Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-21

| Abel Durham had lived for years at
/ Miss Pollock's boarding house and had
| patiently eaten the dishes that were
set before him till one Sunday morn
ing he revoited at the usual corned
beef hash or bacon and eggs. He de
clined to eat her breakfast and sought
Miss Pollock and gave notice that he
would leave. He gave, among other
reasons for his doing so, that he was
about to be married.
Anastasia Pollock's head went up
proudly. Fire came to her blue eyes.
"Biddy," she said smoothly, task Mrs.
Jasper If she will have some more
corned beef hash!''
Abel Durham battered down the
brownstone steps of his boarding place
and wandered aimlessIy to the corner,
where he waited for a car. His eye
glanced sIyly back at Miss Pollock's
comfortable abode, and he stifled a
sigh as he thought of its many good
! qualities, its homelike atmosphere and
| its home cooked food, and to one who
| had been a dweller in boarding houses
! during twenty years of city life, Miss
Pollock's house was pleasant refuge
But the monotony of the daily meals
| Jared upon him.
Each day in the week brought its
allotted bill of fare, and there was no
wavering from this rule. AS her moth
err had ordered so Miss Anastasia car
ried on the house when the mantle fell
upon her delicate shoulders
This rebellion of Abel Durham was
the outcome of several years of hope
full waiting for a change. Now he had
not only given up his pleasant front
room with the open fireplace, but he
had told Miss Pollock he was TO be
married. How to make good this last
reckless statement was puzzling the
usually tranquil mind of. the bachelor.
Abel Durham had not courted girl
for twenty years, not since he had left
Telfieet village to enter business life
in the great city.
at will do it. I've got to make
good" said Abel, with sickly smile,
as he boarded his car and rode to the
railroad station. He bought a ticket
for Telheet and took his place in the
stuffy, cindery coach that the railroad
company considered good enough for
the little single track Telfleet branch.
"Whoooo-eeee-e-e-e -e" shrieked the
engine as it wound away among the
hills toward Telheet-
Abel Durham looked out of the win
dow and noted the familiar landmarks
as the train rumbled through villages, |
over bridges or skirted the river bank |
in its progress. Suddenly large
mountain overshadowed them
''Tel1eet mountain" murmured Abel
without joy in his tones.
Since he had left the home of his |
boyhood all his family had moved to
the far west, so that Abel was not
going home to any near relatives. Per-
haps there were distant cousins, but
it might be they were dead or had
forgotten him.
Abel Durham was bound on a sin J
gular errand.
He was going back to Telfeet to try t
to resurrect one of his old romances.
He had told Miss Pollock he was to
be married, and married he must be.
His busy life had left no room for SEN
timent and so he perforce must fall
back upon the half finished romances
of his young manhood. There was
pretty Amy Cox. She had given him
a pink rose when he left Telfieet and
told him she would wait for him-a
hundred years if necessary!
Somehow Abel had forgotten all
about Amy in the rush of business.
They had corresponded for awhile,
and now he couldn't remember who
had been the first to stop writing.
Cd fha f1,-oI
The station stage backed down, and
the driver yelled to him: stage, All
-yupI'
Abel climbed into the long, swaying
vehicle and ratified around in its
emptiness as the big white horses bore
them through the village streets at a
heller SHELTER pace.
Where you want to go?" called the
driver from corner of his mouth.
''Philander Cox's place." replied
Abel, turning red.
up mountain way" muttered the
man as if for his own information.
The stage whirled perilously around
the corner by the postoffice and rat
led along the road that ran by the
river bank. At last they began to
limb the mountain toward a white
house perched among the oaks
'Whoa-yunr' called the driver, and
Abel paid his fare and dismounted. |
rhe stage ratified down the mountain.
ind Abel went into the yard of the
amiliar place.
The same lockwood bordered the
'aths. and the same roses bloomed.
md the same bees tumbled in and out [
4 the blossoms. He felt a boy once $
more as he settled his necktie and I
tarted toward the house.
pretty girl sitting on the steps of I
he house arose as he approached
Abel Durham stood with his hat in ]
is hand. his eyes staring at this rein c
arnation of Amy Cox's youth. How I
ad Amy contrived to remain so youth
al? He was suddenly conscious NJ =