The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-28
THE LIGHT ON THE SHADOW.
By Ada N. Borden Stevens.
Copyright, 1921, by Wheeler Syn
dictate Incl

By Ada N. Borden Stevens.
Copyright, 1921, by Wheeler Syn
dictate, Inc.)
Edith washed the dishes before
she sat down to think it out. The
cherished gold-band china was Civ
en- scant attention, and no notice
was taken of the chime clock as il
struck s. For the first time since
the wedding these symbols of home
seemed unimportant
There was something the matter
All her life Edith had heard old
fashioned gray headed pessimists
say that love is f1eeting." She had
never believed it; hers was a better
! love than that But how about
| Toms? Tom left that morning
without a word; simply bolted out
of the door. To be sure, he was
late, but he had been late before.
! When he came home to his dinner,
it was nearly z O'Clock. She brave
| ly told him what was troubling her.
as they had agreed to do. that no
| misunderstanding should come be-
tween them. He had laughed as
! though it were of no account, hur-
ried into his coat and left her alone
while he went to a meeting of the
Legion.
please don't go tonight, Tom; I
want to talk to you"
why, I'm adjutant, honey. You
wouldn't want me to neglect that,
would your He hurried out with
some comment on the slowness of
the trains.
So Edith went into the pretty sit
ting room to think it out Some
thing had happened; what was it?
After all, the hurt was too fresh:
in a minute she was curied up on
the davenport sobbing at her own
mystification. Was she foolish; or
didn't he care any more? Before
she could decide, the doorbell rang.
"Oh. dear," Edith patted and
smoothed her hair on the way to
the door, trying to look like the
happiest bride in the world. The
trim, gray-haired lady standing
there looked like some guardian
angel to the little housekeeper.
"Oh, aunt:e," she cried. please
come in. l didn't know you were
in town"
Aunt Mary Marsh walked in with
the matter of fact. detached air |
that made her welcome everywhere.
What she saw, you never knew
unless you asked.
tom out?' she asked, taking off !
her gloves. Il went over to the |
concert, but it was miserable, and |
1 came away"
Yes, Tom is out" answered
Edith, casually. Then, putting all |
pretense aside, she exclaimed: "Oh, |
Auntie, I'm so glad to see you! |
is all wrong, and don't
know what to do"
Tell me, dear" Her aunt drew
her to seat on the couch. per
haps you have simply been alone
too much; it is bad for the imag-
nation
1T is SO silly, really; but we
can't help our feelings, can we,
Auntie? % And the little story came
out-so trivial to listen to, SO very
to experience. HE
'orgot all about me-" she ended
What shall I do?" and the tears
,ame again. |;
Mrs. Marsh was quiet a minute
Tot that she didn't see the tragedy
# the first preoccupied thought ,
essness. She was thinking.
Finally she said: You are afraid
hat love is gone, Eide? No. il |
means that love has begun"
Edith looked up with a protest
lg. ooh, Auntiei"
Yes, 1t does, dear. True love of !
9th heart and soul such as grows
nto a true marriage like yours z
annot be lost unless you both will {
ose it. You must never let it rest t
n trivial things. Talk it, ont TO-
ether: silence is the thief of all :
nd a very handy cloak for COW :
rdice. Turn the light on the I
hadows, and they disannear. Mis- G