Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-03
The Daily Story
( THE MAHOGANY ROONEY CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyrighted. 1918. by Associated Literary Bureau

grew a picture-dark shadows for n
background OF shrubbery, a winding
path bOrdered with flowers, and stand
ing there was Miss Dorinda Page as
she appeared in the large painting IL
the drawing room beIow-MiSs Dorm.
da of thirty years ago, fair and sweet
and very shy. She was timidly offer.
ing rose 10 a youth. who looked al
her with eyes of despairing alteration.
He bent and kissed her in sudden. pas
Sionate farewell. turned and disappear
ed in the shrubbery. leaving her white
and trembling. TO sink on a garden
bench. But he had carried the rose
away. AS Miss Dorinda leaned her
head on her rounded arm the picture
died away, and there was nothing save
the freight pickering on the front Of
the highboy and the ticking OF the
clock. interrupted by the fall OF rain
on the roof.
/ was not afraid now. l was filed
with pity for the sweet, patient little
woman who had so sturdily taken up
the burden of wage earning when she
had been left alone. Her house OF
paying guests was always flied, and
l, who had known her a dozen years.
had by great good luck been placed in
the mahogany room and thus stumbled
upon the romance in Dorindas sad life.
The face of the young man was not
unfamiliar. and l was sure that had
seen 1t. older. graver. somewhere. The
story of the highboy was clear to me-
now. 1t had belonged to Ralph Glenn's
people, and 1t was for bis sake she had
purchased the heirloom. Ralph Glenn
must have been the young man OF the
picture.
"Glenn-Glenn-wher have I heard
that name?" questioned to myself as
| dropped of to sleep, and the answer
came as the morning sunlight awoke
me to consciousness. "Dr. Glenn, OF
course, Stupid'
l did not see Miss Page until after
breakfast. Then she sought me in the
big veranda, where / was studying the
railroad time table.
Not going home so soonF she ex-
claimed, with a glance at my occupa-
ton. II hope the mahogany room has
not driven you away. You slept well?'
beautifully" assured her. 81 must
run home for a day, and then l shall
return to lay the ghost Of the mahog-
any room"
AS the stage crawled its way mp the
long hill to the station l saw in my
mind's eye my home city. On one Of
the handsomest streets there was a
row of brownstone houses given over
TO physicians offices. On one OF the
brass plates was the name Ralph
Glenn. NJ. D." ! had met Or Glenn
once, and ms reCOllected bis features,
he might have been that same youth
who had taken farewell of pretty Do
rinda Page.
There was no harm IN trying,
thought. so l made my way home and
straight out TO the Office Of Or. Glenn.
/ The physician was in. and l made my
chronic neuralgia the excuse for my
/ visit. When the consultation was over,
: still | fingered in the Office. He. quiet.
! grave middle aged, clever looking.
watched me as if questioning my do
lay.
II am going away for a fortnight" l
explained. I'm going down 10 Put
wick. Perhaps you know the village
His face paled. hut he smiled polite
ly 81 was born there" he said brief
ly and then looked as If he regretted
the confidence.
Then you must know the Page
homestead?" | said rapidly. THAT is
where | am staying 1t Is the most
charming old place, and Miss Dorinda
Page is the most charming hostess"
b, tnFv
looking down on ME from his superior
height
Miss Dorinda Page" | replied limo
Gently "She is the last OF her family
and the sweetest little woman in the
world She
81 thought she married Hugh era
ham," he burst out sinking heavily
into a chair. They sent me wedding
invitation. Here 1t is He pulled
open a drawer, and from a leather
covered box he drew forth yellowed
envelope containing an engraved an
nouncement OF the wedding Of Dorinda
May Page and Hugh Montgomery Ora
ham on April /. 1890. | read IT slowly.
I'm afraid you are the victim OF a
Joke, an i'll timed and fateful April
fool trick" said regretfully as point
ed 10 the date. Whoever perpetrat-
ed the joke did not spare expense. As
a matter of fact. Hugh Graham mar
ried Miss DOrinda's cousin. Hannah
Page, years ago. long before | knew
them. You never went back to Put
wick"
NO; stayed away after that"
I'm going back to Putwick tomor-
row." ! suggested
$50 am l." he exclaimed, rising to
his feet with sudden energy. "Just
as soon as | can put my affairs in or
der here I'm going You are sure-sure
that | better go?' He looked at me
wistfully. and ! could see that be. too,
as we'll as Miss Dorinda. had yet to
live out that interrupted romance.
Sure as-as ! am that the ghost o.
the mahogany. room has been laid"
said eagerly. but he WIS not listening
10 me His thoughts were far away IN
that southern garden where he world