Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-29
The Daily
Short Story.
TAKING THE WICKEDNESS OFT -
THEM. =.
BY Ruth Graham.

mother ran away with man fron
Moscow and her husband never "a
her again. This embittered h,r,
against all women.
Not far from his abode lived a WON.
an, Anna Varenska, who had bean
similarly treated by her husband
Lavinsky and the woman met one dar
and comparing notes each decried ths
opposite sex.
my son." said Lavtnsky, "sha,,
never see a woman. Before he ha-
comes year older shall build hish
wall around my estate. He shan
never go beyond the wall and n
woman shall come within it,
And M daughter, Vera" s,n
Madam Varenska,, shall never see
man. I, too, will build a wall around
my estate to Keep her away from
your detestable sex"
| These two people carried out their
plans SO well that until Paul VA,
IS years old he had seen only those q
his own sex. Then one day, tired d,
his captivity, he tunneled under The
wall that held him and went wander
| ing When he had gone some distaues
he came to another wall on which sa,
| Vera Varenska. Paul stared and won.
dered. Vera looked down at Paul and
wondered likewise
What are you?" asked the girl.
"a boy" was the reply.
Vera crossed herself and started IN
get down from the wall. Where are
you going?" asked Paul.
ITO get away from you. Ny mother
tells me that boys are monsters"
Are you girl?"
| YES"
My father says girls are devils
| DO you believe him."
II don't know. I wish to see for
myself Stay where you are and |
| will get some wood together from
which I can mount to you"
Having built pile he mounted to a
| place beside her and they looked a,
each other curiously. Paul took a
| comb from her hair and her locks fell
ION her shoulders. She passed hel
hand over his face that had a soft
down on it.
What a funny place for hair tt
grow" she said
What do you let your hair grow
like that for?' was his reply. a,
should think it would be In your way.
80 it would IL I didn't do 1t up ant
keep it done up"
| Il don't see anything vicious abou
you" He put his finger on her lip
to Sc If she would bite 1t. When sh
5 did not he added: Il couldn't do tina
, with some dogs. You can't be a
vicious as beast anyway"
: She took hold q his hand an
/, PRAISED it against her lips.
2 Wherein lies the deviltry in you,
} he asked. sit is surely not in you
r lips, and yet father has told me tia
! what comes out Of a girls mouth
) poison. She speaks only to deceive
Mother tells me that man ca
< never speak the truth"
5 Those two statements are diane
: really opposed; aren't they?"
: I'VE must both be wicked"
a 81 don't feel conscious Of beir
S wicked; do your"
!, mo"
: Are you going to tell your moth'
: you met me2"
Are you going to tell your faith
You met me?"
: NO"
It Perhaps that is what they ca
:, wiekedness. I didn't know before tn
II wiekedness was so nice
g She ran her fingers through b
= hair. This brought their faces nel
together and their lips met.
III your lips are wicked" he sal
y "as father declares they are. nj
, Satan possess me from this moment
7 And I wish never to be got
u again.
= The dialogue lasted till the day "
q fading when they agree that the
a a parents had been mistaken. She to-
= him home with her to convince b
= mother that there was boy who
he was wicked she-the girl-v
wicked, too. When the mother So
them coming hand in hand E
>, groaned.
. Mother" said Vera, you have I
,f ways told me to beware of q mai
= lips. that they are poisonous. II
ones are not. have tried them vi
mine"
'sHeavens," cried the mother.
i Hers are as sweet as the perful
of the rose," said Paul.
Are you Lavinskys SOM" asked I
~ widow.
,e yes
r. 'eyera, go into that room and r
tn until l come"
She showed her daughter into roi
and locked the door. In an hour s
to returned with Lavinsky and prize
he Father" said Paul. Il have met
ON girl. There is no poison in her II
Il. They are delicious"
lg The widow let Vera out OF the TO
ed in which she had Iocked her.
D. boy and the girl were made TO sta
ct up side by side, the priest asked tn
q lot of questions they did not und
stand to which they answered ~
tn and he pronounced them man 3
to wife.
on What have you Gone to u.s." asl
re- both Of the youngsters at once.
a Taken the wickedness out Of 70
% was the reply.
by ,-----.--------
o.
corps. National guard-Rene Devat