Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-21

ped into a fortune Of half a million
or 5000 a year; was in excellent
health. favorite with his friends. es
pecially attractive to girls, and the
management of his estate was likely
TO give him enough TO do to put
an edge on his leisure moments. This
was the outlook before the young man
the day he was twenty-one years old.
But on that same day he noticed a
swelling I'm his neck about the size of
a hazelnut. He had never had an ex-
crescence of any kind on his body and
could not understand the sudden ap-
pearance Of this one. He stood before
mirror looking at it wonderlngly.
He pinched IT, and it hurt a little.
though not much. He thought he
would show it to a doctor and get his
opinion upon IT, but since he expected
to be busy with his guardian and the
lawyers nearly all day, passing the
papers in receiving his estate, be de-
ferred the matter till the morrow.
During his birthday he was so taken
up with affairs pertaining to his prop
erty that he forgot all about the swell
ing in his neck till preparing for bed.
| when he noticed it again He was a
| bit troubled about it and resolved that
the first thing he would do in the morn
ing would be to show it to his physi-
clan, DR.. Franklin. So as soon as
the office hour of the physician came
round George was admitted to his con-
sulting room.
George did not leave DR.. Franklin's
office for nearly an hour. and when he
did he was in a very different mental
condition from when he entered it. |
The lump indicated an incurable dis |
ease. The doctor tried in every way |
to avoid telling him this. for the dou- |
BILE reason that his patient would suf- |
fer in mind as well as in body and his !
knowing that he had not long to live /
would hasten the end. George. how
ever, gathered from him that he had
anywhere from a few months to a few
years on earth. AS to how much he
would suffer the doctor did not tell
him. Possibly he did not know him
self. He convinced his patient that he
had better remain ignorant of what
the disease was.
George was a phlosophic fellow. and
when he had recovered, so far as re-
eovery was possible from the shock,
he began to lay plans for spending the
brief unexpired term of his life in a
way to alleviate the condition to the
best advantage. Miss Alice Wood
bridge was his favorite among his girl
acquaintance, and he thought he
would like to have her companionship
for the brief season of life left to him.
He called upon her, stated the case
and asked her to be his wife, agreeing
to settle half his fortune upon her, the
other half to be spent in such COM
forts or pleasures or Journeys as would
help him to forget his coming demise.
Miss Woodbridge asked for a few
days to consider the proposition, but,
being a girl with an eye to improving
her condition, when she gave her an
swer insisted that the whole amount
Of his estate be settled on her except
the income during his life. which she
considered ample for his purpose
Whether or no she was right he did
not stop to consider, but broke of the
George tried several other girls. One
who had no especial affection for him
refused him On the ground that she
did not care TO tie herself up for 1
money consideration to a man who
would be in dying condition during
heir married life. Others baked at s
his or at that till at last George had :
we'll nigh gone the rounds of the girls {
lie would care to marry. One he had
lot tried. She was Lucy Ellis. an ,
unable, happy-go-lucky girl, from t
whose shoulders trouble rolled off cas-
ly and whose financial necessities were 1
UGH that she was quite familiar with
he pawnshop. q
To Miss Ellis George concluded to +
make a proposal, but, being somewhat O
discouraged in his quest for compan-
On in his trouble, offered her much n
etter terms than any he had yet pro-
osed. After modestly telling her that Il
e thought his income would suffice n
s well as n larger amount for the pur- v
ose of making him forget what was n
oming he promised to settle his whole
state upon her IL she would marry :,
i'm.
To his surprise. she threw her arms
bout his neck and said. with tears in r.
er eyes: We'll spend it all And n,
hat will lot of money be compared 9,
18th the remembrance that we shall IA,
ave at least n short time together"
But" he protested. what will you b
re on when 1 am gomez" he
why. 1 won't be any worse of for -
oney than am now. will I?'' -
She looked up at him from a pair of -
genuous. chiIdlike eyes through her - -
ars. and then and there his heart =.
as won.
;. II as W" Sc
Nevertheless il was not as she said. -
r George on the day OF the wedding. ..
% b..
,st for bor b. d;d -, 80, :. to
>. dirac. Co. 10 ~ - $500 no
= bold;ns nm 80 =. S,,o ~. -, fol
mart wbotsoevsr IN tho ne,o on
ant OF his affairs. he was enabled to
, this without her discovering that Il
ID been done. IN