Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-01-18
The Daily
Short Story
CONNR'S FRIEND.
AN

loveliest woman / have ever met"
Handsome is as handsome
does" her sister quoted. 81 for
one can't see that your Miss
Wentworth does much for the good
of this town.
You say she has a beautiful
voice; she cannot be persuaded to
even help our poor little choir. She
plays wonderfully, you tell me,
yet she sat with a bored express
sion while we stumbled through
our singing without music because
Miss Hamilton was absent.
Constance turned away impa-
tiently.
"Oh, you do not know her.
! Ruth" she said; "if you did"
What" interrupted a pleasant
voice from the doorway, lis all the
argument about?"
The two young girls looked Gag
erly toward their father. He was
a handsome man, his twinkling
gray eyes belying the dignity of his
bearing.
Father" Ruth burst out, 81
have been reprimanding Constance
for her companionship with this
fashionable woman who has come
to BrOnton. Constance seems to be
infatuated with her personality
The example of luxury and, beauti
full gowns is not good for one who
admires these things as much as
Connie.
SmiIingly the pastor advanced
into the room.
mo jealousy there I hope, Ruth"
ne remarked quizzically. Who is
expelled from college-because you
girl, and rushed forward.
she is writer" Constance has
tened to reply, who comes from
California. She has rented the
Baileys' bungalow and lives there
with a housekeeper. Just because
she dresses prettily and amuses
herself driving about or reading in
her garden, Ruth chooses to call
her selfish and worldly. She at
tended services while you were
away for your vacation, and after
hearing old Fairburn preach it's no
wonder she did Dot come again"
Where did you meet your friend,
CONNER" he asked.
81 was passing the garden" she
said, land looked, l suppose admir-
ingly, across the hedge to where
the lovely lady was gathering
roses. She wore the dallingest
white dress and her eyes glanced
back at me kindly. They seemed
to be young eyes, daddy though the
curls on her forehead and down
close to her ears are touched with
white, as she showed me yester-
day; and she said:
won't you come in and share
my roses? So in l went" Connie
paused breathlessly. I've been
going ever SINCE" she added.
Comics the only person who
does CO." Ruth snapped.
Il am the only person who has
been invited" Constance retorted.
The fine face of the minister
grew grave as he gazed at his
motherless daughters, then the
twinkle came back to his eyes.
Perhaps, he suggested, Con
stance may be the means of bring
ing the worldly lady to service My
effort might not be as discourage
ing as poor Fairburn's."
Connie leaned forward impul-
sively. Ruth" she said. would
you believe that in her girihood
Elizabeth Wentworth was very
much like you-in her views, Il
mean. l coaXed her the other day
into telling love story of her own. |
If you could have watched her as
she talked-musingly, more as if |
she were remembering and ! not |
there at all. Her cheeks grew pink |
as the roses on her dress. You
would not have thought her eyes |
proud then, with the tears glinting |
upon her lashes. Years ago When |
she lived in humble little town.
oh! it must have been just like this |
town, Ruth she had a lover. He |
was the daringest boy, but you
cant dislike him as she tells of his
reckless college pranks-he was
expelled from college-becaue you
seem to know all the time that h6
really had a good heart under all
his waywardness. But young Eliz-
abeth Wentworth, who was so very
much like you, could make no ca
cuse for-well, lack of character
she called it. So, right at the be-
ginning of their engagement, she
threw the young man over.
Dad" the girl called suddenly.
and jumped to her feet. viii you
go over to church now, and direct
me in placing those plants for to-
services %
As the tall minister and his
laughter entered the church with
is rows of empty pews both
paused abruptly before a pretty
picture
In the center of a mass of bloom
stood a sweet-faced woman, over
Ter armful of flowers she looked at
hem. Miss Wentworth" cried the
GIRL" and rushed forward.
Il was passing the open door"
he writer murmured. land could
lot resist the temptation of coming
n to arrange the flowers. l did
lot know" she added confusedIy.
'that-your father had returned"
With a light in his eyes which
connie had never seen there before
he pastor came and looked into
he face of the lovely lady.
Elizabeth" he cried, his voice
vas resonant with joy. ITO find
-ou after all these years." L
We seem to have changed
places, Dick" Elizabeth Went
worth answered shakily, and Con.
lie, smiling, moved far back among
he flowers.