Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-13
The Daily
Short Story
CHOKING 4 GOOD RFCOpn.
by Charles Powers Bapuin

I
eyes before her grandfatbar Dy :.
lover had just left the house ~. az
/ detected mien after half an 49,
| conference with the old tyranf -.
Elsie feared the worst. 40
Il have told the young mar a.
his case was hopeless" annoe. -.
7 Robert Marsh with brutal $3.50 +',esa
I'm the first place. 1 will ha ,,.-.l.
| love-making while you arc 49, ~
IS, and no engagement uptil 4 s''
cover the merits Of the man Of ~ -
choice" 'OI
"Oh, grandpa" chied Elsie ~.
non Ross is nothing but rneritt -
has a good position, does not 49, -
smoke, and he loves me-ob
dearly" "
well, I'll watch him and a..
how he develops. Let him s,.T.s
out and make a record. Then raas
consider him. Originality-ts.s',
what Ike to see in a young NJ.
Initiative, blazing new course
Elsie left the room, crying q.
declared to herself that her bas-.
was broken. It seemed all mer5ss
up, however, when she met Vsrno.
Marsh at the public library the nav,
day.
"'Originality,' eh?" spoke Vernon
when Elsie had narrated the detaii,
of her interview with her nrcl.
Don't despair, Elsie. 1 saw
twinkle in the eyes Of that old bss-
when I was talking with him. AM
I'm going to do som thing original
"Oh, Vernon! Tell me what IL H.
81 will, later. You told me Ia,
he liked TO have half an hour \
the photograph every evening
didn't you?"
yes" nodded Elsie.
"All right; I've got my cue. You
come up to my sisters tomorrow
and I will reveal my dark and sin.
uous plot" And Elsie went home
curious and hopeful.
You see," observed Vernon
when he met Elsie next day, "your
grandfather wishes me to make
record doesn't he?"
Yes, Vernon"
well, I am going to crafty bis
4 Tish, and you are to help me do #"
and although Vernons statemen.
was enigmatical, he looked very
confident.
More than once that week Elsie
and Vernon met at his sisters
home. Elsie was excited and Yer
non animated.
II hope" she remarked Quizzic-
ally to Elsie, that your august
grandparent likes my record
"Oh, Vernon! how will he take
it,"
"As a piece of originality, hope
observed Vernon.
1t was a week later when Elsis
and her sister and brother JOINED
Mr.. Marsh in the library. 10 give he
usual concert on the talking ma
chine. 1t always pleased and sooth-
ed the old man.
"a new record, grandpa. II Is
called The Woes OF Love-" and
she started the photograph.
The head of the old man came uR
with a jerk. He viewed the phone
graph suspiciOusly, for there. spoke
from its depths the voice OF Yer
non Ross. In eloquent love Ian
guage he was proposing TO Elsie
Then, sorrowfully, she responded 70
his fervent appeal. She loved him
but her hard-hearted grandfather
forbade their being happy She
would never marry any other, but
her heart was broken!
Then, in his natural tone, clear
and distinct, there followed 8
mOurnful response from Vernon.
He would go away and find some
lonely Crusoe isle, where he eoula
pine and die
But l will leave a message fof
your relative, Notwithstanding al
his cruelty. He is a member o.
your family, and as such l suppose
1 should do good to him. Tell your
grandfather that I return good !oi
evil-tell him to sell his stock hold
ings in the Red Panther Mining
company and buy Black Beaver H.
stead. This is the last message Oh
a desperate, downcast, disconsoiats
man!
"H'm!" was the only comment
Mr.. Marsh made, as he arose sll
went into another room, closed ll'
door and then gave way to an,
mated chuckles and SUPPRESS
laughter, leaving poor Elsie TO Wou.
der what would become or H'
daring Originality Of Vernon,
pretty cleyer." soliloquized MI
Marsh. Smart, too. in finding o.
that l held that stock; poldic
giving me hint which, coLnlns
from an up-to-date broker ike hiI
self, really is worth looking mo
original? Say. I've an idea
That idea assumed definite l0lh
and substance a week later hise
was startled when her granaialhs-.
directed her one day to have leIAOa
come to the house the folioNlls
evening. She could not surin.s.
the motive. but the invitation ~as Wa
concession. When Vernon apps.
the old man was courteous anu -
bane. He suggested the pioIo
graph. and II was soon in operaI0
He fed the disks himself reproau.
ing the concert of the week pc
ious. Even The Woes OF Lo, ,',
was given; word for word the "a
repeated it's original screea'
then a brief pause, and II ~
tinued, in the tones OF Mr. NSi'
himself. -.,.
when the venerable ola w.
heard all this pathetic rubbish, y
saw that the love victims We're ~
redeeming. Then. too. acu1s ~
the hint regarding the stoeA' .,e,
saved a loss end made a proAs ~
would generously cover an eARi
sive wedding outfit. So ne sc.
Come hither, my children' anu
cept an old mans blessings s