Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-01-04
The Daily
Short Story
A PASSING CLOUD
By Victor Redclife

And have no desire to pry into
the same" said Judge Ashton.
Your husband feels that he was
rash and unwise in leaving you as
he did, and wishes to make. peace
with you"
"Oh. does he, indeed?" observed
BILE and accommodating after prac-
tically deserving me for a week,
creating speculation and gossip
and" smothering a half-sob, re-
pressed with diffcu1ty-"showin
that he has no respect or no-re-
gard for me-"
Don't say that, Mrs. Hardy"
pleaded the judge soothingly. Il
happen to know that Mr.. Hardy de-
plores the impulse that led him to
leave you for a visit to his sister.
cones be bygones."
The face of his auditor was set
stern and uncompromising Finally
she said: This is his home; no one
mas turned him out of it."
Then you forgive and forget,
and the dove of peace"
II shall never forget" interrupt
ed Mrs. Hardy bitterly. HE has az
fronted me, but 1 shall try to ban
ish his misdoings from my mind"
Tell you, Mrs. Hardy" spoke
the peacemaker briskly, well call
it an armistice, Ell? Try out a
really good man and make him bet
ter; don't be too hard on him, after
10 years of happy married life"
Mary Hardy looked unrelenting.
but she did not dissent to the sug-
gestion made.
She had not always been thus.
After a full decade of comfort and
content, John Hardy had seen grow
upon his wife spirit of carping
apparent jealousy and
whimsical unsteadinesS of temper.
He felt that he was being watched,
under suspicion, with no reason for
the same. She grew peevish, ira
tional, seeming almost to hate him
al times. Then came the crisis
rebellion on his part, singing in
on hers. He had swung
out of the house in d fury one day,
and the next she learned that he
was at the home Of relatives in an
other town.
AS they both were seated in the
little parlor of their home Mrs.
Hardy noticed for the first time
that a space behind his ears was
shaven clean of hair and bore two
plasters. What is the trouble?"
she asked involuntarily, pointing to
them. Immediately John, noting
he movement of her lips, followed
his hand to one ear and said grave
Iy: You will have to speak very
oud to me, Mary, as | am quite
leaf. l fell off a wagon at my sis
-ers farm and have not heard dis
Inctly since The doctor says it
nay pass away in time, but for the
present l can hear almost nothing"
"Can-can l do anything to aid
5ou?" she inquired, and then mask
I'd the sympathetic impulse ex-
pressed in her face.
q think not, only by being pa
lent with me. The plasters will
restore my hearing. the
ioctor says. Until they do, l shall
De a trial to you"
Mrs. Hardy bit her lip. If her
husband could not hear, she was
deprived of the privilege of giving
lim a peace of her mind when the
mood swayed her! After a week
If the new conditions, however, ex-
.ept for unsociability, the process
If silence had tanned down the
IF MTC HlT6V
One day a cousin of Mrs. Hardy /
whom she had not seen for some |
ears, came to pay Ler visit. The /!
oIIowing afternoon John was
sleep on a couch in the sitting |
DOM, when he was aroused by the |
ound of voices in the parlor ad-
dining.
81 am so glad you have come"
lis wife was saying. Il shall go
Wild if do not find relief in speak !
ng out my troubles. oh, Laura!
ny husband is so changed during
he last six months.
He is in the next room" spoke
he visitor.
Probably asleep, and. if not. I'M
BILE to overhear US. 1t all came
rom the time he said he was away
n business in the city for week.
III, the burden of misery l have
orne since them" and Mrs. Hardy
roke down weeping.
Tell me all about it, dear, and
ct me console you, if l can"
We'll, when he came home
ound a lady's fine lace handker-
hief in one pocket, and in another
jewelers. receipt for $50 brace
It marked Oracle
The sound of John Hardy coming
} his feet with a tremendous slam,
is hearty "Ha! ha: Oh, the folly
{ it," roared out excitedly, startled
ne two women, and he stood before
1em in a vivid fervency of emo
on.
Lucky my hearing came back
lis morning." he cried. Mary,
ou're a goose. Mary, you think
cal of me, or you wouldn't be so
jealous! The time went
!, the city 1 one day loaned brother
" overcoat to call upon his lady
we, the same Oracle you are raw
lg about. So this is the cause of
Il your wretchedness? Poor, dear
1ul! Come to the arms of a man
no couldn't love anyone else in
le world if he tried"
And that moment ushered in the
Id-time peace and comfort and
we that had been so nearly sacri-
ced to an unfounded suspicion.