Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-08

summon me elsewhere. However.
something tells me we shall meet
again"
She rose in her swift, birdlike fashion
and passed lightly down the room and
through the door. She had left a dol.
lar beside her plate TO pay her check,
which l noted called for only 40 cents.
l glanced at the cashiers desk. The
aureoled head had not reappeared. but
Immediately 1 heard a voice murmur-
ing beside me. l had believed myself
alone, and in my surprise l Thoughts
some wizardry had made audible one
of the verses on the wall
What OF Rafaels sonnets. Dante's pio-
ture-
It was she whose aureoled head l had
marked earlier In the receipt OF GUS
tom, the girl who had vanished as Miss
HOLSTER appeared. She was not tall,
and her eyes. l saw. were brown. She
had clearly not climbed far the stair
way of her years. but her serenity was
the least bit disconcerting.
Pardon me-" began. but am an
ignorant Philistine. and cannot cap tho
verse you nave quoted.
There is no reason why you should
do SO. 1t is the rule of the Asolando
that we shall attract the attention OF
customers when necessary by speaking
of a line OF verse We are not allowed
to open a conversation. no matter bow
imperative. with Listen or the even
more vulgar Say"
"a capital idea, of which | heartily
approve. but now that l am waiting
auditor, eager
ITS merely the check, II you please"
she interrupted coldly. My desk is
closed. and the room will refuse fur
Their patrons for the next hour. as tho
executive committee OF the Shelley So
ciety meets here at I o'clock, and the
Asolando is denied to outsiders
This. then, Is my dismissal? The
ady who Joined me here for a time left
a dollar. which. you will see. liz some
what in excess of her check My own
charge of 90 cents is so moderate that
l cannot do less than leave 81 also"
Thank you" she replied, mistaken
by my generosity. THE tips at the
Asolando all go to the Sweetness and
Light club, which is just now engaged
in circulating Matthew Arnold's poems
In leafiet form In the jobbing district"
bowed and had turned away when
she arrested me with the line
Ny good blade carves the casques Of
men.
l turned toward her. Permit me to
inquire" she asked, whether the lady
who Joined you here expressed any
interest in the life beautiful as it f.
eXemplihed In the AsolandoE"
81 am constrained to say that she did
not. She spoke of the Asoando In the
most co1tumelious terms"
The golden head bowed slightly, and
q smile lowered about her lips. But
her amusement at my answer was
more eloquently stated in her eyes
Il must explain that my sole excuse
for addressing you is that we are re
quired to learn, where possible, just
, why strangers seek the Asolando."
IN the case OF the lady to whom
you refer it was a matter of this he
ing the seventh shop from the corner,
and my own appearance was due to
the idlest curiosity, inspired by enthu-
siasuc descriptions Of the ASOland0S
atmosphere and rumors of the cheap
ness of it's food"
"The reasons are quite ample" was
her only comment and her manner did
/ not encourage further conversation.
! May l ask" | persisted. whether
| the Asolando's staff is permanent and
! whether, if | return another day
/ 81 take it that yoU do not mean to
/ be impertineut. So / will answer that
! my service here is limited to Tuesdays,
/ Thursdays ana Saturdays On the 9th
'er days Pippa X ia the cash booth
My name at the Asolando is Frances
ca. Kindly write your name in the
visitors bool. at the door "a you pass
out"
There WAS no Ignoring this hint.
thought she smiled as left her.