Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-31
The Daily
Short Story
4 CHERISHED MEMENTO
BY VICTOR REDCLIFFE.

Z WAS dll VI to5SA uD anu ] liAs4 LIs
dignity due for the occasion. She
was waiting for boy she liked, too.
and did not want wrinkles to come
in her pretty new fTock. nor a stray
wisp Of her flowing hair disarrang-
cd until Wallace Doty viewed her,
the perfect picture Of a dainty fairy
that she really was.
Inside the house q clock struck 4.
The little lady's eyes flashed.
bright pink spot came upon either
cheek, she stamped her little foot.
Then she founced down the gravel
ed path leading to the street.
And he promised to be here at
A." she fared forth. He shant 20
with me any more. I'll never speak
to a boy again!"
"Oh, LiIias."
A barefooted urchin IN a breath
| less state of excitement patted at
| the gate. Heard about Wallace
Doty?" he asked.
| NO, what about him?' Lilias
deigned to inquire.
"He stumped the crowd. Yes sir,
/ he's the first fellow that ever got
/ clear up to the top Of Rocky Cliff.
And he tore his clothes and nearly
rolled into the gully. And his uncle
/ heard Of it and walIoped him, and
then his uncle found that Wallace
had broken a new knife he'd got for
/ his birthday and he gave him an
other walloping, and he's shut Wal
| lace up in his room without a sin
gle bite to eat why, what's the
matter, Lilias?'
To hide a food Of tears from her.
| informant Lilias dashed back into.
! the house. Once in her room She
| flung herself upon the bed and hud-i
died up there. regardless Of dis
order of dress, and hair, sobbing as
| if her heart would break. Her an
ger melted as she recognized how
unjust she had been. Wallace was
hero. He had done what no one
in the village had ever done before,
and now he was a martyr. His
uncle had always been a harsh man
Wallace was imprisoned, starved,
neglected, isolated.
Liilas left her room a strangely
subdued yet resolute expression
about the set lips. 1t was just dusk
when, a compact parcel under her
arm, she proceeded in the direction
of the prison house. Inside that
package were half a dozen dainty
sandwiches, q great slab OF pound
cake and some apples. Lilias got to
the side Of the house. She stood
directly under an open window.
"Oh, Wallace, it's me" she called
softly and a human face peered
down. Wallace, have you piece
Of string?" voiced Lilias cautiously.
Hum! Every boys got that" re-
sponded her hero.
Then let it down. I've brought
you a nice lunch"
you have? Say, Lilias, I couldn't
meet you this afternoon. I'm chain
ed by the ankle to the bed pos"
"Oh, cruel, crueli" walled plying
Lflias. Poor Wallace, dear Wal
lace. l won't sleep all night wor-
rying about you?"
Glory is that so,' exulted Wal
/ lace. Then I'll stay awake, TOO,
IUtIhiuS VI sOAs A4lAAa9f IA ~ w
ping a piece OF paper, catch it,
/ There's one OF the Gin fOur-leaf
/ cIovers in it. That's why l made
/ the climb and
/ But Lilias heard someone coming
She pressed the bit Of paper tightly
/ in her palm, and when she got
home. kissed its enclosure and
placed it inside of the IOcket she
wore about her neck.
Two days later Lilias heard some
dreadful news Dear Lilias,"
| letter came to the anxious girl,
postmarked at a distant city. I've
run away from home, and I'm going
to make a man Of myself and come
back to get you when I'm rich
Then five years-in all that time
Iilias never heard from Wallace,
but somehow her childish fancy
never dimmed. Then in an instant,
despite the change into a full-grown
man, joy shone in her face and he
seemed unduly happy at her prompt
recognition.
1t was the day after that whsI
he and Lilias were strolling near
Rocky Chff. But it did not much
resemble the wild. inaccessible
height of his boyhood days A
summer resort had been established
at its base and steps now led up to
its apex. They assembled and sat
down on the grass 10 enjoy a mar
velous view of valley. dale and
meadow.
How this brings back that day
when I vauntingly climbed up
here" spoke Wallace. DO you
know how l came 10 break my
knife" he questioned
She shook her pretty head mesa
lively, but fiutteriug, for something
in his serious, Yet growing eyes
told her that he had purpose IN
the "Reminiscences,
Come with me a few steps, he
invited. Time cannot have ootl-
Grated the chronicle. and she ac-
compauied him along q face OF rock
whore he pulled aside some vines.
"Ah. here it is. and he exposed an
even space bearing some deeply IN
dnted letters and words. Il thought
that day l might never get back
home alive and l scratched On the
rock here, those words.
And his companion read plainly
across the rock: L love Liltas
Root
what do you say, dear, he
pressed close at her side.
And shyly and with trembling
dngers. LiIias opened the locket at
her white throat and showed him
the four-leafed clover, cherished
faithfully through the years,