Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-17
DAILY SHORT STORY
Romance of Old Philadelphia
COriginal.J

is because the people of the past We're
different from ourselves and more dit
ferent than we are from each other.
How different from that immense
city which today is spread over thou
sands of acres, whose streets are uh-
adorned except with colossal buildings
and whose people are engaged in the
mad rush for money! Then beautiful
trees lined her thoroughfares, her
houses were quaint little buildings, and
her Quaker population wore broad
brimmed hats, broad tailed coats and
knee breaches.
Polly PennelI, nineteen years old,
was the daughter of a Philadelphia
Quaker father - 1.-THE stricteSt sect a
Pharisee"-and a Church of England
mother. Polly was pretty as a picture
and had hosts of admirers, all of whom
were sharply watched by her curmudg-
con father. Her most intimate friend
was ,Rebecca Hamilton. Rebecca was
not TO the taste of old Pennell, she be-
ing of the world worldly. She took a
fancy to Polly, however, and soon aft
er their first meeting one Sunday after
church she came down the street car
rying aloft a beaver hat, two feet on
the brim, looking for all the world like
balloon jib, leg o mutton sleeves for
spinnakers, and gloves laced to the ell
bows. The rest of her rig was q pro-
fusion of tulle and india muslin. Meet
ing Polly, she swOoped down upon her
and carried her off to dinner.
Polly was rescued by her Quaker at
tendants and received severe adj
10 oh tar
But Rebecca was as much to Polly's
taste as she was to Polly's parents
distaste. A high bred dame, she dis
dained conventionalities as only neces-
sary for inferior people who did not
know how to behave themselves and
made her own rules. Within a week
after the rescue Polly had visited her
in her home. There she was taken into
dinner by young Virginian, the very
antipodes Of a Quaker named Francis
Dulaney. His dress was far more eff
fective in impressing a young girl than
the conventional black "Steel pen jack
et'' of tOday-a canary colored waist
coat embroidered with blooming red
silk roses, a claret colored coat with
cuffs, fiat brass buttons the size of
modern individual butter plate, breech-
es and stockings of the color of the
coat, buckles on his shoes and plenty
of lace about his throat. How could
any young girl resist handsome fell
low I'm such attire? Polly certainly did
not resist him, for she fell in love with
him, and her love was returned. Re
becca Hamilton fostered the courtship
not only for sympathy with the young
couple, but to score Il point on the
Quakers.
Think of the broad brim hated, coal
scoop coated old Pinnell having for a
son-in-law a young man adorned like
Francis Dulaney! Fancy the scene
when these two costumes containing
the two men stood before each other
and the younger man, perfect stran-
ger to the older, asked for the hand of
his daughter! OF course he was re-
fused. Could Quaker drab mate with
canary and claret color? One might as
well think of daughter of Il prophet
mating with u Spangled circus rider.
The old man stood rigid, listening to
the young ones entreaties, then gave
curt refusal. and Dulaney beat a sui
len retreat. Pinnell sent for his daugh-
child he found Il firm woman. She
told him that she had pledged herself
to marry Dulaney and would do so.
Pinnell placed Polly under the care
of his sister, Patience, u woman more
austere, more Quakerly dressed, more
commanding, than her brother. Polly
was forbidden to leave the house unac-
companied by her aunt. and her father
made preparations to take her to Eng
land.
One crisp October morning in 1900
Pennell put on his broad brimmed hat,
took his long staff, with a silver head
as big as a dinner bell, and went down
town. The duenna went to her room TO
put it in order. She had no sooner en-.
tered than the door was locked from
the outside. The family black servant
was locked IN the cellar. Then Polly,
pale and excited, came downstairs and,
pausing a moment to bid farewell to
home, sailed forth. followed by her
maid. Under a large buttonwoOd tree,
standing on a corner, were Dulaney
and Miss Hamilton, with the Hamil-
toms tilbury. Entering the tilbury.
the party were driven to the home of
Tue E1dL1llJOlS. All Lnc WeIluInS ar
rangements had been completed. No
less parsonage than the mayor of the
town performed the ceremony, and An
drew Hamilton gave away the bride.
When Mr.. Pencil returned to his
home, he found gaping crowd of
broad brims before his house, attracted
by the screams of his sister and his
servant, who were demanding to be I'M
locked. Entering. he found the house
abandoned by the child whom he had
striven to keep from mingling with the
sinful world. But, though he consid-
cred a canary colored waistcoast en-
broidered with flowers the livery of Sa-
tan, he did not consider forgiveness &
part of salvation. He never forgave
his daughter and died unreconciled.
Dulaney took his wife to Virginia,
that home of the iniquitous Cavaliers,
who, if in 1900 they had cut their hair,
We're still sufficiently sinful to wear