The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-01-21
HERE CoMfs THE GROOM.
By Myrta Alice Little, Nestville
New Hampshire.
Copyright 1919

Copyright 1917
In spite Of should-be heaters. thl
mir In Ashton's downtown apart
ments was crisp With the chill 81
winter and the chill Of the mars
mood.
Here you've come from acros.
the continent and now you're goine
to my wedding, old CHIP? What.
up?"
Ashton showed his dismay a.
clearly as Lane showed his iHdif.
ference toward anything as com
monplace as the simple home wed
ding Of a lifelong pal to some
little country girl or other, schesl.
uled for that evening.
Another date. old man." said
Lane. You've been keeping the
fair l9dy's name and face a secre|
from me all these months. Reckon
I can have q little secret from you
on the spur of the moment, eh?"
That's different" Grifhth afgu-
ed. "She wanted it that way. Every.
thing kept quiet. Just her best
friends and her folks there, you
know. And here I've asked yon
in preference to anyone else. and
yonfe backing out. the last minute
What shall / tell her? She's sc
sWeet and honest, Gene. She would
1T understand how anything
could keep you from coming when
you'd got this far. She's adorable
man, and when she gets her heart
set on anything she jdst naturally
expects it to happen. What did you
take the 3,000-mile trip for, after
years of wandering everywhere but
here. If you didn't come to see ID
married? Tell me that"
Lane shrugged his shoulders.
rumpled his black hair. The
wrinkles about his eyes deepenec
Don't you like what I've told
you about herr" Ashton leaned
forward tensely with his question.
That's the troub'. Like her too
we'll. Sounds the goods to me, al
right, after the sort I've run up
against. I'd forgot there were those
sentls. contidAg creatures about.
who make you live up to the notch
and then ,Aome. And like home
and kids better thin anything else.
l met one once. Bout the only one.
She liked me. too, Never answered
her last letter. Seemed sort of q
Joke at the time that she'd fall for
me. So l dropped her cold. Made
my money, played round. Had no
idea of settling down, till lately.
But your dreams Of your prospec-
tive bliss-the last straw. Sort OF
clinched things. Not such a bad
idea, after all, marrying the right
sort and having q home to come
back to. This jsunting round isn't
what IT'S cracked up to Be. Oh,
you've put the hnishing touch on
making me see things that way,
talking about your girl. all night.
But / can't sec You married. unless
l get my little work finished Got
this date. Can't put It Oh. Sorry.
Tell her wish her Joy and ali
that a
Ashton stared at his friend.
''I don't zee It 1t ALL" he said.
sternly. ITS for her sake care
most, ], tell you. / don't want to
disappoint her. Put your date on
till after tonight Just . short Zip
out into the country. Meyer n1ind
where. Nice place. Real home Of
q place. with Z kitchen with lamps
and chimneys that shine Ike
icicies, and arm chairs with tides
ON the backs. I'll take you over. g
I've said. It doesn't happen hut
once In . lifetime with. rs, my girl
like her old one, yoQ know. Tts
sort we've host Ut - forgotten
about except in our dreams
grip Of 8 hone Liz thak CaAt yoa