Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-29

be little group OF privileged visltors,
headed by Jed Morrill,. busily discuss
ing the affairs of the nation.
Waitstill felt troubled and anxious
tonight, bruised by the little daily tor
ments that lessened her courage but
never wholly destroyed It ANY one
who believed implicitly in heredity
might have been puzzled. perhaps, to
account for her. He might fantssti-
cally picture her as making herself out
of her ancestors. using n free hand.
picking and choosing what she liked
best. with due care for the effect of
combinations; selecting here and there
and modifying. If advisable. a trait of
Grandpa or Grandma Foxwell, OF
Great Uncle or Great Aunt Baxter;
borrowing qualities lavishly from her
own gentle born and gently bred moth
er and carefully avoiding her respect
ed fathers stock, except perhaps TO
take a dash OF his pluck and an ounce
of his persistence. Jed Morrill, re-
marked of Deacon Baxter once, when
Old Foxy wants anything he'll wait till
hell freezes over afore he'll give up"
Waitstill had her fathers firm chin,
but there the likeness ended. The
well opened eye with its deep fringe
of lashes, the earnest mouth, all these
came from the mother who was little
more than a dim memory.
Waitsull disdained any vague,
dreary, colorless theory of life and its
meaning. She had joined the church at
fifteen. more or less because other girls
did and the parson had persuaded her.
but out of her hard life she had some
how framed a courageous philosophy
that kept her erect and uncrushed, no
matter how great her difficulties. She
had no idea of bringing a poor weak.
draggled soul to her Maker at the last
day, saying, Here is all I have man.
aged to save out of what you gave
me"'
Patty slept sweetly on the other side
of the partition, the contemplation OF
her twopenny triunphs bringing
spile to her childish lips, but even so a
good heart was there (still perhaps in
the process of making, quick wit.
ready sympathy, natural charm; plen-
~, indeed, for the stronger sister to
cherish, protect and hold precious, as
she did with all her mind and soul.
There had always been passionate
loyalty in Waitstilrs affection. wher-
ever it had been bestowed. Uncle Bart
delighted in telling an instance of it
that occurred when she was a child of
five. Maine had just separated ami
cably from her mother. Massachusetts,.
and become an independent state. 1t
was in the middle of March. but there
was no snow on the ground and the
plot of land near Uncle Bart's joiner's
shop. There was a large gathering in
celebration Of the historic event and
Waitstill crept down the hill wi h her
homemade rag doll in her arms. She
stood on the outskirts of the crowd.
silent. absorbed little figure clad in
shabby wooden coat. with a blue knit
hood framing her rosy face. Deborah
her beloved, her only doll. was tightly
clasped in her arms. for Debby. like
her parent. had few pleasures and
must not be denied so great one as
this Suddenly one of the thoughtless
young scamps in the group. wishing to
create a new sensation and add to the
general excitment. caught the doll
from the child's arms and running for
ward with a wild warwhoop. flung it
into the flames. Waitstill did not lose
an instant She gave a scream of an
guish and without giving any warning
of her intentions. probably without
realizing them herself. she dashed
through the little crowd into the bon
fire and snatched her cherished Off
spring from the burning pile. The
whole thing was over in the twinkling
of ar eye, for Uncle Bart was as quick
as the child and dragged her out of the
imminent danger with no worse harm
done than good scorching.
He led the little creature up the hill
to explain matters and protect her
from a scolding. She still held the doll
against her heaving breast, saying. be-
tween the sobs: II couldn't let my
Debby burn up, I couldn't. Uncle
Bart, she's got nobody but me. Is my
dress scorched so much can't wear it?
You'll tell father how it was, Uncle
Bart, won't you?"
Debby bore the marks of her ad-
venture longer than her owner. for
she had been longer in the fire. but
stained and defaced as she was. she
was never replaced and remained the
only doll of WaitstiIl's childhood At
this very moment she lay softly and
safely in bureau drawer ready to be
lifted out. some time. WaitstiIl fancied,
and shown tenderly to Patty's chill
dren. OF her own possible children
she never thought. There was but one
man in the world who could ever be
the father Of them, and she was sepa-
rated from him by every obstacle that |
could divide two human beings.
Village "aunts" and "uncles" were
elected to that relationship by the |
common consent of the community. |
their fitness being established by great |
age, by decided individuality or eccen-
tricity of character, by uncommon low
ableness or by the possession Of an
abundant wit end humor. There was /
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