Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-24

up the dishes when Mr. Reynold.
came In. As It was Sunday he WIS II
his slippers and had the colored sup
plement OF morning paper in hi.
hand.
What's the matter with the Lad
leys! he asked. II can't read fol-
their quarreling."
Booze. probably" said. when
you've lived in the food district as
long as / have. Mr.. Reynolds. you'll
know that the rising of the river is n
signal for every man in the vicinity
to stop work and get full. The fuller
the river the fuller the male popula-
ton
Then this flood will likely make 'em
drink themselves to deathr' he said.
ITS a lulu"
Its the neighborhood's annual de-
bauch. The women are busy In the
cellars. or they'd get full too. 1 hope.
since it's come this far. 1t will come
farther. 50 the landlord will have to
paper the parlor."
That was at 8 O'Clock. At Mr.. Lad
ley went down the stairs, and 1 heard
him getting into a skin in the lower
hall. There were boats going back and
| forth all the time carrying crowds of
curious. people and taking the food suf-
ferers to the corner grocery, where
they were lowering groceries in a bas-
ket on rope from an upper window.
had been making tea when heard
Mr.. Ladley go out. i fixed a tray with
cup of 1t and some crackers and took
IL to their door. I had never liked
Mrs. Ladley, but IL was chilly in the
house with the gas shut on and the
lower floor full of ice water And IL is
hard enough to keep boarders in the
food district
she did not answer to my knocks, so
I opened the door and went in. She
was at the window. looking after him.
and the brown valise that figured in
the case later was opened on the floor
Over the foot Of the bed was the black
and white dress with the red collar.
When 1 spoke TO her she turned
around quickly. She was tall wo-
man. about twenty-eight. with very
white teeth and yellow hair. which she
parted little to one side and drew !
down over her ears. She had sullen |
face and large well shaped hands. with /
her nails long and very pointed. |
The she devil has brought you !
some tea" / said Where shall she !
put it:''
"'She devilr" she repeated. raising
her eyebrows. Its very thoughtful
she devil. Who called you that?"
But with the sight of the valise and
the fear that they might be leaving /
thought it best not TO quarrel. She
had left the window and. going TO her
dressing table, had picked up her nail
file
Never mind" I said. II hope you
are not going away. These floods don't
last. and they're a benefit. Plenty of
the people around here rely on 'em
every year to wash out their cellars"
mo. I'm not going away" she re-
piled lazily. I'm taking that dress TO
Miss Hope at the theater. She is going
TO wear it in Charles Aunt next
week. She hasn't half enough of
wardrobe to play leads in stock. Look d
1T this thumb nail, broken to the
Iuick.'
If had only looked to see which
thumb 1t was, But / was putting the
ga tray on the washstand and moving
Mr. Ladley's papers to find room for it.
Peter. the spaniel. begged for a lump
II sugar. and / gave it to him.
where is Mr.. I.adley?" l asked.
Gone out TO see the river"
81 hope he'll be careful. There's a
lrowning or two every year in these
foods"
Then / hope he won't" she said
almly. do you know what l was do
ng when you came in? l was looking
fter his boat and hoping 1t had n hole
q it."
you won't feel that way tomorrow.
frs Ladley." ! protested. shocked.
You're just nervous and put out
fost men have their ugly times.
fanny time wished Mr.. Pitman was
one-until he went. Then I'd have
iven a good bit to have him back
gain"
She was standing in front Of the
resser. fixing her hair over her ears
he turned and looked at me over her
boulder
Probably Mr.. Pitman was a man."
le said. my husband is a fiend.
evil"
Well. a good many women have said
lat to me at different times. But just
{ me say such a thing 10 them. or re-
,at their OwD words TO them the next
". and they would hy at me In n
ry. So i said nothing and put the -.
cam into her tea.
l never saw her again. hi
10
There Is not much sleeping done in w
G food district during a spring flood. hi
lie gas was shut OF and l gave Mr..
.ynolds and the Ladleys each lamp. l
,at In the back room that / had made re
TO temporary kitchen with rs
ndIe and with q beduuiIt around my | on
oulders The water rose fast In the do
yer hall. but by midnight at the Eel
zenith step IL stopped rising and
,od still. I always have a skin during sic
, flood season. and as the water rose inc
lied IL to one spindle OF the stair the
sc after another eri
made myself cup OF tea and at wi
o'clock stretched out on a sofa for hiI
ew hours sleep. / think had been tin
eping only an hour or so when some I
Il. ~. saWU1