Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-06
The Argus Daily Story
She Got Husband-By F. A. Mitchell.
copyrighted. 1ylz. by Associated Literary Bureau

JaQuelluP SeStO0, i nave udu lue uIue
of my life 1t has been unique. l have
not only spent chill November in a
warm climate, but have done so mas
Querading. DO you remember when We
were sophomores how Bess Wharton
and | dressed ourselves as boys, went
out on to the campus. kicked football
and were ordered of by the college au-
thorities? And perhaps YOU will re-
member what a good looking boy l
made-to say nothing of BeSs.
We'll. We were caught. as you know,
going into your @oom, and the whole
thing came out. The faculty notified
US that our presence was no longer re-
Quired at the university and we were
directed to repair to our homes. l ex-
pected to meet with very cold recep-
ton there. and so 1 did at first, but
when told the whole story to papa he
laughed and said. 4 didn't believe when
you went to college that you would be-
have yourself with sufficient circum-
spection to get through, and Pm not
| disappointed Dear old pappy! never
could do anything that would seem ter
rible in his eyes, and even if / did
always knew how to get round him so
that it shouldn't count against me.
1T was two years ago that l took
| leave, prematurely, of my alma mater.
l dare say that the day will come when
/ shall regret my folly. I'm nineteen
years old, and If hadn't been expelled
from college l would now be a dignified
| senior I'm going to tell you a story
that puts that sophomore episode in
the shade. Compared with what I've
been doing, the first was a mere baga-
telle.
| Last spring I was very much run
down in health. Papa and mamma
worried about me just as if l had been
| good and took me out on a farm, hop
ing 1 would get better. But didn't. I
think | was pining for something out
OF the general run, don't you know; a
bit OF spice in my diet At any rate,
such an opportunity occurred, and this
is how 1t came.
Mother has an old friend she hadn't
seen for years, a Mrs. Varney. The
Varneys are rich and have both sum-
mer and a winter home. Their winter
home is In the center of an orange
grove in Florida. After we got home in
September mamma wrote Mrs. Varney,
telling her that she was worried about
my health and said she feared would
need to go south for the winter, but
you know our income is small. and
travelling and putting up at hotels are
expensive, and knew well enough that
we couldn't afford to make such a trip
for mamma wouldn't take me without
papa, and for the three of us the outlay
would be something awful.
Mamma, in reply to her letter, re
ceived an invitation for me TO visit thu
Varneys on their orange plantation.
had been referred to as Frank, anC
when l read Mrs. Varney's letter saw
at once that she thought l was a boy
My son Albert. who has charge of thu
plantation she wrote, every morning
rides over it and is constantly in thu
open air attending to the needs of tht
trees, the packing of the oranges o.
some such matter. Your son can g
with him, and 1 don't doubt that with
in a few weeks he will show consider
able Improvement
well, now, just think of riding abou
with a young man that way. Then tn
idea got into my head what a lark 1
would be to go riding around with him
not as girl. but as the boy he though
me! couldn't get it out. 1t stuck an,
simmered and simmered and stuck I'm
til made up my mind l was going t
do that very thing.
81 answered Mrs. Varney's invitation
myself and didn't say word about he
mistake or that | was a girl, accepting
her invitation and telling her when
expected TO arrive. The first prepare
ton | made was to have a lot OF men
clothes sent home to try on and KEEP
what fitted me. sending the rest back
What an easy time the men have buy
ing their clothes! Why, to buy as nue.
women's things as l bought mems 4
half an hour would require from one
two months and no end OF trouble.
Before | started mother said: Now
Frank. if you behave yourself and dro
your FRANKS you may catch the youn
man who manages that plantation.
you do your future will be provide
for
my goodness gracious, right ON to
Of this advice 1 was about to put i
practice the worst prank | had eve
played.
"'Humph" grunted papa. Fran
will never get husband in the regula
way. When she snares one it will b
with trap never used by woman bt
fore
This set me up a bit, though I cor
fess felt mighty squeamish abOu
what / was going to do. ! sent m
mems clothes, including a riding sui
. by express to one of the big hotels nea
the Varney plantation and. with man
, warnings from mamma ringing in m
, ears, started on my way for FlOrid;
, When | got there had an awful tim
getting out OF the hotel that had er
tered as a woman in mans clothes
escaped at night in an ulster overcoa
that covered me from head to foot.
was IL O'Clock when | was driven u
to the Varley plantation. and all th
family had goEe to bed except Der
Varney, who received me very cordia
ly. He offered me some rpfreshmel