Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-27
The Daily Story
Smoking Casey Edith v. Ross.
Copyrighted 1914 by Associated Literary Bureau

ohe t"oe the woman came cut Of q.
sickroom with a blighted look m -
face, saying, Its all over" He
ed and shut the vision out bv 60 80
his eyes. When be opened fhsrs :.
other alternative was before ~ s1s
Ned. there is a change. He 4 n
ing quietly, and his skin is moist~ g
went to the sickroom and put his he
ON the child's cheek, then turned -
clasping the mother in his arms 49,
fervently, THANK Godr' ~
Day dreams as well az thoso =.
come in sleep shift quickly. Ked - -
himself prosperous, rich. He q.
one end of dining table, his VII.
the other, with children Of all aoss
either hand. The Oldest WAC ~.
sturdy collegian, who had carried -
the honors Of his class; the next. =.
OF nineteen, just engaged to ono ~ -
brothers classmates, while the 60
boys and girls, ratified their knsy>, -
forks, making greater clattev b. ~
talking at once.
DO you remember, DEAR no ss,s
that smoking case you made az -.
wooden stuff despatched with -
knots? That was the stupidest ths--
you ever did in your life I co.,
imagine anything more ridiculous
Ha, hap'
Ned Barnes had gradually besn 81
cumbing to the quieting influences ~
tobacco, and when he spoke .hs..
words he was dreaming In slumbs-
His loud 'Ha, ha" awakened him.
by Jove," he exclaimed. yaynfp--
''my dream must have been part whIIs
awake and part sleeping, I'd Ike I,
dream it all over again. No; not thu.
part about the child dying. No, no.~
He shuddered and gave a quscx null
at his pipe. But no smoke came. II
had gone out. Laying it aside. y
arose, undressed and went TO bed
But before going to sleep he made
resolution with a view Of turning bis
dream into a reality, and the next day
he put it into practice.
Can you tell me-" he said TO the
manager of the woman's exchange.
"who made the smoking case bought
here the other day:
The woman hesitated, asked why be
wished to know, consulted with anoth-
er woman, then said that the article
had been made by a young girl whose
necessities were considerable. If CIV
ing her address would be Of any bene-
fit to her it would be given. Barnes
said that it would. He had been so
pleased with the article she had made
that he would like a dozen Of them.
To this the lady replied that he could
order a dozen through her. but he said
in so large an order he would prefer
% deal directly with the manufacture
After much delay he finally got the
address.
Ned was tempted to write the girl
hat he had purchased her smoking
,ase and had received her missiye;
,ut, deeming this incautious, he set
lbout finding some one who would
i've him an introduction to her. BE
It length succeeded in this and found
n the girl he sought one whose family
lad in former days been prominent
tut whose property had melted away.
She had never known anything but
diversity, though she had inherited
rom her mother the manner OF lady.
;he was rather pretty and generally
ttractive. Barnes, under the influence
f the episode of which she was igno
ant, took quite a fancy to her. He
up the acquaintance, and
radually it appeared TO him that
hough she was stupid on the surface y
eneath was a deep current of common
enSe.
Since she was the only girl he knew
18th whom he could begin married LIE
n practical principles, he resolved 70
SIX her to marry him. He precedeu
is proposition by taking from MS
ocket the missive he had found IN Tue
case and handed it to ne,'
he read it and looked up at hun VIII
neekS afiame.
Where did you get it?" she asked.
81 bought the smoking case you soia
trough the woman's exchange. iou
* in the note If 1 don't think you
ruck a bright idea in making tne
noking case. I certainly do l IT.
procate all the rest You said ana piV
,se to end our mutual loneliness D!
Non. VIII you marry me?'
That was a dozen or fifteen year
70. Mrs. Barnes proved an admir-
e manager. thus giving her nusoahl
great advantage in making E'ins
we'll as laying up competeIe
asides this. as a family man ne ss2
that concentration which he 1au
cked before his marriage. Thl.1
soon as he had wife and cnlien1
take care of all his friends WEI
sposed to help him. The coas
ence is that today the substance
; dream has come TO pass-R
osperous and happy, with iO'i0'
mily. Il
The smoking case is treasured III
rnes family. When the children -
,at IT is their father facetiously tss
em that it is a monument OF na-
is genius. but when they ask H. L
is so and a girl asks the questie-
tells her that he hopes she WIZ - 4
much talent for getting a husDAH-
her mother. II one or MS
kes INQUIRIES about it the ia'1e
lply tells him that it is an eviaeDN
women's understanding OF the
rements of men. n