ing for letters from their lovers. Now
and again when he was obliged to dis
appoint some lass day after day by not
having a letter for her, when he did
have one he would hold 1t up for her to
see long before he reached her.
Monson gathered stories from the let
tiers he delivered and the manner In
which they were received. Only the
most self poised maidens carried their
letters into the house without break
ing the seal. The others tore them
open impatiently and read them before
the carriers eyes. He became so skill
ed In reading the epistles through the
faces of the recipients that he was sell
dom mistaken In the principal part Of
their contents. At one time upon de-
livering a letter. noting the girls ex-
preston, he would say to himself.
Loves me-" at another It would be,
Loves me not"
To one girl. Daisy Hardness, Monson
was accustomed to deliver letters adj
dressed in q masculine hand replete
with fourishes. They came very irreg-
ularly and were postmarked from diff
ferent places. THAT fellow" said
Monson to himself, Els no good. He
makes too many big tails to his G's
and his Us. He's a rolling stone and
gathers no moss. He doesn't care any
thing for Daisy and is fooling her"
What a pity Daisy herself. who
knew her lover personally and read
every word of his letters. could not
have interpreted him as Monson did!
Many time when the carrier saw her
waiting for a letter that he did not
have for her he would frown and ut
ter suppressed malediction upon the
recreant lover. muttering that he wish
ed a letter from himself would do as
well; he would be sure to have a long
one for her every day. But when he
reached her he would greet her with a
CHEEKY smile. saying reassuringly:
"None today, but when left the post
Office half the mails were late, having
been delayed by freshet that inter
rupted traffic. I'm quite sure yours
will be along tomorrow" Daisy could
not but smile through the moisture
that gathered in her eyes and was al
ways touched by the carriers sympa-
thy for her in her disappointment.
1t is said pity Is akin to love, but it
Is rather singular that Monson should
have grown to love Daisy through
sympathy for her In her disappoint-
ment in another man. Nevertheless
such is the case. From dreading to
have no letter from her lover to give
her he came to dread giving her one.
Every time he produced a missive ad-
dressed in the well known hand the
hourishes were more hateful to him.
Daisy grew fond of contiding her hopes
and her fears with regard to her lover
to Monson, who was not long In COM
ing to the conclusion that Rube, as she
called her correspondent, was not only
fooling her. but there was something
bad about him. However, he had the
good sense to understand that should
he attempt to warn her he would
: make an enemy Of her.
Christmas was at hand. and the
mails were carrying gifts. some of
which were In the shape OF money.
One day Monson on approaching Dali
sy, who was waiting for Rube's ter.
sang out:
' Not the one you want today, but
another. and I'll bet 1t contains a
0 Christmas gift. | can tell By the feel
I of it."
Monson said this simply to soften
her disappointment at not hearing
from Rube and had no expectation of
predicting the truth. When Daisy
opened the letter In his presence and
r took ont ten dollar bill he was quite
delighted. Daisy was somewhat con-
-, soled
II must write Rube about that" she
said Isn't 1t queer that you should
have been able to tell by feeling the
> letter that there was money in itT'
There's lot OF 'em during these
g Christmas times with money in 'ern.
There being no bank in this region, the
only way to send Christmas gifts in
funds is to send the cash. l wish they
3 wouldn't do It. | don't Hike the re-
sponsibility of carrying 'em. II Some
q villain should get on TO II be might
hold me up and take 'em away from
me"
The expression of anxiety for him
y that came over Daisy's face was
grateful indeed to the carrier.
r "Oh. dear" she exclaimed with a
gasp. y wish Christmas was over"
Monson drove on. but so delighted
WAS he with this ingenious expression
or interest in him that he made sever
al blunders in his deliveries.
The day before Christmas 1t came oil
g..