The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-25

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desired to see him in the parlor of Mrs.
Reticker's house. He went over, and as
he entered. the first intimation of his
being led into surprise struck him, In
the parlor sat Judge Ira o. Wilkinson
and the following other members of the
Rock Island bar: Messrs. E. D. Sweeney,
W. II. Gest, William jackson, E. E.
Parmenter, C. L. Walker, E. W. Hurst,
Adair Peasants. J. T. Keuworihy, NJ. L.
Maj J, NJ. Beardsley and Mai
ECKER, Circuit Clerk E. H. Bowman
County Treasurer j. E. Fleming, Deputy
County Clerk ]. h. Cooke, Deputy Sher
i'll T. S. Silvis and NJ. WseBursh repre-
sented the county officials TIE family
of Sheriff ReLicker aud Mrs. Parks were
also present. As Captain Parks entered
the parlor, Judge Wilkinson arose, and
approaching him, said
MIR. PARKs:-Iour purpose to remove
from among US, and to make your resi-
dence in another and distant locality, has
impressed the people here, among whom
you have so long lived and to whom YOU
are so well aud favorably known, with
feelings of general and profound regret.
10 your brethren of the bar and the off
| GERS OF the court and county, with
whom you have been 50 prominently. in
| tlmately and agreeably associated, the
separation will be even more especially
felt. Our professional relations, asso
Citations and efforts have been of such
kindred character, so generously and hon
orably maintained on your part, and so
uniformly agreeable to us all as to
cause the severance of these ties
TO b. as II personal bereavement
BY these, your professional and official as
sociates, | am requested to extend to
you the deep regret they all feel III YOUR
departure, and their heartfelt good will
that will accompany you to your new
home, and IN your new relations; aud AS
IL memcntO Of them, to ask your accepts
ance Of this cane with its friendly inscrip.
ton engraved therein Slight as is tue to-
ken, 1t will we trust, serve to remind you
of your old associations in the law, whose
constant friendship will evoke earnest
wishes Tor your success-personally, pro-
fessionally, pecuniarly aud politically,
and every other ally 10 your promotion
and prosperity IN life.
The judg3 then handed Captain Parks
an elegant black ebony gold headed cane
on the head of which was inscription:
Presented to James J. Parks 10y mem,
beers Of the bar and county officials of
Rock Island ILL.,, June, "a. 1886" Upon
receiving the beautiful gift Captain Parks
was deeply moved but he found words
for fitting response. He said that he
had mstrusted something within the few
minutes immediately preceding the pre-
sentation. Coming from the persons it
did, the gift was "a complete surprise, but
he appreciated it all the more as it came
from the members of the bar and county
officials with whom he had had business
constantly since his residence in Rock Is
and. The legal profession, Captain Parks
said, tended to make one antagonistic in
disposition, because it called forth
controversy with others, aud naturally
led to controversies with each other He
had had controversies with some OF tue
~ ,fft nj 81 al.
members of the bar growing out of bust
ness relations. but it did require an occa-
sion Of this kind to brush these ali aside.
He was much gratifed to feel that he left
Rock Island with the good wishes of the
bar and the county officials. and he knew
that rs far rs he was concerned there was
nothing but the aindest possible feelings
toward every member of the bar and all
the county officials, and there was not one
of them that he would not feel at liberty
to call his friend. He never expected to
meet bar with whom re could associate
on more friendly, intimate and pleasant
terms than the present. and it was pecu>
liarly gratifying to him therefore to re,
ceive this present, and espec tally at the
hands of Judge Wilkinson, one of the
first persons he had heard Of rs lawyer
even when he was yet Il boy. 1t was a
source of delight to be referred TO in so
pleasant manner by Judge Wilkinson,
and to receive the gift from his hands.
While the gift had made him feel glad, it
at the same time saddened him to think
that the pleasant ties must be severed.
He would keep and cherish the cane as u
kind remembrance of his pleasant associa.
tons as an attorney with the bar of Rock
Island and Rock Island county officials.
Capt. Parks intention to locate per-
manently for the practice of his profes-
J sion at Wichita, Kan, has been before