Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-21
The Daily Story
HIS PREDICAMENT-BY ELSIE B. MATTESON.
Copyrighted. 1918. Associated Literary Bureau
Copyrighted. 1918. by Associated I

tiers at once. all there were. and have
done with them. They were each and
all from girls refusing proposition of
marriage from him.
Miss Jones'" he said to his nurse,
have l been writing letters since !
have been ill?"
Lots OF them"
And you mailed them?"
NO; | refused. But l suppose you
found way to get them to the post
office. l saw you throw one of them
through window. A man came along
and picked it up. | suppose he drop
ped 1t in n letter box
when did l write the lastr'
"A few days ago. When you were
first taken Ill you wrote a number. and
a few days ago you must have writ
ten half n dozen. l saw them. address
ed and stamped. on the table beside
your bed"
What became OF them?"
81 don't know. While you were
delirious you were very cunning
fancy you found a way to get them
posted"
Heaven grant that they were propo-
sitions. One of them may find its way
to girl who will take pity on me-
The nurse left him and the same
evening brought him letter. Like
the others. the address was in fem
mime hand. He tore it open feverish
ly and read:
Your very sweet letter reached me Tues
day. have spent the time since consult
ing my heart. For long time have ad-
mired and respected you. but since you
showed me no attention did not think of
you for husband. Yes, love you and
will do all in my power to make you hap
Ply. l congratulate you on your inherit
ance and see no reason why We cannot
be married before your twenty-frst BIRTH
day.
! Phil threw or the covers, jumped out
of bed and danced around the room.
He had found n woman to pity him.
Then he re-read the letter and noticed
! mention of his fortune and the condi-
! ton attached TO 1t. he must have
/ spoken Of it in his proposal. But the
refusals, Had he not written the Of
fers of marriage that called them forth,
| making no mention of this matter? He
shrugged his shoulders. Nevertheless
the danger that had made him Ill was
past and gone. A girl had agreed to
marry him in time to secure his for
| tune.
That night he had the first quiet
sleep he had had for months and woke
up feeling a great relief Alas. he was
doomed to another backset. After
breakfast his nurse brought him an
other letter. He received 1t with
scared look and trembling hand. He
read it and wondered. 1t was another
acceptance.
One thing in it attracted his notice
the words. II shall be ready for the
wedding in time
Heavens, Had he written second
batch of proposals stating his reasons
for wishing to be married before com
ing of age? He must have done so.
He had written five proposing TO girls.
Offering only himself and poverty.
Doubtless he had written another half
dozen mentioning his expected posses
sions.
All doubt of the truth of this expla
nation was set at rest by the receipt
of more acceptances. When the fourth
came he again became delirious and
was not given the sixth till he was
convalescent. He tainted. but was re-
vived. and, directing that a carriage be
called. he was driven home, where he
gave orders that no more mail should
be given him.
But a stupid servant disobeyed the
instructions, aud one morning Phil,
who was now strong enough to be
about, entering his room saw letter
addressed in a woman's hand lying on
the table. He caught at the doorknob
for support. But he could not take his
eyes of 1t. 1t drew him as a snakes
eye will charm bird. Slowly he tot
tered to the table, took 1t up, broke 1t
open and read:
Your letter has given me inexpressible
happiness. l loved you when we played
together as little children. when you car
ried my books to and from school, but
never dreamed my love was returned.
Papa and mamma, to whom have shown
your letter. consent only on condition that
we wait till you are making a sufficient
salary and have gathered few thousand
dollars which to begin married life.
Come and see me soon. Your loving
JESSIE.
1t needed no great perception to see
that this was in reply to one of the
letters he had written not mentioning
, his inheritance. He had wondered why
there had been but five replies to this
, first lot, while there were six to the sec.
, ond II was plain that this one had
either been delayed or the writer had
I held his reply in order to consult her
!. parents.
I "Whoop!"
This was Phils exclamation on re.
9 ceiving an acceptance to his proposal
!. to a girl who had loved him since his
8 boyhood, and, come to think Of it, she
8 was the dearest little girl on his list.
!. Phil had two weeks in which to mar
e ~ and save his fortune. He went tC
his fiancee's father and told him the
story. 1t is need ess to say that the
8 older man acquiesced in an early mar
e rage. and the day Phil came Of age
l. he received both a wife and a fortune.
= But he says that any man who
l. | thinks he can make business matter