Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-07


beforehand because there are carping (
critics who would say after reading it /
that the plan was farfetched: that such (
happenings are only to be found in |
stories and there is nothing probable |
IN 1t.
Mike Kelley, q young mason, started
out to work on a bright morning. light
hearted, for by the END Of the week.
when paid of. he would have the 5000
that he had resolved TO save before
marrying Nora O'TooIe. the girl he
loved and who loved him better than
all the world. The banns had been
published, and everything was being
made ready for the wedding. which
was to occur in just ten days from that
date.
Mike said $50 long" TO his mother.
who was q widow. and to his sister,
Kathleen. who worked in a paper mill. +,
and then walked briskly along till
he came to the house where Nora lived
and where he expected to see her sit
ting in the second story window sew
ing on her wedding outfit, for Nora
knew the time that Mike went to work
and was always there to give and re-
ceive a smile. and sometimes they had
a brief chat together.
This morning Nora threw up the
sash. and Mike stopped, and Nora ask
ed him If he had attended TO this and
to that in preparation for the wedding
or the fixing up of the nest in which
they were to live, four room house
near Mikes present home. He had
satisfied her that he had done the
| painting needed. and replaced the
broken glass in the windows. and
mended the roof, and they both agreed
/ that there was nothing more TO be
| done on the premises except what
could be done after they moved in.
| Mike kissed his hand to her. She threw
him kiss in return, and Mike went on
his way, while Nora drew down the
sash and resumed her sewing.
She was very happy considering that
she was to be married so soon to the
man she loved and piled her needle
briskly. 1t seemed to so through the
fabric of itself.
But suddenly a presentiment came
over her that something was about to
happen. In her minds eye she saw a
coffin with Mike in it and q lot of
mourners sitting about as at a funeral.
Then it seemed to her that Mike sat
up in his coffin and said: What are
you sittin' around that way for when
you've come to n weddin'? Get up and
shake leg" But Nora drove it out of
her head
About o'clock that night Mikes
sister, Kathleen. appeared at Nora's
home and asked If she had seen any
thing OF Mike, for he had not come
home. Nora was bit troubled, for
Mike, especially since he had begun
his preparations to be married, had
been very regular in his homecoming
after knocking off work at 5 in the
afternoon. She told Kathleen that she
had not seen him since he went by
in the morning. when he was looking
very we'll and very cheerful. She ask
ed Kathleen to tell him when he re
turned to come and let her know OF
. his arrival. for she would not so tC
bed until she had news of him.
Mike did not come home that night
and in the morning her mother. his
sister and his sweetheart were all very
much troubled about his absence
They hoped that the postman would
bring a note from him stating that ht
had been called upon to do some worl
which would take him too far from
home to warrant his coming in. thu
evening and going out again the mex
morning. But the p0stman passed
whistling at the door of every othe
house on his way except that of tn,
Reileys. not leaving them a single
letter.
The day ended without any wore
, from Mike. They would have sent {,
/, where he worked to inquire about him
but Mike had never taken pains t,
keep them informed as to the place
where he was employed. since he wa
frequently changing. sometimes work
5 ing on two or three different jobs il
the same day.
l A week passed. and Mike did no
turn up. His mother was broker
down with worry. Nora ceased he
preparations for the wedding Kath
leen alone, who was obliged to go +
@ work every day and whose mind wa
therefore employed, stood up under til
t trouble. All three of them scanne,
what newspapers they could get hol
of to see If a body had been foun,
anywhere that might be Mixes.
One morning just before Kathlee
t went to the factory she saw her moth
err who was looking in a newspapr
for news of Mike. fall in a fain
h Kathleen ran to her, and her frs
t words after regaining consciousness
were:
My boy is dead!"
where is it, motherT' asked the no
= ror stricken girl. ''Show mew
Mrs. Roiley put her finger on tn
q Item, and Kathleen read that the da
n before a man had staggered into S
y Luke's hospital and had fallen nncol
scious. He had revived Just ion
enough to say MY names O'Reiley."
st isn't Mike at all. mother" sal
Kathleen. There's no 'O' to OIL
name"
y res, It IS" replied the poor woma
1.-THE newspapers never get nam