Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-01
The Daily Story
CHILD MATCH-BY ESTHER VANDEvEER
Copyrighted 1913 by Associate Literary Bureau

longer with them, an invitation he ac-
cepted neither with alacrity nor hesitn-
ton. The hostess was somewhat dis
appointed to notice that he fought
shy as she expressed II, OF Sarah
even more than before she went away,
and. as for Sarah. II she seemed any
thing but Indifferent when Billy was
about. her manner betokened con-
straint- Altogether the plan did not
seem to promise success.
One evening at supper. While Billy
was still guest. Farmer Jones. with a
mans want of tact in such matters,
gave vent rs a bit of teasing of the two
children. Sarah colored. and Billy
looked as If be wanted to get away at
once. Mrs. Jones gave her husband
lecture when she was alone with him. {.
accusing him OF having spoiled every
thing. She said they might as well
give the matter up. and the next morn
ing her opinion was confirmed by Bill
ly's saying that he must leave them.
He had decided TO go TO college
where he could take q special course IN
agriculture.
The matter Of bringing about a fu-
ture match between Billy and Sarah
having mlscarried. it was dropped. and
for some time no further attempt was
made to find n husband for the little
miss. She matured rapidly. however.
from this time. and. since girls In the
country are liable to marry earlier
than in the city, her mother. after she
passed sixteen. began again to form
rnr hnr Dr,F
pear inclined 10 follow these plans any
more than she had followed the first
one laid for her. She had little to do
with young men and maidens of the
vicinity and when with them acted as
| II she did not consider herself a part
| OF them.
One day Mrs Jones received a scare.
| On coming suddenly upon her daughter
she found her reading letter. At her
! mothers entry Sarah looked confused
and tossed the letter into the fire that
was burning brightly before her. Mrs.
Jones was too diplomatic to appear to
notice the incident, but that night
when she was going to bed she told
her husband of it and added that it in
dicated an unknown lover. Farmer
Jones failed to see how Sarah could
have found an opportunity to receive
the attentions of young man since
she had never been from home, and
they were sure none of those in the
! village had access to her. Mrs. Jones
was not so easily satisfied. She had
been girl herself once and was aware
of the devices of girls to hide love
affair.
Billy Allen confined himself to the
study of agriculture during his college
course and at the end of u year decid-
ed TO apply what he had learned in
practical way on his farm, then go
back during one or more winters TO
study theoretically, thus alternating
between theory and practice or, rather,
working the two together. He came
TO see the Aliens. but his first call pass
ed with a certain formality that had
never appeared before Mrs. Jones at
tributed II to his having mingled with
persons from other walks of life than
farmers and TO his having grown older.
Farmer Jones and his wife, however.
thought little now of Billy Allen, for
a young widower in far better circum-
stances than Billy had called several
times at the house. and. although he
; was never alone with Sarah, the quick
eye of Mrs. Jones detected that he was
not calling merely for the purpose of
spending an evening In company, but
was looking for wife. While his adj
miring glances at Sarah were lost on
, Farmer Jones. they had a marked ef-
| hn fnf har
, husband of the situation, suggesting
that the next time the widOwer called
they offer an excuse to leave the two
together. This vas done, but Mrs.
Jones was disappointed at the wooer's
Z leaving much earlier than usual.
Il don't know what we're goin' to
do with her." she remarked TO her hns-
l band. Il reckon she's goin' to be an
3 old maid"
: One afternoon when Farmer Jones
t had been to the county sent on bust
, ness and Mrs. Jones was at Aunt Mar
/, thns something happened. The farm
, err and bis wife met at supper, but
: Sarah was not there.
II wonder where she is remarked
4 her mother. "Mebbe she's in her room
Z I'll go to see."
: She found the room swept and gar
: nished. The closet. the bureau draw
: ers, were empty. She was paralyzed
v Before she had time TO recover ther'
: came ring at the telephone. Mechan
t icaIly she took the receiver OF the
@ hook
r what is it,"
l. I'm Sarah" came tremulous voice.
e "FOr lands sake, Sairey! Where arr
b you:"
t I'm at Billy's farm. I'm married"
MARRIED.
e Eyes: I've been married ever since
n year ago, when you and pa went Il
g Aunt Martha's Billy and | went q
s ride one day and got married before
d we came home"
It "Oh. my goodness gracious! Paw
g come here. SaIrey's been married Il
o Billy Allen more'n n year"
d "Humph! | thought you said II
kns ht-r