Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-30
The Daily
Short Story
MY FRIEND BLANDON
By Ralph Hamilton

been considered an ornament
and always was a favorite. He
was an impulsive, bright spirited
young fellow; his father had left
him quite a fortune and he was
generous and in love with life.
/ had been a close friend OF his
father and Percy and / had always
had vast liking one for the other.
He had sought my advice and coun-
sci in the management OF his faith
er's estate. That had brought him
to my house several times, and on
one of these occasions my daughter,
Laura, introduced him to Elita
Sprague, who happened to be max
ing us a visit When first | noticed
the two together l reflected that l
had never seen a couple so entirely
harmonious in temperament and
tastes. 1 am no matchmaker, but
l viewed with pleasure the indica-
ton that this meeting had devel-
oped a case of mutual love at first
sight.
Engaged? ?" 1 limited to Laura a
few days after Elita had returned
home.
Not exactly" she smiled back,
but such devotion can only lead to
that If were not a confirmed old
maid their sweet, natural boy and
girl love would make me sentimen-
tai"
Later I learned that Percy had
been twice in a week to the city to
see Eliza My daughter kept up a
regular correspondence with Elita
and told me that there would sure
ly be a wedding before the year was
over Everything seemed progress
ing happily and tremendously with
Percy. He was not a very busy
man, for all he had to do was to
collect the revenues and see to the
care of long list of property. He
had an office over the bank. One
day, entering the same, l was sur
prised and as well interested to OBJ
serve a young woman seated at a
| typewriter and taking down dicta-
ton from Percy.
He Immediately introduced her as
! Miss Cydaria Bird, and when we
| left the office together explained
| that she had been seeking employ
ment, had CHANGED into the office
inquiring for the same. l viewed
him keenly as he referred to her. l
iSraced admiration, for Miss Bird
was dark eyed, flashing beauty of
the full brunette type. | saw that
she had impressed him. From what
he told me she was an orphan, very
close to restitution when he en-
ployed her, and / feared for the
gentler influence of Elita as I
realized a strange magnetism in the
stenographer and the fact that al
ready she had strongly attracted
her impressible young employer.
l was uneasy at the time. Within
a week l was enxious, disturbed. l
made il a point to call often at
Percy's office, for l noted that day
By day this new charmer had more
and more attracted and enchanted
him. My daughter told me that a
! letter she received from Elita in
! the city was somewhat gloomy. She
had missed the usual weekly visit
of Percy. l grieyed for the trust
/ full young girl as, during several
calls at the office discovered that
Percy seemed perfectly infatuated
with the sirenlike Cydaria-
She was that, and in her face l
read a something that led me to be-
! lieve she was an adventures. Yet
there was a certain expression 20
| her glance at times innOcently ap-
/ pealing it seemed, almost wistful
and tender when she was near Per-
cy. l did not wonder at this, for
he was a man who would attract
and interest any woman with his
courteous, manly ways.
One day l called to find Percy
absent. Miss Bird sat staring at a
small locket which bore a minia-
| ture of Elita- l recognized it at
once as one worn by Percy. She
extended it towards me with the
words: 81 found this under Mr..
Blandon's desk. Do you know If
that is the portrait Of some rela-
tive?"
She grew very pale as informed
her that it was Elita Sprague, to
whom he was all but engaged.
noted a spasm of pain cross her
face. Then she was marble.
"A beautiful face" she muir
INJURED, and that was all. | fancied
tear fell upon the locket. Then
her face hardened
1t was just a week after that
when | was a party to a strange,
almost a thrilling circumstance. l
entered the office to find Percy
and Cydaria confronting one anoth-
er, he white with stormy rage; she
cool, but trembling. l caught the
words from her lips: You only
fancy you love me, and 1 am IN
deserving even of your respect.
This will answer you" and she re-
vealed an envelope. when 1 am
gone you will thank me, bless me
for refusing to encourage an impet-
uous boyish fancy. Go back to the
noble girl who loves you and is
mourning for your absence"
AS she left the room l caught
sight of her face. II revealed I'M
doubted love for my friend, sacri-
flee, heart break She was gone
and we never saw her again and
Percy speedily forgot her. The en-
velope bore the story of her life
adventures, forger, once a state
prisoner. In the city, at her dark
est hour of need Elita Sprague had
come across her, had provided the
means to start her at an honest
work. The responsive heart of
Cydaria Bird had been touched.
She had learned to love Percy
Blandon. but when the crucial mo-
ment came she revealed herself in
all her unworthiness and drove him
back to the real love of his soul.