Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-09
The Daily
Short Story
TWO WIDOWERS.
BY Charles Powers Bannon

hired a man 10 run his farm. In
measure, having enough 10 keep
them. both retired" There was a
small hotel in the town, rates were
cheap for regular guests. and they
managed 10 live comfortably.
I've worked hard for 20 years.
and now I'm going 70 take rest
and enjoy myself" declared Mark.
That's the ticket, Wen shOW
the town how to have a good time
echoed David.
But elegant leisure soon ceased
10 appeal TO the two cronies. Plain,
regular meals, an early-to-bed sys-
TEN, corncob pipes and attire easy
to don and don had placed them IN
a rut.
Luxury doesn't pay. and there's
nothing to it," voiced Mark
mo moIe riotous living for me-
AIDED David. All day long they sat
about the Office room OF the little
old hotel, lOlling In arm chairs in
cessantly smoking their pipes and
chatting and gossiping with the idle
ones of the town.
At the other end of the village
lived two old maid sisters. Miss
Dorcas and Miss Ruth Jennison.
They were true ladies in the best
sense OF the word, neither Whim-
steal nor fdgety, and good looking
and still unfaded, for all their 30
years. At one time the widoWers
made it point 10 call about once
a month on these ladies, with alleg-
ed matrimonial intent. Mark was
all but engaged to Miss Ruth and
David was seriously thinking OF
popping the question TO Miss Dor
cas-
Gradually the cronies drifted
away from their customary calls.
Then the first really presentable
suits OF clothes they had ever in
vested in began to wear out. No
marvel was this, for they wore
them all OF the time and they never
had them patched or pressed. and
they gave a slovenly. seedy appear
ance to their wearers.
Why don't you tog up new and
look like something ?" a friend chai-
lenged Mark one day.
We don't have tO-fellows like
US, who could buy out half the town
if we wanted TO-" and there was an
Independent tinge Of pride in tone
and mien.
Then came a change There ar
rived at Brocton a lady who an
nounced that she might possibly
settle down in the town. She was
Mrs. Aurelia Vanderbilt, a widow
Now, this newcomer. plump, really
pretty, fashionably sttired and with
yuitnhivNu ny7n oh gsT1a n n q n
ner, instantly became an object Of
general interest to all Mark Wells
had an eye for beauty and David rs
we'll. and they mutually voted Mrs
Vanderbilt sumner imagine
their satisfaction, when one day the
hotel proprietor informed them
that Mrs. Vanderbilt desired to see
them in the hotel parlor.
Mrs. Vanderbilt greeted them
with smiles and condescension She
assumed the timidity and embar-
rassment of a friendless young be-
ing seeking advice and aid
They tell me you gentlemen are
fully familiar with the value OF
every piece OF real estate in the
county" she said. Il want your as
sistance, if you will grant IL. You
can be of great help to me, for
wish to find a site for summer
hotel in which | have decided 10
invest some of'my capital"
And now for a brilliant career
for the two dazzled cronies. They
became her devoted slaves. One
day Mark drove her by wagon 30
miles TO look over prospective sites.
David. to Guido him, hired an au-
tomobile and had her sole company
for a whole day At once each went
to the village tailor and ordered
the best suit OF clothes available
Even to silk hats and kid gloves
they did the thing complete.
Two weeks went by, and then one
morning the hotel proprietor came
hurriedly to the room OF the two
wldowers She's sloppedt' he
burst forth. she managed 20
smuggle out everything but an
Imply trunk There's an unpaid
bill of one hundred dollars and
You don't mean Mrs. Wander
bilt?" gasped Mark.
II do, and a detective was here
looking for her"
My five hundred dollars.'
groaned David. collapsing
rs that all?" quavered Marx
she borrowed a thousand from
me-"
II took q fun week for the two
deluded investors to realize that
they had been mercilessly swim
died. Mrs. Vanderbilt had excited
their cupidity by detailing how rich
their share in the summer hotel
was to make them.
See here, Mark" observed David
one DAY, its shame TO think thar
we've wasted our money on those
expensive suits OF clothes and ali
that"
Lets use EN-" suggested Mark
a tritie sheepishiy.
We'll. We look prim and spruce
and since our experience win MIS-
Dorcas and Ruth Jen-
nison seem the real genuine women
to tie to"
So. all dolled up, as the sayins
goes, the wite-hunting duo made
hopeful impression on the ladies'
In question They reformed as 10
Incidence and old clothes, and there
was a happy double wedding. ana
the advent OF the fascinating Mrs.
had been a fortunate
means to end all. after all
TAN RENTERS.