Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-06
The Daily Story
Mechanically Esther Wand ever.
Copyrighted. 1914 by Associated Literary Bureau

face that had patiently loosah
upon him from his bureau for a. -, w
/ years. 1t was my belief that ga ~
thinking OF marrying this young $50.
stead of the faded. middle aged 80 80
that she had become. Had he Ia.
with her all this while tbe esse ST
would have not been noticssh,%
least not shocking.
Men are not as apt to grow ola -,
ing as women. and quite iikelv ~,
had kept youthful appearance NJ
did not fear Helen's being disapoos,,.s
in him. only his being appointea :
her, for she looked ten years Older r.
she was. and her face bad faker -
disappointed expression. Her cop,,,..
ion was white: her hair was thin =.
streaked with gray. She was certsIr,.
not the woman a man Of his age von,s
choose for a wife. He would nstrr,I-
prefer one from ten to twenty vs.,,
younger
Ned did not write her that he 49,.
coming. He wished to surprise her
So in his letter to Jim he asked II,
not to mention the matter to be,
Don't you think. jim said. ..s,,
we had better give him sight Of b.
without her knowing it? If he wish.
to go no further it will be better n,
both of them that he should be frea !.
go back west without making himssl,
known"
Right you are, my dear" Jim =.
piled. And I'm not sure but that n.
should give Helen peep at Ned n.
der the same conditions. / saw man
from the west the other day Win
knows Ned very well. He told me tia,
Ned was not fresh looking man at
all. He was nearly bald. and what
hair was left was white as snow
This gives comparatively young man
a very old appearance"
That's fortunate. He won't be N
likely to be disappointed with Helens
looks"
HE won't, Ell? He will be blind "a
his imperfections, and she will Be-
blind to hers"
1 sighed, for I feared that Jim SPOKE
the truth.
When Ned arrived he went straight
to Jim, happy after having waited 50
many years at the prospect Of being
united with the love Of his youth Jime
came home from the meeting and told
me that Ned looked even older than be
had been described. He had talked en-
Enthusiastically about Helen's beautiful
features, the curves OF her figure and
all that. Jim had asked him TO dinner,
stating that would be glad to tell him
all about Helen, so that he might be
the better prepared to meet her after
their long separation.
1t occurred to me to invite Helen TO
the house while Ned was there ! tele-
phoned her that Jim was TO have
friend with him during the evening
and l would like her to come over and
sit with me.
When Ned saw me it was plain that
be was a bit shocked at the change
in me- | saw by his expression that
he was thinking whether he wonld see
the same change in Helen. he had
been disposed to chat with
me in the way of youngsters. such as
we were when we parted-indeed. he
tried, but the effort was a failure.
Where. oh. where was that head OF
thick raven hair l had admired so
much? Where the white teeth, the
slender figure? And life in rough
country had roughened Ned He was
bronzed and seemed TO have forgotten
the kings English.
After dinner Ned and Jim smoked
retiring to another part of the room
Helen came in, and we could Dotn
see and hear the men chatting.
who is that old boor over there
with Jim?" asked Helen.
do you consider him a boorE
asked.
Hes both disagreeable looking and
speaking
This was my experience with Helen
inns experience with Ned was to'u
me later. Ned paid no attention 10 tle
adv chatting with me until Jim SPOKE
IF her as a friend of mine and a loVe9
woman. Then Ned gave her glance
The old lady looks ready to turn w
ler toes. doesn't she?'
Helen went home. leaving Ned SUI
With us. Jim then told him be paa
been looking on his ladylove. Neo
ooked astounded. disappointed. tnen
=,
"Does she know I'm here?' he asked
NO: we have kept your secret.
Don't say anything till | ten 'O'
o."
NUNS the word.
The next day Ned told Jim tna'
lad received a telegram that som
hing had gone wrong with MS Jus
less and he must leave for the We"
I once. II would not be wise FOR n'n
q renew the affair with his OLD "'
Then so pressed for time. He "ouN
rake another trip for the purpose
But another trip was never naoe
led had been disenchanted. As ~
Ielen she was spared the pam =
moving that the man she had p,v
ounced an old boor was the man =.
adj so long worshiped. She stiii ho'a
he'd her memory of him as he was
heir youth.