Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-09-04

| IN us humble way, IF he expects that
band to meet him at the depot when
he comes homer"
"Bein I hold the poslshun 1 do" an
| swered the sQuar, ''bein I'm referred
to as the leadin man in Jericho. IL the
band wanted to go down and see me
| on or wanted TO be there to welcome
me home I don't reckon anybody would
find fault"
"But I'd want the same thing" said
Ebenezer Scott. Il amt no justice OF
the peace, but my dairy is milkin %
| cows this summer, and l feel I'm as
big as anybody. l go over to Dobbs
Ferry once in two weeks, and / should
| want that band TO foot me of and toot
me home ag'in."
There may be pint" said the dea
con as he scratched his ear. but 1
don't skassly see 1t. Mebbe the Squar
wants to say sunthin further about
liberty and Bunker HillT'
I'm sayin," replied the squar as he
heaved a long sigh, that patriotism
and love of country seems to be dead
er'n a doornail in these United States.
Mebbe there's a man in this crowd
aside from me who'd be willin to shed
his blood that our glorious republic
might be saved from ruin and desola-
shun. but If thar be I can't name him.
You might as well dispense TO your
homes and tell your wives and chill
dren that Jericho is doomed"
by John, but what a p'int-what 4
p'intw whispered the deacon. Be
fore we bust up and go to ruin. how
ever, I'd like to hear from Reuben
VI Ii, fo,.
Detroit and he ought TO know what in
fluence brass band has on town"
1.-The influence of a brass band is ac-
cordin TO the leader" said Reuben.
1--WE seen 'em where they jumped
town right to the front In four weeks,
and I've seen 'em where they killed
things dead in two. The leader wants
to be a pecooliar sort OF a man. He
wants to be born fur the place, same
as Washington was. He wants to be-
ready to die at two minits' notice or to
live fur a hundred years"
"And mebbe you think you're that
man?' queried the squar as he pound
ed on the counter with his fist.
"I do. I know 1 am. I'm the only
man in Jericho as kin lead n band to
success and make the town hump her
self. I'm a self sacrificin critter, as
you all know, and if this meetin thinks
best
But the meetin shouted him down,
and 1t was five minits before Deacon
Spooner could make his voice heard,
and then he said:
There's more p'ints bobbin up here
than you kin shake a stick at, but we
might as well hev one more. Sposin
we hear from Lish Billings. He's the
only man in Jericho who kin play on
an accordion. What d'you say, Lish?'
There's mighty little to be said and
nuthin TO bust up the country" an
swered Lfsh. DO any of you sons of
Bunker Hill know how much wind 1t
takes to blow a brass horn?'
Nobody did, and hush fell upon the
crowd.
at takes ten pounds. reckoned by q
lung tester" said Lish. land you'd
want an extra pound fur walkin up
hill. There was a lung tester man in
town two weeks ago. and every son Of
US handed over nickel and took n
blow. We blowed and strained and
blowed. and Rube White was one Of
'em who blowed a sole off his boot,
and yit no man reached seven pounds.
Whar you goin TO git your wind to
blow them horns:"
There was painful silence while
you could count a hundred, and then
Deacon SpOoner said:
"By John, but I'm goin home and
tell the old woman that don't'know
beans when the bags united, and the
rest of you'd better do the same
thing" NJ. QUAD.
P1aytime In the Senate.