Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-09-14
t Il G u ally
Short Story
THH CHANGE N EDWIN LERoY
BY Ethel Holmes.


may be termed q thoughtful one He
was net given to phiIosophic specu1a
tons nor was he Of devotional aa-
ture II he had any especial inteiiec-
tual prediction il was for science
though even in this he read only what
was written for popular instruction
Circumstances had compelled him 10
assist himself on several occasions.
and this had given him reputation
for being C0mbatiYe-
one day-rather, one moment
great change came over him. He was
walking on a road and met a girl He
looked at her; she looked at him. She
lowered her eyes, but before she did
so some vague internal announcement
was made in both that they were
mates Leroy sturned and Joined her.
There was no conversational iatroduc-
ton They walked on together.
The mating between Edwin Leroy
and Camilla Head was a spiritual ss
well as a physical one. The two souls
became one at the moment Of meeting.
A year after their marriage Camilla
died Leroy laid away hts earthly
partner with no great show OF feeling
He did not weep at her grave To
him she had not been buried. She
had not wholly departed from him.
He was denied material communtca-
ton with her, but there was d spirit
uaI unity between them that could
not be broken.
One day Leroy was atrolliug about
in his garden He seemed to he talh-
ing to his flowers but he was com
muuiug with the spirit of his wife 4
man entered and hurried toward him
Sir said the stranger, 81 loved
woman whom, Z have been told, you
married Though she did not love
me. loved aud still love her I am
told that she is dead. I desire 10
visit her grave VIII you tell me
where you have buried herY'
L have not buried her"
The visitor looked at Leroy won
deringly.
That receptacle continued LEROY
Chat conveyance, that machine Of
flesh which is intended TO hold a soul
during a brief period of preparation
for a superior existence. has been
buried. You viii find it Ia the church
yard q short distance up the road
Having given this information, Lee
Roy turned again 70 his flowers. The
fact that another had loved his wife
did not seem either 10 interest or
move him This Indication that he
was so sure that his dead wife had
belonged to him alone antagonized she
visitor
HAD I met Camilla" said the Iat-
ter. "a few months before YOU found
her the result might have been diff
feEen1."
NO" said Leroy "It would not
Because Camilla was destined for
perfect union. she could never have
accepted any other.
There was something irritating 20
the stranger in this Complaceut view
of LeBoys with reference To the Wo-
man who had refused the one and
mated with the other. While the via-
over remained unru6ied, the discard
"a lover waAed warm with smo-der-
ing anger.
Your love fer her was human.
he said. You possessed her iu the
flesh. Now she is mine. Some day
I viii so to her.
Many are going. but who shall
meet ln the infinite we cannot know
while here"
In the infinite there SIS no mar
rage Camilla VIII be To nae at least
as much as she VIII be to you."
she viii not be 20 you what she
has been To- me-.
This reference to the fact that the
woman he had loved had been ia tae
5tEefA bfhf-1ea-t#tA AtJ 1888 fHA~
the stranger to lose his equaniulEE
You Iie he said.
Leroy stopped 10 pick flower
did you hear me2 said the 1saeF
aueruy 81 say you lie.
III YOU wish to quarrel with ue-
said Leroy. rising aud at the same
time inhaling the perfume OF the dow
er he han plucked. you viii have %
select some other cause. There can
be 30 quarrel III which the dead is
concerned
The man stood looking at Leroy ta
q sort of confused wonder. This lasl
woEd shame5 him, "a
Pardon he said, u have not been
used to living in this world wherein
you live I am a mortal; you seem
TO nave placed your foot on Che TIRES
mold of the Infinite
- have not placed it there she lz
drawing me- She is the magnet. -a4
needle. Where she is there point
II beg that you will excuse JHia
uuwafr8uted intrusion 1t was not la-
tended as such when i came here
Forgive my want of attention e
your wish. Come. ! VIII show you
the grave
The two walked in silence TO the
church yard, and Leroy led the gay
among the t1mb5, some of pure IIe71
heWn marble. others CrImbl-ns ana
brown with age. and stopped AT one %
which was inscribed, The Former
Gasket Of Soul.
The stranger removed his aa- aaa
bent reVereutly beside the grave -z
Roy stood with folded arms and head
covered.
do you mot rever this spot. asked
the stranger.