The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-05
THE HARMLESS NAT.
BY Annette Chadbourne.
Copyright, 1921, by Wheeler Syn


Copyright, 1921. by Wheeler Syn
dictate. Incl
But, Natl don't know quite
how to say it without hurting your
feelings. and sounding horrid-but
you see, you are not necessary to
me. l can get along without you,
and though l think an awful lot OF
you, it doesn't seem to me that a
girl is really safe in accepting
man until she feels that he is nee
essary to her happiness.
I'm so busy and every moments
so full, and I'm so. happy in it all,
that there don't seem room for any
thing more. And I'm afraid If let
my liking you SO much and your
wanting me to-to be engaged to
you-lead me into saying yes, that
perhaps in the end it may not be
the right thing. And l do want to
be perfectly fair to you. Nat. l
truly do!"
Nat smiled broadly. He was as
big and broad and rugged-looking
as his ancestor who had built the
first cabin on a neighboring hill,
and perhaps some of that ances-
tors lore Of the chase had de-
scended to him along with his
mighty thews and sinews. He
smiled. l say, upon the delectable
Dorcas descendant Of the next
Oldest settler), whose progenitors
had worked and hunted with the
ancestral Mats, and whose inner
tied charms had been viewed long
ingly by those same Mats. perhaps,
and made answer.
so you don't need me. Dot" he
said. We'll, you may yet. When
you were little tad and came
here from town to live with your
Uncle Jim, you were afraid of me
because l was so big. Now you've
discovered that I'm harmless
Well, you may learn. some day, that
I'm necessary. From this moment
my aim shall be to become the
harmless, necessary Nat Yau say
you don't care for anybody else
All right! With those cheering
words in mind 1 can wait"
After he was gone it was aston
ishing how big and bleak and amp.
ty the old-fashioned living room
seemed: how much of life and still
and cheer he had taken with him
He had never left in just this way
before. and Dorcas knew thai
things would never again be the
same between them. The telephone
rang and she answered it.
Hello! That you. Dot?' came
the distant voice. This is Kitty
Aunt 10 and Uncle Jim have deciG
ed to step in town tonight and ge
to the play with US. and we wan
you to come in ON the 1920; and 20
too. Uncle Jim says feed the hens
and Auntie, feed the cat. You'll
come? OF course! You can't sta,
there alone all night. All right!
'Bye!"
In a little fiutter Of excitement
Dorcas turned from the phone. A
visit to the home of her sprightl,
| A6A AACu OOobAA WoS always Urea
and with her adored uncle and
aunt-and the new play. She hur
riedly attended to the various small
chores" which the old-fashionet
farmouhse, now a suburban "coi
onial residence" afforded, ant
scurried into her new blue silk, hel
dainty new boots. and all the res
of her holiday toilet.
Al she stood on the threshholt
and looked about, It was hard Il
realize that It was but a ten min
utes' walk to the trolley, for tn,
house sat in hollow, far bacl
from the street, and on one side nj
house was In sight. while on tn,
Iother blank windows stared at he,
Ia confirmation Of the For Sale O,
To Let" sing in its front ones.
And then. Just as she steppe;
over the sill. It happened. Som,
sudden draft caught the massiv,
door and damned u sharply. Il