The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-06-22
CHIR-RUP! CHIR-RUP!
By Julia A. Pierce.

Copyright, 1921, by Wheeler Syn
dicate, Inc.)
Greta gave her trim little figure
one last criticising glance in the
mirror. readjusted the sailor hat,
thoughtfully pulled on her gloves,
then picked up the suitcase which
contained all of her earthly pos
sessions and stepped out of the
room. She did not lock the door,
but left the key in the inside. for
she would never be coming back.
Since the mill had laid of so
many girls three months before,
Greta had lived on her meagre saw
ings. Now they were gone and she
could not stay in the room with no
money to pay the landlady. Vainly
she had gone from city to city.
answering every advertisement for
which she was applicable. but the
result was always the same.
1t was midafternoon and the sky
was heavy with storm clouds. I'm
derfoot the snow was dirty and
slushy. Greta's spirits were in keep
ing with her surroundings, and she
scarcely needed the throngs of men
and women coming and going, who
were IN as desperate circumstances
as herself, perhaps.
Blindly., gloomily. without no
ticing the weight of her suitcase,
Greta walked on and on-out of the
dirty city into the country. Final
ly large fiat stone beside the road
met her eye. Yes. she was weary.
Placing her suitcase on the rock
she sank down upon ia forloru
little figure indeed. A warm south
wind stirred q few reddish brown
locks about her face, but she did
not notice. Even tiny patches of
green grass were visible here and
there.
This young life, who had kept
herself pure and sweet through all
the trials and temptations the vile
cities had thrown about her. had no
place to lay her head that night.
But she did not care now, she was
ready to lie down and die there be-
side the road. No one would miss
her, for she had no home and the
only friend she had ever known was
somewhere In the west-she knew
not where. She had received NO
word from him since he had left
her. three years before.
She allowed herself to drop into
pleasant revery and she could see
his handsome face as he had tender
ly told her of his love and his am
billions. Il will be back before
many months, and then" a last
embrace and kiss, and he had leap
ed aboard the moving express, wav-
ing and. smiling. Soon afterwards
her mother died and all was sold
to pay the funeral expenses. Greta
was left penniless and alone and
was forced to seek employment in
the mill hundreds Of miles from her
old home.
II Francis has ever written his
letters had never been forwarded.
Greta had made up her mind to for
get him, and Tor weeks had not al
lowed herself to think Of him. Why
did he loom up % wildly now!
"Chir-rup! chir-rup!" The sound
startled her and she looked M.
There she saw . wee bird on a
cherry bush, looking straight at
her. Again he repeated his CHR
rup! chir-rup!" more emphatically
than before. Greta looked sharp
" ct the intruder. II resembled
the sparrows she had often Ted
crumbs from her window.
Cheer mp! How can - 0reta
might have been talking 70 Z per-
scn instead Of . bird. 20 bitter vas
her tonA
Az though In answer, birdie nit
ted to another branch and aKsin
broke out: 'Chir-rup, chir-rup.
chfrr cAir-f-Fpp!.
Well. / never!. exclaimed 0feea.
aloud. what haws you TO b hap
py about? IN wager you arc as
hungry ~ ]. right now, and where
VIII you slesp tonight pray tall
-chir-Fup. chir-rup.. and be ne~
away.
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