Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-15

| AnanfaS slime nau at idst iuaue u
his mind. OF all the desirable widow
and spinsters in Ounce Harbor nom
seemed SO attractive as Mrs. EN- Bevis
who was the proprietor OF the Quinc
Harbor dry goods store. IL any On
had remotely suggested to Ananias tina
| the profitable little business had en-
| HANGED the charms of the Widow Be
Wis in his middle aged eyes he woult
have laughed one to scorn. Still, being
| half proprietor of dry goods bust
| ness was infinitely better than beini
porter in a village bank. Any one
would admit that.
When he put the question to Mrs
Bevis 1T was noontime and her two rosy
checked clerks had gone home to din
ner Ananias had assured himself that
they two were alone, and he hac
promptly possessed himself of the wild
ow's generous hand and told her the
story of his lonely life and his longing
for a home, provided she would pre-
side over it.
"Oh. Ananias," she simpered. 81 new
er dreamed-I never thought-oh" she
shrieked as Ananias imprinted kiss
on her work worn hand
That evening Ananias called upon
her and discussed their early marriage.
There's only one obstacle to a fancy
wedding" said Ananias when EN- Be-
Wis had outlined a plan for the cere-
mony to take place in the Baptist
church, with her little niece as flower
girl and white satin ribbons festooned
from the tops of the pews.
"And that isT' asked EN- in a dis
appointed tone.
my landlady."
"Hetty RoweIl? Ny land, you amt
engaged to her, be your" inquired the
widow sharply.
Not If know it," said Ananias eau
tiously, "but somehow I never know
where I stand with Widow Rowell,
EN-. 1 swan I never proposed mar
riage TO her in my life, but half the
time she talks like she was engaged to
few days" added Ananias.
But what's your hurry?" protested
EN- I'D like chance to make some
wedding clothes ard get ready"'
II know it, my love-" cooed Ananias
in her ear, "but I am afraid of the
Widow Rowell. Great billiards., 1 am.
talk in my sleep, you know. What
if she should hear me saying some
thing about you. 1t would be all up
in the ARR
BY the time Ananias went home he
had persuaded his fiancee that she
could select very presentable trous-
seau from the stock of her own de-
partment store; SO. relieved of this
momentous question, EN- agreed to
elOpe with Ananias on the following
and Ananias wrote note to
the Rev. Josiah Twigg apprising him
of the coming event and asking him
to consider the matter as entirely con-
fidential.
That night Ananias let himself into
his boarding place and tiptoed up to
his room with unusual caution. One
never knew when the Widow Roweli
would pounce out. And one never
knew in what part of the house she was
seeking a nights repose. She had a
careless custom of taking
guests through her spa
.ious old house and permitting them to |
choose whatever room suited the me- !
nent's fancy, provided it was olsen |
gagged. AS for herself, she slept around |
Is fancy dictated-one night the west |
'front.' chamber appealed to her, for she |
owed to hear the roar of the waves on
he beach; the next night it might be q |
small hall room for the moment unoc-
lied that would tickle her restless i'm
)ulSe.
What Ananias did not know was
hat on this particular evening the
widow had been approached by the
proprietor of the Ounce Harbor hote,
nd asked to accommodate n half doz-
n guests for whom he could find no
Dom until the following day. Mrs.
lowell sweetly assented and gathered
Up her own belongings and carried
hem into a tiny room next to the room
f Ananias Slime. Here she dropped
er weary limbs upon a most uncom-
ortable cot and slept
The sound of the softly closed front
DOR aroused her. If that was Ananias
line tiptoeing in at such late hour
he would have serious talk With
i'm in the morning. Either he had
cen courting-and that was not TO be
llowed. for Hetty Rowell felt that she
ad a prior right to the affections Of
fr. Sline-or he had been to dodge
leeting. and as it wasn't lodge night
Thy, he must have been counting. So
here the widows logical mind calcu-
tied the matter. as we know, quite
She dozed OF to sleep again ana
woke to the resounding snores of Mr..
line In the next room.
'Drat him." she muttered. turning
YER But she could not sleep again.
he got 10 thinking about Ananias and
here he had spent the evening, and ,
le decided that it was EN- Bevis who ,
nd captured him.
She was convinced of ii when Ana
las ceased snoring and fell to talking.
) was his habit when the day had
zen an exciting one.
"Ahem" babhled Ananias. "Ahem.
ext Thursday evening at o'clock!