The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-03-31
BURLESQUE In ROCK ISLAND.
aALvAN1zINe A POLITICAL CORPSE:
The Expsrimsntsrs Dissusssd.

Rock Island has quantity Of crude dra
matte talent in its midst, but chiefly OF the
low comedy sort, as was illustrated last eve
ming at a meeting in the Court House, held
ostensibly for the purpose of choosing can
didates to fill the Republican township
ticket, but really for . very ancient diver
sion and the comic interlude of waking q
defunct body. The play was entered into
with great spirit and with an admirably
feigned seriousness of countensnce, that
proved the assemb led actors to be the most
talented Of mimics and most Respondent
clowns, pantaloons and hsrlequins. First OIL
the stage was the bloviant 1ee"s'
who had the tire bly, arduons duties o' ''ene
sbifter. stag, manager and ie@ding charac-
- ,.rs,rm. He recited the simple plot
If ,bs D,sy in a high sounding serious pro
loeus. "This Republican township party,
the subject of our play, is dead as door
nail, but we propose setting him up in a
chair, and talking at him as if he we're q
live, sentient body. propose, therefore,
that the Columbine of the evening, 81. Cur
It's, Jr., shall be throned in your midst as
presiding over the performance" Hsrle-
quin Jeems then fourished his dagger OF
lash and disappeared 10 maze of pirouettes
to shift the scene for Miss Columbine. The
parsonage aforesaid soon made his appear
pesrance and favored the audience
with pas send, expressive OF
modesty and his being too
young for the seat of honor but a,
last Harlequin Jeems forced him into it,
and Al. Dart was brought up and set down
as Secretary. Then proceeded the farce
Harlequin Jeems appointed committee OF
credentials, which appointment Columbine
Curtis ratified with q nod and called for the
credentials from the individuals represent
ing the deceased. They felt in the tail
| pockets of their coats, and looked in their
hats, and all excused themselves By saying
they had left them on the piano at home
Harlequin Jeems was cornered. The ass
tEl uItu tduIeittuS Aiul Tue NIP
with no clock face to jump through to make
his escape. He waved his wand, and a
copy of the Union tiuttered in sight. This
was forced into the hands of the committee
on credentials, who reported by reading the
names of delegates therefrom. and
the committee on credentials struck
=, -, he
qusndary. Noses were solemnly counted
By Harlequin Jeems with the following re.
suit: LIST Ward, one delegate I'd Ward,
three delegates; Sd and 4th Wards, four
each. AS there wasn't enough present to
fill the delegation, it was moved that those
present cast the vote for the ward. Jeems
was determined to drum up q sufficient
number to fill vacancies Then there was
hurryiug to and fro, in terrible haste to see
who they could secure of those present The
scouts came in after about half an hour
with enough to fill the "a and Sd Wsds
the others were obliged TO avail them.
the vote of the ward E. E Parmenter
and Vim. 81. Hayes were appointed tellers
1t was moved to nominate. This was toe
much for the gravity of those present, they
carried out the joke SO seriously. Again il
was moved to nominate. But who? Final
ly Mr.. c B. Knox, being the only one who
would appear on the ticket for Supervisor,
was nominated. The chair asked ear
nestly for other nominations. Again ii was
moved to proceed to ballot. The Vacant
First Ward held "korkus" at one end o.
the room and there counseled the wisdom
that will never be known to history. Har
lequiu Jeems cornered the Third Ward IL
leaders, so amused themselves the bes, the
could till the result was announced as fol
lows: C. B. Knox, SO Z. W. Spencer, /
and W. Chopper, /; Knox was declared
elected. Carried with cheers from the ThirC
Ward. a. e Lambert was then nominal
ed for Assistant Supervisor. Consultation:
'OAib"Co AdC bpeNLaCiSo pdAlhAUOus
They fret must know if he would accept
Psutsloon David paci6ed them on this point
they proceeded to an informal vote A. II
Lam bert received 80 votes, the whole Of the
Convention. Here the reclamation could
not have been greater if Mr.. Lambert had
met with ever so much opposition, particu
larly the knuckle rapping of the frs, ward
who had organized themselves into
''tom-tom" committee around a
table and hailed the announcement
of each nomination with knuckle music.
Town Clerk was the next portion of the
political corpse to be galvanized. L..F
Harson and A. B. Tillman were nominated
aud declined. Again it WAS moved to pro
coed to ballot. The ''syes" had it and the
ballot was cast. A season Of button holine
followed among the vacant wards to pitch
upon some one to immediate himself on the
party altar. The vote stod: J. W. Simon.
son, l; A. F. Tillman, 5; L. F. Harson, 81
Acclamation followed, of course, and the
on the table. For Assessor, Messrs
Philleo, McAllister and Wilson were nomi
mated. An informal ballot was again taken
as follows: F. Wilson, l; A. K. Philleo
38. Acclamatiou and knuckle rataplan
beat by the LIST Ward. Major Wilson was
then rewarded for defeat by being nomina
ted for Collector. R. n. Tate was named,
but positively declined John Holmauist
moved to ballot as follows: Holnquist, 6;
John Peetz, l !; Major Wilson, %. Acclama
ton and knuckls overture.
Next was the question of justices. A
doubt arose. An ancient pantaloon arose
I,l