Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-24
The Daily Story
copyrighted. 1914. by AssooIatea Literary Bureau.
A Pessimist-By Dwight Norwood.

had conspfrea to get rid Of NV q.
that Billy's marriage woula = s's1
deprivation 10 me.
Whatever was their design 7 ,.u.
It. did not fear for Mrs. Bryce. tr =,
did fear for myself She shows
disposition TO go back on Billy nv 49, !,
word or look. 1t was I who & -, -
heart envied my friend his Wife y
Billy did not return at 10 o'v,os,
at IL. At half past IL / tore ~.
away after having passed a de,igt.<
evening.
During the next week Billy ana 1,
wife were constantly telephonin, :
me. I found myself becoming tnfs....
ed with her and tried to keen a.
but they wouldn't let me do "a -
was as persistent as his wife ana !.
as persistent as Billy.
A guilty conscience need. "a
cuser, and It seemed to me thai o.
must notice my embarrassment q
shamefacedness. But he didn't A ~.
rate, he was as cordial, as toyiaI !, !,
fectionate as he had ever been Anf-
for being jealous of me. such an a
appeared never to enter his head 4
deed, he seemed to be CONSTANTS -
irving to leave me alone with bis NJ
had not been introduced 10 n.
Bryce a week before Billy aunouprs,
that he was called away on bux;.ss,
and would be absent for about g
days.
"Whatw I exclaimed. Leave van,
wife so soon after your weddingr
what can / do? Business Won,
wait while a man is spooning y,,s
new wife. Besides, Lu won't 90 win
me-"
Indeed, won't" said In. Il ce.sr
travelling. Besides, how would anus
myself, shut up in hotel, while Bu,
was attending to business? No. thar
you. I'm comfortable here"
"There" said Billy. you see. vhr
marriage is. They're very sweet on yc- |
till they get you; then you discoys
that it's all put on"
His wife reproached him, but seeus
to have difficulty in depressing suf,
Truly they were taking a great deal 1
trouble to make me feel that had be-, 7
a gamer instead Of loser by Blnys
marriage.
I spent every evening at BiIly's hous
during his absence. / made one sicsiy
effort to miss an evening, but Mn
Bryce asked me what In the world Sd,
would do alone. / asked her II the nj
alive Billy had mentioned as being
with her would not be a companion 70. f
her, but she said that person had gups
the same day as Billy.
BY the time the ten days Of Bilts
absence had gone-and they seemed bu l.
half q week. had so far given NJ |
heart to his wife that dared not neg
him. / asked Mrs. Bryce when she eE
pected him, and she said not for a cor
pie of days. But when dining with be-
I heard a key in the latch Of the frua
door and knew that my bosom friend
now my bosom enemy-had returned
He ushered in a lady who noticed Re
sembled his wife She came up to ..
smiling and put out her hand
II am Mrs. Bryce" she said. aVs
have all been playing a game. Bill
thought it would be a good joke to ID
troduce you to my sister, Edith.
his wife. He said he thought it would
break the formality Of your coming
under the new conditions. kept os!
of the way till Billy concluded to
absent for awhile; then went vii
him."
"And you are the relative to vhaa
a dinner was carried upstairsT
81 am"
ITO tell the truth, old man. BY
broke in, "you were getting so devos
to my wife that thought I'd better
"Williamp protested she who Dc
played the part Of his wife.
This was a great bouleversementn on
for me and Edith. So long as she n''
been the leading lady in play %
had not scrupled at anything, Dul ~
that she must be herself again sneF
gan to show signs of embarrassme'
I was too stupid to see that this p"
had been intended to take proper ul'
of me in the loss of my friend py "
ing me q wife. / confess was
loss to understand why they nA
thought proper to play such loAs
me. but I did not refer 1t 70 its y"
source.
We had a merry dinner tose'D.'
which was only marred by buy
could not resist the Temptation y
me for my devotion to one Wn0I =
had supposed to be his wne
taunts were only appreciated ps
self. His wife tried to frowh
down, his sister-in-law looked oass
at him, while looked silly. nor
the dinner at last ended Dns
his wife went upstairs ostensivs
rest after their journey, put ieaA'
leave me alone with Edith
put an end TO the emparfass
attending the joke that had peen "a
ed upon me by proposing 70
that since she had played the y.
wife so well she had better DC ~
wife. She assented. Mr.. ana
Bryce were the next day LAY. w
that the play had ended In . 80
Billy enjoyed his joke hugely ~.
ing that IL was the only way ~
have been saved from ''4''
pessimism.