Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-10-12
-
CEORDg ANp
ID s c 0 R ID s

IS her husband 1er second husband
/ None Of the parties TO the triangle Is
nov g resident Of Rock Island
Tom and Jim we're reared as bows
in the same Ohio town. Jim when
he reached maubBod. set out for the
west After wandering for several
wears ne struck Rock Island. He
liked Ehe city and he decided tie haRg
mp his hat He is sttlI here Tom
remained iu the Ohio town the home
81 his parents His father was In
business Tom, the only SON. ia time
was taken into the concern. When
the father died the son succeeded to
/ the business. He prOspered. as his
I father had. The business was not
large. but the profits were enough 20
win Tom a position Of some impor-
lance fu the community young
southern girl came to the city She
took q place in a local mercantile
establishment There were numerous
mothers who would have liked 70 have
! had Tom for son-1n-law. but some
how he couldn't resist the southern
I beauty She was said TO come from
good family she early gained
place in the respectable society OF the
city through the prestige of her ad-
mirer And so they married
Jim isl connected with Rock Is
land business house. One summer
afternoon he was standing in the
doorwar He saw a familiar face in I
the passing procession. lie was sure .
that IL was Toms. Tie shouted 81
him 1t was Tom But he was DIFF T.
rereut Tom from MIN he knew back I.
ito Ohio. Twenty years had inter /
vened since their last meetiBg-slnce (
Jim bid his chum goodbye and tOla .
him He was going west 30 Try and T.
get 4 r0e-h0Id that would bring him (
fortune Well Jtm meditated as he
gaze8 into the worn features of his /
bcyaood chUm. perhaps he hadn't real I
lied bis financial ambition. but he
had done we'll otherwise He had +
made good had saved money. and .
was enjoying that Contentment that /.
( comes only rhrough sane living Tom /.
didn't even appear glad ~ meeting I
Jim Instead he half hung his head. 4
; He seemed ashamed 1T was some I
seconds before he even answered /
Jim S saluta6ons ana his siap upon 7
The back Tom plainly was in the
depths While he was not exactly a /
tramp he betrayed evidences oil
/ defeat.
Jim eook Tom by the arm Tom I
began To feel that at last he had I.
found friend. His face began to I
brighten 8s Jim led him into f8e OIL
"
tant about prying into Toms affairs, /
for he knew that all was NOT we'll +
with him. His face told the story .
better than words could. Jim offered +
Tom q cigar. Jim preached the war
but Tom didn't seem TO know much /
about # and to care less. Toms mind .
was far away. He would look out /
the window with a blank stare. and .
as he 6ecked the ashes from bis cigar T.
he seemed 70 become unconscious of (
the presence of his bovbood friend +
He was somewhere else. Jim finally /
suggested that they dine together I
Was Jim married. Tom asked the
question. no. Jim wasn't. bat be
hoped to be. He had been planning
TO get into the harness for some time.
He had the girl picked, but he wanted +.
10 wait until he had g home paid for
and ready for her. He would have
Tom meet her before be left the city
She was the finest girl in the world
too, Jim boosted. They were good
pals. and he loved her as be never
loved any woman before. and he had
every reason to believe thar SIZE loved
him just as dey0tediy.
Toms cheeks Redeemed. his eyes
buIgsd.
That's what she told me. be said,
and I believed her Yes. I did God
how 7 trusted her. She has been gone
five years. 7 don't know where but I
know who with. I'm looking Tor him,
not her. because 7 still love her Jim.
IT. broke nay heart silly for man
to talk that way To cry about one
woman when the world is fall of
them. That is true. but I can see
only one. IT was like a bolt from
the sky. L never suspected them. He
was my friend. He was entertained
in my home. / had pretty home,
too. / trusted him. lit was the old
story 7 was simply blind, as other
men have been Well one morning
she was gone. So was he. They so
completely covered their tracks that
no trace has been had of them To-
this day. She also got away with
my savings. They were In her name
at the bank But ] didn't care about
the money She could have had that
for the asking. I denied her moth
ing. I never left her alone at night
Perhaps I was TOO attentive TO her.
You know they say men can become a
bore to their wives Perhaps was
i was wrapped up i'm my wife and my
business. We had - son, a wonderful /.
boy He's with his grandmother.
never want to look into his face again
+ have disgraced him Tough way to
feel. but that's the way / feel / am
merely living now TO destroy the viper
who wrecked my home and my hap
piness. . And some day I'll find him "
Jim took Tom To dinner Tom re
fused q cocktail He admitted THAT
he had almost drunk himself into his
grave grievtag over his misfortune
II had driven him into bankruptcy.
His business was lost TO him. but he
managed to- save enough from the
wreck 90 start on the trail OF the
thief of his happiness. Tom and Jim
remained TOR two hours at the dinner +
table Then they went TO show ,
Tom was without baggage He said
ire had enough toebuy a cheap room =
Jim would not permit this Tom
would share his bed with him Jim ,
was living with the Joueses .. short dis
lance out in the residence section :
There was plenty OF room Tor Tom
He w0lid be glad 20 have him They &
could talk more Of tEaIr hoyh435 days +
back in ONO. Jim wanted to know I
how the hovS and GIRLS went 3