Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-13

ing New Years day meant more to
Miss AIerton than to most persons.
| for il and her birthday fell together.
twenty-five years old" she said
Just think of it-twenty-two. Why.
| in three more years I'll be quarter
/ of a century old-and not married!
| Grandm was married at seventeen.
That's five years younger than l. She
| has told me often that father was
| born when she was eighteen. And L
miserable spinster. am two decades
and two years old and am not even
| engaged
Miss Allerton's soliloquy having run
itself out. so to speak. she ceased to
think coherently. permitting herself
TO ramble about disconnectedly. Then
her meditations took shape in the fol-
lowing resolution:
ION or before this day one year I
solemnly resolve that ! will be mar
| ried, be the man I marry bright or
dull. long or short, fat or lean, rich or
poor"
II Miss Allerton had an intimate
friend among men It was John Hard
wick. John was twenty years her
senior and not the kind OF man that
she would think of marrying, being a
plain business man, who had gone to
work when he was seventeen years old
Having never been to college. he knew
nothing about mental or moral philoso-
ply. philology. biology or any other
ology. His main asset was horse sense.
He was so old fashioned that he con-
tinued a former practice OF making
New Years call every year on the Al
lerton family. though it does not ap-
pear that he called elsewhere on that
day.
During the afternoon of the day that
Sophie made her New Years resolution
John Hardwick made his New Years
call as usual. Mrs. Allerton happened
to be indisposed, and her daughter was
obliged TO do the honors alone.
Another year rolled round" remark
ed Mr.. Hardwick by way OF opening
the conversation, but as cheerily as If
the announcement were one Of congrat-
ulation instead of regret.
Yes" replied Sophie. land I'm one
year nearer to being an old maid"
IAN old maid! why. you're nothing
but a chit It doesn't seem any time
at all that 1 used to give you a doll
every Christmas"
Yes, and those same dolls now line
the Dashboard of my former playroom
in the garnet. But. speaking of old
maids. I'm going to give you a conf
dence that L shall bestow upon no one
else. ! made a resolution this morning
to be married within the year."
Good graciousr' exclaimed John
IL
will you marry?"
That's the problem"
Have you any one in mind?"
NO one in particular. Besides. you
must remember that it's not to be sup
posed that 1 can take my pick"
John Hardwick sat thinking for a
few moments. then said, You'd better
recall that resolution"
"Why?"
Because marriage is a matter of
fate. You can't control it."
II will control it." scid Sophie, set
ting her lips resolutely.
Can l help you?
I'm what way?"
"Well. you women know your own
sex better than we men do, and we
men know each other better than you
women know us. l might warn you
against tying yourself up with a bad
man."
And might suggest good one"
"Oh, no; that would be going too far.
Even in warning you against lad one
l would probably get myself dislked.
But l would have the consolation OF
doing what | could to save you from
harm"
There was faint touch OF sadness
in this that set Miss Allerton to think
ing in another direction.
How selfish of mew she said. II
have forgotten that you may desire a
home and those you may love as wei! |
as I. Why have you never married. |
Mr.. Hardwick:"
well" he replied. with a smile. !
perhaps because it never occurred to |
me to fortify myself with New Years |
resolution"
January passed away. and Miss AL
lerton had made no further Roadway |
than to select several young men about |
her own age, some one OF whom she .
might encourage to make love to her |
February passed, and she had not con-
Guided which one of them TO encourage.
March came in with a good deal of
clustering fauItflnding with herself for
having done nothing. April brought
mild Irritation with a man two years
younger than herself. but before the
LIST OF May she had concluded that
there was nothing in him. When June
came and the pages Of the society jour
mails were filed with announcements
of forthcoming weddings and Miss Al
lerton remembered that she had not yet
even made beginning in the keeping
of her resolution she began to worry.
July and August she spent in the coun-
try. where she hoped she might meet
her fate. hut there is always dearth
or men at SIMMER resorts except c,G
fellows who have retired. husbands
who spend week ends with their fam
flies. and boys