Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-17
The Daily Story
THE PAISLEY sHAWL-BY CLARISSA MACKIE.


hair. from which shabby little bon
net hung disconsolately. Her old fash
toned mantle WAS thin and worn, and
4 shabby piece of mink fur was tied
about her throat Her eyes were
bright aud shining. and her thin hands
caressed the folds of the Paisley
shawl which the physician was care
fully Withdrawing from her form.
How beautiful it isr' she sighed re-
gretfully. 1T seems SO like old times
TO have the feel of it between my I'm
gers" She closed her faded eyes. and
two tears trickled down her wriukled
cheeks.
Il wish you would keep it for few
days" said Camilla With another I'm
pulse to pity, "oniy-l don't see how !
am 10 get home"
"Oh, il l might just have It to Iooi:
at! 1t is so much like one 1 Owned
many yeaCs ago. You will scarcely IN.
lieve me. my dears. but once ! lost 4
Paisley shawl from my own carriag'-
it was a gift from my husband-and I
never recovered it" The old woman
pressed the shawl with loving fingers.
which threaded the silken fringe with
| little stroking movements of delight in
its very touch.
What shall do, doctor:" asked Ca.
| milla in perpleXity. Il would dearly
love to crafty her desire"
she will be here at the most foi
couple of days" returned the phy 81
| clan gravely. Your beautiful shs wi
| seems 20 have acted as Il restorative In
l bar caSa opd UOu on 70 laava IL
| here until she departs l will assure you
| that ii will be treasured 1t is very
beautiful l can remember that my
| grandmother wore one like that"
! He smiled boyishly, and the smile
! seemed to invade every feature of his
/ good looking face. Without more ado
! he stepped TO a wardrobe and brought
| forth n long army cape of dark blue.
"If you will wear this home he sug-
gested.
! THAT IS just the thing" said Camilla
as he laid ii over her shoulders and she
fastened it about her white throat. She
| went over to the woman lying on the
couch and took one of the thin hands i'm
her own.
81 hope you will feel very much bet.
ter at once" she said sweetly. 81 am
going to leave my shawl with you
while you are under the doctors care.
You will enjoy that?"
Indeed | WILL" smiled the woman
gratefully. ''It looks like the one lost
so many years ago"
where did you lose it," asked Ca
milla quickly.
"In little New England village call.
ed Blakeford," said the woman slowly,
as If refreshing latent memory my
husband and were enjoying driving
tour through some of the country
towns. and always carried my shawl
with me. 1t was so soft and warm and
so rich in color that loved to look at
! it. While we were passing through
Blakeford our progress was interrupted
by a cable message from abroad call.
ing US to the bedside of our only son.
I suppose the shawl was dropped from
the carriage during our mad rush to
catch the only train that would con.
meet us with departing steamer. I
did not miss 1t until we arrived in New
York, and knew 1t would be too late
to recover it. Your shawl is a perfect
copy of my own. 1 suppose it is an
heirloom"
"Tell me what year you lost your
shawl" requested Camilla with agita.
ton.
ut was in 1888. well remember
the date. for our son died, and then
my husband followed, and since then
my life has been one of loneliness and
hard work"
Camilla pressed the shawl around
the shrunken form, and she bent grace
fully and kissed the withered cheeks.
at is your very own shawl come back
to you across the years." she whis.
pered. land perhaps 1t is to herald bet
ter times for you"
She sat down and related to the en-.
raptured old woman the story OF how
her own parents had found the shawl
in the village of Blakeford In the year
1888. and DIR. Lindley stood near, an In
. terested listener. His eyes more often
rested on the animated face OF the
beautiful girl. and he appeared to be
rldiculously pleased when the old wo-
man insisted on introducing herself as
; Mrs. Benton, the widow OF a once
prominent fnancier and then introduc.
ms Gamma anu lliC bpNAOl III TUG uIOSl
formal manner.
1t was early in the morning when the
/, doctor called n carriage and Camilla
entered 1t to return to her boarding
house. She was without the gorgeous
Paisley shawl, but wrapped in the long
military cape that smelled of tobacco
she did not seem 10 miss the richer
garment The room on the top floor
seemed batied In n rosy glow. and a
little song rippled in her heart Ca
milla did not know why she was so
happy.
1t came ont beautifully in the end
, The doctor fell In love with Camilla
Atwood. and old Mrs. Benton came and
kept house for them. The doctor said
that he and Camilla would have met
somewhere. somehow. In the world any,
way. but his wife maintained that II IL
bad not been for the Paisley shawl
} Thau 10,