Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-25

king. So instead OF wedding garments
he put on his armor and rode forth TO
do battle with the kings enemies, de-
ferring his marriage I'LL his return.
The baron's contingent arrived just
in time to take part in a decisive
fight. Walter led them and greatly
distinguished himself. But he met
with a misfortune Not having but
one eve, he needed broader range OF
vision than a man with two, so he
raised the visor OF his helmet for the
purpose. leaving the upper part of his
face exposed. Suddenly he felt
blow where his right eye should have
been and minute particles OF glass
flying over him. An arrow had struck
his artificial orb and shattered it
he lowered his visor and fought the
rest of the fight with his face con-
cealed.
Now, It would never do for the young
soldier to so back TO his love without
two eyes. He bethought himself OF
Herman and his daughter. Gretchen.
and, turning over the command TO the
next officer in rank, rode away to sup
ply his deficiency. Herman was quite
ready TO make him another eye and
have his daughter paint IT. The eye
was made, but while waiting for IL
Walter. who could never be with a
pretty girl without getting at least
confidential, let 1t out TO Gretchen
that she must do as we'll as before, for
he was engaged to marry the baron's
daughter, and II Bertha discovered
that he had hut one eve 1t would de-
prive him of all his glorious oppor-
tunities.
Nothing could have been more I'M
fortunate. Gretchen set to work pre-
tending to copy his natural eye. She
gave 1t the proper color. but while on
the former occasion she impaired the
pleasing expression Of its mate, in this
case she put into 1t an expression of
what she felt. When the eve was I'm
ished it fairly cleaned with her ma
lignant jealousy.
Persons do not see their own defects
as others do. Although Walter did not
like the eye as well as fits predecessor.
he was In a hurry to return and marry
Bertha. Indeed, he hoped to join the
pikemen he had led and march to the
castle with them so that his absence
from his command would not be no
ticed. He caught them when they
| were only a few miles from the castle
! and, squirting ahead of them, dashed
| over the drawbridge and into the court
yard. Then, throwing himself from his
horse, he sought Bertha.
! 1t so happened that her cousin,
young man with whom she had played
| as a child. had come TO pay a visit and
was with her at the time. Walter en-
tered the room where they happened
to be, facing the morning sunlight
streaming through a window. Bertha
gaze became at once fixed upon the
new artificial eye and saw only its ex-
preston of diabolical jealousy. Attrib-
uting it to her affianced's finding her
in company with her cousin and feel
I ing insulted. she arose from her seat
and swept out Of the room.
Walter, astounded and dismayed,
sought to follow her, but she waved
him back and passed through a portal
out of sight. The cousin, regarding
him angrily, half drew his sword; then.
thrusting 1t back In it's scabbard, he,
too, stalked away.
Walter. not understanding the cause
of this treatment, sent to his fancee
begging for an interview 1t was grant
ed. but the moment she saw that fiend-
ish look in his eye she turned on her
heel and left him without a word.
Walter rushed out to the courtyard,
where he accosted friend and asked
him to tell him what had occurred
since his departure TO prejudice his be-
trothed against him. The man looked
him in the eye, then turned and stalked
away. Walter tried several others and
was at last informed of the cause.
Mounting his horse. he rode back OF
Hermans and besought him to make
another eye. Herman consented; the
eye was made and placed in Bertha's
hands to paint. She pretended to be-
moan her I'll success and promised to
do her best ia another effort. But the
third eye. when finished. gave the ex-
preston of an idiot.
Still another eye was made and paint
ed by Gretchen, who at every attempt
! look longer ilIlle 10 HeT Work. bledD-
while she condoled with her sitter. and
he encouraged her in her work till at
last he fell to saying some very sweet
things to her. But with all her paint
ing. every eye she produced gave the
wearer some hideous expression.
Then came the news that Bertha had
married her cousin. This convinced
Walter that his artificial eye had
looked Alright after all Being now fair
~ in love with Gretchen and Bertha
being married. with the help OF good
deal Of love making between Walter
and the artist an eye equal to the first
was produced. and Walter was so de
lighted with IL that he took Gretchen
IN his arms and asked her to be his
wife.
1t is not necessary to say that she
consented. They lived togStsser happi
ly till the glass eye was shattered: then
, the freshness OF youthful love having
/ FaI No cnuld mot irf anofhar