Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-04-22
The ARGUE a4uRs DAY, ApRlL az, 1897.

stipulated was always big figure squi1s
BeAsley was q shrcwd observer, and the
amoant fixed by him usually correspond
ed pretty accurately with the wallet Of tie
bridegroom.
Squire Beaslcy would accept nothing but
Oash rs marriage fee, his business motto
being, "No money, no marry" In this
respect he differed materially from his pred
ecessor. Squire Shelton would accept .
pocketknife in fec for such service rather
than miss the job.
Many of the clippers came BY carriage,
on horseback or on foot, but the majority
of the runaway marriages took place on
board the 0retna Green, or on the ferry
landing itself. Scarcely q day passed
without some such incident. The squire's
son Thomas was pilot of the Gretna Green,
and as he Is said to have received q COM
mission ON every bridal couple whom he
landed on the Ohio shore, 1t goes without
saying that he was not idle during all
these yearA When an agitated and breath
less couple came hurrying down to the
ferryboat, with an Infatuated father or
guardian following close at their heels, IL
was Thomas Beasley who calmed their
fears by the assurance that he would SEQ
them bafely over and that he would not
give their followers an opportunity Of
boarding the boat And he was always
true to his promise. As soon rs the clippers
had crossed the gangplank the good 0ret-
ma Green was turned toward the Welcom-
ing green shores of Aberdeen.
Thus foiled, the enraged and outwitted
parents were wont to follow In skiffs.
Then there was excitement, not only for
the boats crew and the contracting par
ties, but also for the residents on both sides
of the river. The pilot had his own code
Of signals, which he had arranged for the
purpose Of facilitating his fathers bust
ness methods Everybody knew when the
Gretna Green emitted six short, sharp
shrieks of her whistle that there was a
chase 70 Aberdeen, and it was then a race
between squire and people to see who
would get to the landing first. Long be-
fore the boat had touched shore every man,
woman and child in the town, who was
able to run, walk or crawl, had congre-
gated about the squire, who was taking in
the situation through the immense spy
glass which he always carried for that
purpose. He was always ready for such
emergencies, his vest pocket containing q
goOdly stock of blank marriage certifi-
Gates, and as his marriage ceremony was
short, he made quick work of an elope-
ment once he stood face to face or even
within enrshOt of the refugees.
The only people who ever said harm Of
Massie Beasley, or who ever tried to do
him serious injury. were the local members
of the clerical profession on both sides OF
the river, who openly denounced him from
their pulpits. But in spite of all their
preaching and teaching against him,
when members of their congregations
wanted to get married it was often Massie
Beasley, and not the minister. who was
favored with the job of tying the knot.
One Of the most bitter and vituperative
denunciators Of what he termed 'tthis
crying evil in our midst" was o preacher
who received q call to Aberdeen some few
years before the squirrels death. This
worthy man coaxed and pleaded, urged
| and exhorted, but to no avail. Wedding
parties passed the parsonage door every
day on their way to the squire's and still
the fees that by rights should have helped
to swell the meager salary of tho minister
rolled into the already full and overflow
ing Golfers of tho merry magistrate. AT
last, seeing that all his earnest exhorta.
tions to his flock were as seed sewed on
barren ground, the discouraged parson de-
| cided to make q speciality OF the matri.
| monial business himself, seeing that there
was more money in it than in preaching
the gospel.
The. minister introduced many new
wrinkles into the business. Indeed hi
was obliged to do SO in order to get q start.
| To this end he cut rates and established
agents at the ferry landing in Aberdeen
| and at the wharf and railroad stations In
Maysville. OF course the squire wa.
obliged to follow suit in order to kecr
abreast of tho times. AS a consequence
| every couple who landed on either side Of
the river, whether by ferry, steamboat OF
railroad, If they bore any evidence Of be
ing matrimonially inclined, were imme
diately bounced upon by these persistent
| drummers.
The squire Of Aberdeen enjoyed q pres
| tige, however, that it had taken genera
lions to establish, and the parson, not
outstanding his brisk and brilliant be
ginning, was destined to enjoy but shor
career in this profession. He realized II
due time that it was useless to try to com
peto with the squire, and SO when he re
ceiyed call from another part of the coun
try 1t was gladly accepted, and the squir,
was once more and ever afterward cock O
tho walk
Sometimes, through spirit of mischief
o wag of the town would wager that b,
fSES "a