Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-08


not in town-and was advanced from
time to time till at the age OF seven
teen he was quite valuable to the
agent in charge of the station. He was
often commissioned to attend to the
loading and unloading OF freight and
freouentIy gave orders as to the dis
position of cars.
About this time-when Billy was sew
enteen-he and Molly Burnes fell In
love with each other. Whether Billy
first fell in love with Molly or Molly
first fell in love with Billy doesn't mat
ter. and there was probably no first
about IL on either side, but natural
mating. Just like pair of doves. How
ever, since Molly was but fifteen she
knew, as Billy knew, that any sugges-
ton of marriage would result in her
removal to a distant boarding school.
where she would see her youthful lover
only at vacation time, and then only
clandestinely So she said never a
word TO any one about her affair" and
cautioned Billy not to do so either
These two youngsters had all the
freedom they could have wished for,
since no one dreamed that, not having
quite emerged from childhood, they
would plot marriage. Yet that is ex-
actly what they did.
Lets get married" said Billy one
day.
.'Whatll we live on" asked the pru-
dent Molly.
81 have $40 a month
"Do you have all of that?-
Yes. / do, and next year III get an
other raise"
But when people get married the
bride must have Il rousseau, and they
go on wedding tour, and all that"
"I can't do anything about trous-
seau. but I think / can get passes on
the road for the tour"
But to ask for passes would give us
away. wouldn't it?'
81 don't know but it would" Billy
admitted doubtfully. Then an idea
came into his head. 1t wasn't much of
an idea when he conceived it, but it de-
veloped with mushroom growth, espe-
cially when he communicated it to
Molly.
what are you thinking about?'' she
asked.
"Why, 1 was thinking that there are
idle freight cars in the railroad yard.
and we might contrive to get we'd
ding journey in one of them
How in the world could we do
that?''
while the car is standing in the
yard we might fit it up, and then 1
could get it coupled on to train
what kind of n train?''
couldn't aspire to going on passenger
train
OH
I'VE could settle before starting
where we would go, and L could make
out the ticket for the car and put it
We'll go to Wharton. Lucy Carter
is there. We can see her. Maybe
she'll show us some attention-give us
a tea party or something like that"
what will we need for the journey
in the way of furniture? There's moth
ing at all in the car, you know
shall we have to get our meals
in it:''
Certainly. We can't leave it till we
get to the end of the route. Wed be
discovered"
so we would. Well, we'll need a
cook stove. There's one in the wood
house mother discarded when we got
the new range"
"All right 1 can take it away at
night.r
And the serving table with folding
legs would be handy. Old crockery
will do. won't it? There's plenty in
the kitchen pantry"
sWa'n naod c0mothiny RI elann IN "
There are old bedsteads in the gar
ret''
II expect we'll have to be content
with something easier carried than
bedStead.''
How would a hammock do One
with a.
"A cot would be better. There's one
at the station-unclaimed freight. III
only have to carry it 70 the car
'Since it's summer time we will
need very little covering. How about
provisions? 1 suppose 1 must provide
them
Bring what you can. I'll buy some
meat and things that can't be kept
long. There's one important thing in
the way that I'm afraid will block us
Who's going to marry u.s."
"Oh. goody gracious. I never thought
of that
"Well have to go to some parson
who doesn't know us. I'll fool him With
n false beard. and you wear dress
reaching to the floor. Sou look old for
your age"
Maybe can pass FOX eighteen"
After this preliminary dialogue both
set TO work slyly to make the neces-
sary preparations. Billy's mind being
on his matrimonial scheme. his EN-
ployer found 1t hard To get much worli
out of him. and as for Molly, she ar'
peared so innocent. was so quiet ana
so sweet to every one that 1t seemed
butter wouldn't melt In her mouth
w oil This finan q MINK