Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-02
I T1E
MELTING
OF MOLLY
By MARIA THOMPSON
DAVIESS
Copyright. 1912. by the Bobbs-Merrnl
Company

S-e-s-s-e-e-e-e--e-e-s-s-s
II has taught me something TO see how
how faithful a woman can be across
years-and then in this smaller thing
| Now give me Billy and you get your
apple and toast. Don't forget to take
your letter in out Of the dew" l sat
perfectly still and held Billy tighter In
my arms as looked up at his father.
and then after ! had thought as long
as L could stand it / spoke right out
at him as mad as hops. and / don't
TO this minute know why.
Nobody in the world ever doubted
that woman could be faithful II she
mad anything to be faithful to-" said
as let him take Billy out Of my arms
at last "Faithfulness is what a wo-
man flowers, only 1t takes a man to
pick his posy." With which 1 march
ed into the house and left him stand
ing with Billy in his arms. 1 hope
dumfounded. I didn't look back to see.
| always leave that mans presence so
mad / can never look back at him.
And wouldn't it make any woman rage
to have a man pick out another man
for her to be faithful to when she
hadn't made any decision about II her
own self?
l wonder just how old Judge Wade
! is? believe will make up with Aunt
/ Adeline enough before / go to bed to
/ find out why he has never married.
| Men are very strange people. They
| are like those horrible sums in algebra
| that you think about and worry about
| and cry about and try to get help from
! other women about. and then. all of
sudden Y works itself out into perfect
( ly good sense. Not that l thought
much about Mr.. Carter, poor man:
When he wasn't right around I felt II
best TO forget him as much as could.
but it seems hard for other women to
let you forget either your husband or
theirs.
! know now that I really never got
any older than the poor. foolish. eight
cen years child that Aunt Adeline mar
ried off safe" all the time was the
refuge" sort of wife | would sit and
listen while the other wives talked
over the men in utter bewilderment
/ and most times terror. then ] would
( force myself to a little more forget
/ ting. and poor Mr.. Carter must have
suffered the consequences. But all
that was n mild sort OF exaspera ton
to what a widow has to 20 through
/ with in tie matter Of-of. we'll think
hazing is about the best name to
| give IT,
molly Carter" said Mrs. johnson
| tnst day before yesterday. after the
white dreSs-Judge Wade episode that
/ Aunt Adeline had gone TO all the
/ friends up and down the street to he
/ consoled about. If you haven't got
/ sense enough to appreciate your pres
ent bliSSful condition somebody ought
( TO operate on your mind"
/ | was tempted to say. Why not my
| hearth" | was glad she didn't know
/ how good that heart did feel under my
/ tucker when the boy brought that bas-
/ ket Of fish from Judge Wade's fishing
/ trip Saturday. | have firmly deter
mined not to blush any more at the
thought of that gorgeous man-at least
/ Outwardly.
Don't YOU think it is very-very
lonely to be widow. Mrs Johnson?"
/ asked umidly 20 see what she would
say about Mr.. Johnson. who is really
lovely, | think. He gives me the gen
tlest understanding smile when he
meets me on the street of late weeks.
Lonely. lonely. Molly? You talk
about tie married state exactly like
an old maid. Don't dc tits foolish.
and you will get the lone notion really
fastened il your mind and let some
fool maa find out that is how you
feel. Then it will be all over with you.
| have only one regret and it is that
il | ever should be a widow Mr. John
son wouldn't be here TO see how quick
~ | turned into an old maid. by the
grace Of Cod" Mrs. Johnson sews by
assasS mating the cloth with the needle.
and as she talked she was mending the
sleeve OF one of Mr.. Johnson's shirts.
u think an old maid is just a wo-
man who has never been in love with
man who loves her. Lots of them
have been married for years" said
iusy as innocentiy as the soft face of
| Il PUN OF cream anu Neht Ou udEuluB
one of Billy's socks.
We'll. be that as 1t may. they are
the blessed members Of the women
tribe" she answered. looking at me
sharply. Now | have often told Mr.
Johnson But here we were inter
rupted in what might have been the
rehearsal Of a glorious scrap by the
appearance OF Aunt Bette Pollard.
and with her came a long. tall. lovely
vision Of woman in the most wonder
full close clingy dress and hat that you
wanted to eat on sight. | hated her
instantly with the most intense adora-
ton that made me want 10 lie down at
her feet. and also made me feel like
had gained all the more than twenty
pounds that / have shaved on me and
doubled them on again. / would have
liked TO lead her that minute into DR..
Johns Office and just TO have looked al
him and said one word-"string beanr'
] her Mics