Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-08-01
gailp ARGUS.
TEN YEARS AGO.

AAN LEANS A0Os
Being merely visitor in Rock Island
and having no business whatsoever, just
quietly strolled out ofmy hotel at about
eleven A. M, ard passed down the streets,
OF the city. Being long resident in the
country | may say ever since ten years
ago; when | left my old suburban home
tar away down south near New Orleans
there was much in my little peregnnatiou
that interested and amused me. Strolling
down the street | saw man Sitting upon
a chair, with his back against building,
evidently having nothing to do but spit
carefully in a semi-circle round him.
concluded he didn't want TO spit too often
in the Same place; and that that was mis-
usual range OF shot l don't chew, myself,
but believe in men doing it if they lie.
| passed two quiet looking men who were
eonversing, and the one was saying to the
other in a careless kind of manner: "say
twelve hundred and I'll pay the freight.
Next, smart and rather impudent looking
boy approached me with box slung over
his back. saying "shine yer boots for ten
cents, or do it for nothing if yer can't pay r
| mildly submitted to the youth and al
lowed him to shine me, which he did very
well. When be got through he snatched
my paper out of my hand, and, never
even deigning remark upon my new
leather, started up street crying 'shine yel
boots shine EN- sir shine EN- for moth
ing /"
Pondering upon the proverbial smsrtness
of the better kind of, what | believe ere
called, street arabs,"I wendsd my way
EDWARDS, and instantly apologized for almost
falling over the form of an individual who
was sitting in chair, tipped up against q
wall. He was evidently resting from some
severe early work, and was splitting in such
manner as not to make pool in one place
A friend occupied chair beside him, and
Was similarly engaged In taking ease and
making his back ground describe the dia-
meter Of circle on the sidewalk DO what
would, though during the rest of the day
saw these gentlemen busily engaged in
earnest conversation, which was evidently
leading to pecuniary results,-I could but
think of a trio of semI-circular expectora
tors. lady, passing, said to her friend 81
couldn't have believed it Of him, and l was
left in doubt as to who he was or what he
had done. a little boy, standing on q street
corner, exclaimed derisevely 10 another
small boy: mo | won't sell you my pup
not for nothing; cause you amt got nc
money to pay for it if you bay it!' Then.
in a wei! known window, saw two pictures
-chromos, evidently,-which took ms
fancy and, as | was gazing admiringly al
one of them, picture Of fair girl of SIX
teen, and wondering if it wouldn't suit
Charlotte's own room. voice, passing said
to another voice which seemed bent on in
terruption u ,el yUu Jem there amt &
word too hard for that girl shes regu.
lar" Don't be too hssty I" said the
other, "you may be- And so all the
time. The old familiar sounds, which 'fall
dead upon the ear Of a city man, struck on
the tympanum of my ear confasingly, and
| / knew that when l got back home to Char.
| lotte l should tell her that Rock Island was
different TO me from what il used to be ten
years ago; and q stray thought passed
through nv mind that she would touch me
on the shoulder and say I'VE are both of us
different from we were ten years ago. Has
not Rock Island the same privilege? Age
will tell. The city is larger, and you your
self are of heavier weight" And l knew
that if she said SO to me | shouid look long
and searchingly in her face. before l could
fHd change from what it was when We two
landed here IN S6l,-strahgers from New
Orleans. ONE OF Your SUBSCRIBERS.