Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-15

stop the war permanently by choosing
| one or the other of the contestants for
| her hand.
When Anne was told by her father
| that before noon on the morrow she
| must come to a decision she vowed she
| would do no such thing. But her IA
Their told her that be had given hls
word and the town authorities fould
stand the quarrels OF her lovers no
longer. They were not blamed, for fl
was well known that it was her action
that had brought on the trouble and
kept IT aifNe. Indeed, she was given to
understand that IL Oothout and Monk
fought again on her account she would
be put in the pfllory.
This threat brought the stubborn giri
around. She promised her father that
she would make up her mind by the
next morning which suitor she would
accept That night she sank out OF
sight into her feather bed much troC.
bled. She was really committed to
both her suItors, and this was the
cause of the bad blood between them.
for each, having her promise to marry
him. regarded the other as an intruder
upon his domain.
Anne found her feather bed condu-
Give to thought, and she thought TO a
purpose. The next morning she told
her father to summon both her lovers
to the house and she would decide be-
tween them. When they came she
caused a cessation of the angry
slances darted between them by tell
ing them, first in Dutch and then in
combination of Dutch and English.
that she would light two candles at
the same moment, the one represent
ing Oothout the other Monk. Which
ever candle burned the longer she
would marry the man it represented
Each man having considered him
self accepted for a time. there was
prospect that the matter must be
fought out to the death Of one or the
other. But Anne Gained them by CIV
ing each glance, causing him to
think whichever won was her pref
erence. The candles were brought in.
Anne put them together to show that
they were of equal length. then set
one on a sideboard for Oothout and
the other on the mantel for Monk.
having lighted them as nearly as pos
sible together.
1.-THE candles will burn about two
hours" she said. lit is not best that
you two men should remain here all
that time, for one or both might be
tempted to do something to make the
others candle burn more quickly. Go
away in the direction of your respec-
tive homes, and when the clock strikes
the hour of noon return The candles
will, then be nearly burned out"
So Oothout went to his farm and
Monk to his sail loft, but neither did
any work, both listening for the sum-
mons to return and learn his fate.
At 10 o'clock the two men were seen
the one from the west
the other from the east. Oothout pass
ed into the house first and, darling an
anxious glance to the candles. turned
bis eyes upward, saying, "St. Nicholas
be praisedr for his candle was half
an inch long and was burning bright
", while the other was daring within
the socket. Monk came in q moment
ater and, seeing that he had lost, gave
Anne a despairing look, turned and
eft the house.
Then a reaction came over the
Dutchman. IT have WON'T he cried
But what have won? Only half
heart at most and perhaps no heart at
Ill. 1t may be you prefer my rival.
Who has lost. 1t may be you love nei-
her Of us. This must be. or you
would not have left your choice to
nance"
Anne took him by the hand and LED
Tim to the candle that was still CIV
ng steady fame. There she pointed
N the candlestick to a few white
rains.
''Wet your finger" she said. stake up
ONE of these grains and put them on
our toague"
Nicholas did so and pronounced them
alt
DO you not know" added Anne,
that salt on the wick of q candle
auses it to burn more slowly?"
Her lover understood and clasped her
4 his arms.
On the site where stood the De
[eere shanty a century later lived a
lstoric character. When Wall street
ecame the fashionable residence
rect of New York Alexander Hamil-
ms house was No. SO. From there
tier he was killed in a duel by Aaron
urr his body was carried to Trinity
not a quarter of mile
slant, where it still lies under the
1pretentious monument that marks
; location.
Not long after that the brick dwell
gs that lined Wall street were given
to business but from the middle or
e last century they have been grad
lily torn down to make room for the
il Office buildings that make the
rect look like a narrow gorge. And
w the unpaved roadway that was
scene of this simple romance is
ething mass of men. either rich or
living 10 get rich. By night it Is as
emf a graveyard.