Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-03

10 believe that Il uurriase NC n
years before had been annulleu'
had since lived single life anu "
came very tired OF going to his ione-s
room eyery afternoon on his re.alN
from business and having TO drag ~
self out for company in the evening"
Mr.. Smith lived at q family NO.
and the room opposite to his WIS "
cupied nv a Miss Isabel jones'
spinster a few years younger 'haA -.
When Mr.. Smith would come u ms
room in the evening Miss Jones eou'u
hear him heave deep sigh. sne AneW
what il meant, for she often iamen'eN
her own loneliness. She often met MI
! Smith in the corridor and was Lnuch
pleased with his appearance. nee
was something in his figure ms "aIA'
his face. that reminded her OF some
one she had known, but VINO 'lis per
son was she could not for her NE re-
call.
One evening Mr.. Smith was asked 10
take a hand at bridge whist IN the
hotel drawing room. Miss Jones was
one of the players and Mr.. smith
partner. After that when the two met
in the corridor or In the dining room
they exchanged greetings. Mr.. smith
asked himself, "Why should this lady
and myself live alone in the world
when we can as well be companions
Then he would think of the uncertain
ty overhanging him with regard to his
previous marriage. How inconsiderate
is youth! Instead Of making an effort
to learn the exact truth he had drifted
on from day to day, month to month,
year to year, without doing so.
The marriage took place when he
was nineteen years old. He was a
clerk in store. A girl barely sixteen
came in one day to look at some rib
bons. She was pretty. and the clerk
was affable. He unrolled great many
ribbons and got them all in tangle.
Perhaps this had something to do with
that other tangle into which he and
the girl insensibly drifted. How easy
lovemaking was when they were in
their teens-far easier than at forty!
The first thing they knew they were
married. 1t did not seem of much
more Importance then than drinking a
glass of soda water together. Now
wedlock appeared like jumping off n
cliff in the dark, not knowing whether
there was rock or water beneath.
They had gone to drive together and
incidentally called upon parson, who
had married them. Then they drove
back to town, pulled up before a con-
fectioner's, where they partook of ice
cream, and after that separated. the
girl going home, the boy back to his
place of business. The secret was not
long kept. The two We're seen too Of
ten together. The girls parents grew
suspicious. They forbade her to see
her boy lover, whereupon she confess
ed her marriage.
They took her away-he knew not
where-but she contrived to get a let
ter to him telling him that she was II
New York. He had q few hundred
dollars, which he got together ant
started for that city. Despite thu
watchfulness of her parents they com
, municated and laid a plan to sail to
| gether for a foreign country. Th'
, young husband, learning that a shiI
was about to sail for Rio de Janeiro
engaged passage for himself and hi
wife. and, meeting her by appoint
ment, they agreed that they would g
} to the steamer separately and not NEE
| till after it had left port and was wei
}, out at sea. This would facilitate thei
eluding the brides parents.
t On the day the vessel sailed tn
brides mother caught her doing som
packing and, becoming suspicious
locked her daughter in her room Tn
t groom boarded the vessel before tn
J. other passengers began to go up til
d gangway and hid himself. 1t was no
until the ship had passed beyond tn
bay and was standing out at sea tina
he left his hiding place and began I
look about him for his wife. She wa
u nowhere to be found.
, 1t was some time before he made u
e his mind that she had been left benin,
Then he wondered that he had NJ
ID thought of such contingency and lai
p his plans to prevent it. His wife W.
8 at home and he on his way to Sout
America, with no stop till he arrive
1t there. But was this last move az
1t more inconsiderate than the marriage
d When young Smith reached Rio
JaneirO he had S12 in his pocket ar
no more. A new problem stared hi
i'll the face. He must sleep som
l. where and eat. He could find places
sleep and buy things to eat till b
= money was gone. and so long as it las
ed he was troubled about his bird
but when it was all gone and he beg;
to get hungry his attention was draw
from sentiment to stomach. When
4. got very hungry he met an Americi
coffee merchant, who gave him a Job
n his Office. From this time romance +
- Edward Smith retired and reality to-
its place.
He wrote his wife, but without mu
hope OF her receiving his letters. n
=, did she. She confessed her intend
- fight to her parents, and they took G
~ cry precaut1on to keep her from b
husband. They did not know whe
"a he was till letter came from him POI
7 marked Rio de Janeiro They open
1t and from its contents discovered ii