Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-15

This immediate locality recently re-
ceived attention in at least four of
the leading magazines of the country,
not only from literary standpoint,
but as well in historical sense. Mum
sey's contained the following narra-
tive, and while the author evidently
has purposely changed the names of
some of hisstowns, yet the situations
will awaken a peculiar interest
among the people of the county:
A Voice In the Multitude.
In that small town on the Missis-
sippi she was known as the best sing
err of all the girls. When she reached
16 the fame of her pretty face, her
youthful grace, and her sweet con-
tralto had spread as far as the acade-
my at Cordova and the coal mines at
Carbon Cliff.
One or two had told her, during
those days at the academy, that she
should study for the stage; but she
took this only as a pretty compli-
ment, for to her the stage was a
closed world. She had been shelter
ed in a home which held n contral-
to's destiny to be the cheering of a
domestic circle and the voicing of
Gods praise in the church choir. So
she sang through contented girl
hood, and stepped across the border
into woman's land to find the song of
her heart growing richer with the
deepening of her voice; until one day
she said Eyes, to the old, old story,
and suddenly realized that she was 4
promised bride.
To her the wedding preparations
brought the haPpiest days she had
known. In the simple faith of her
love for the sturdy young fellow
who had won her heart, she went
singing about her plans, accepting
this destiny as the natural and fitting
disposition of her beauty and her
voice. She was content.
The wedding trip was to be the
great event of her life. The groom
had a claim on country editor, and
the editor settled by sending trans
portation for two from Barstow
Junction to ST. Louis and return.
Then came an echo from the larger
world which conveyed to her the fact
that good orchestra was to be heard
in st. Louis. for a season of two
weeks. A saengerfest! The dream
of her life. and to come to- her on
her wedding touri
There was n church wedding. and
many came. some even so far as the
academy at Cordova and the coal
mines at Carbon Cliff. There was
rice in plenty, there was a charivari,
and there were good, wholesome pres
ents of more or less domestic utility
Her travelling dress was a modest
brown, cut by a dressmaker who
knew a good form and fitted it well.
Her hat was fiat and broad, and it's
bits of fur and feathers made it most
fitting for an October bridal tour. He
had been to Rock Island for his
clothes, and wore them well. Many
people turned to look at the couple
in ST. Louis; her so radiant in her
abundant health and jaunty ways,
him so dignified and sensible.
The saengerfest! This soul of mu-
sic for the first time drank its full;
this artistic mind first new and list
ened to satisfying and artistic per-
Torrance. The great orchestra be-
came a living thing to her, the leader
a being of magic power, and the vol
ume of sound thrilled her as she I'M
known to herself, had with her sweet
contralto thrilled others. Daily they
sat through the concerts; she en-
tranced, he enduring it for her sake.
The last afternoon of her stay was
marked by a patriotic coloring of the
program. National airs and anthems
were featured, and at the end the
audience was to stand and join in the