Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-19
UNDER THE SNOW.
BY Myra Charlotte Klipss,

clatlVelY. / believe III accent ynnr
kind offer. II that ginger tss !.
yours is as fine as the famons Ia.
onade you cheered me up with -,
summer, this certainly Is the h,-..
OF good cheer"
John took of his mlttens, blAv =,
his fingers and then depositad ~ -
the table from his mail buudla ,va
letters and a newspaper.
Two? Both for Mr. Tsb.rs
spoke the widow in a tone ~ -
terest and gladsomeness. as Al,
glanced at the letters. He has hssr
dreadfully anxious about ons 4.
expected and hope it's one n The
two" Then she hustled about srS
with the sincere thanks. the VA,
eran mail carrier, warm insidA sna
outside and nightly cheered A..
parted on his difficult way. N,
roads and lots were two feet dsan
with snow.
Mrs. Lane had but one bosrdsr
Ernest Isham, in whom she tooL
almost a motherly interest. for NJ
was a fine young fellow and light.
ened many of her household bur.
dens with his handy. accomodatinv
ways. She kept watching eagerly
from the front window. Finally shs
ran to the door and Ernest Ishan
found it open and welcoming him
before he had reached 1t.
Two letters" announced Mrs
Lane, cheeringly. "Oh, dear"
Ernest had eagerly scanned the
envelopes. His face fell. He sank
TO a chair with a groan.
Its the last chance gone" he
said, mOurnfully. Neither Of those
ia the one I expected. l give II ID
now, for it would have been here
today at the latest, If ever"
Poor boyl Your heart was set
on it, wasn't it?"
you don't know what the dlsap-
pointment means TO me. Mrs
Lane" said Ernest. 1T signifies the
death of my ambition; it may mean
the loss of the only girl l ever
loved" He bowed his pale face
in his hands and Mrs. Lane re-
garded him pitingly, her eyes filling
with tears.
She went out into the kitchen
and completed her arrangements
for the MONDAY lunch. Then she
came back to Ernest and touched
him on the shoulder.
Now | want you TO eat good
meal and forget your troubles
she said, and he could not resist
her kindly thOughtfulness and tried
to feign an. appetite.
You know that l have been bas-
ing great hopes upon an invention,
he reminded Mrs. Lane. Il have
had some encouragement. The re
cent blockade has called for some
device to melt or remove the snow
| have constructed q model OF
portable tank which plays blow
pipe gasoline spray uaS5 the snow
A boy can operate it and It viii
melt 100 square feet in 80 minutes
I have needed capital 10 make one
large working machine. l wrote 70
a wealthy cousin Of my mother last
week to assist me. l believed thal
he would. You know how he has
ignored me. Then there is Alleei
AID Ernest sighed drearily.
Yes, Mrs. Lane knew about Anes
Markley. She was girl who WIZ,
in month must go thousands OIL
miles away with her only relatives
her grandparents unless Ernes.
could wed her. but he was at Dis
greatest moment of stringeney,
Alice was calling on Mrs. LaD'
the next day when Ernest came
home in better spirits. II l ean
make a satisfactory test Win ny
working model a manufacturer VI
fers me some encouragement. hs
said, and went out TO the pa5a'
where he had constructed the os
vice. and brought II out IN front Q.
the house. He lit the fame. AnC5
and Mrs. Lane watching him. ~.
started the hand-propelled macHiH'
along the yard -
why. wonderful! e1cialns'
Mrs. Lane. e..
Directing the spray OF
Ernest cleared 10-foot path cisal
down 10 the ground within lev
minutes. ~
on. Ernest. it works Ike .
charm" cried his delighted han.ss.
following the path. Why, VIVA f.
this A letter. and directed 70 you.
Alice rendered an envelope a..
John Dunbar. who had ness'
missed it that stormy day, later ny
ured out how it came TO be u ''g
sEawdrift ,,ss
1T IS the one I expected Spa
Ernest. As he opened II an =,
closure was revealed and his "a!
were shining as ne read the WIN
ten page. - ana
II send YOU a draft for So,oc ,..
his mothers cousin said, pecsuss
/ ike youI manly way OF tel.'s
Nolr troubles / do not expect a
hack. / believe you will succeSs
and some day when some Noi.. Oh
fellow asks you for help a.
have myself. lend him hand. "A
And Alice did not 90 away "a
Ernest 60, his start 10 Ire; as
they practically adopted Mrs. -
and were = happv trio. indeed