Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-13

When the proprietor handed It to him
the young man begged him to bring one
for himself This he did and the
stranger questioned him.
Did you ever hear Of the Curtice
family, once leaders in this placer"
''Nein."
"Who are leaders now?" =
DE pig men,"
Eyes, the leaders,
Mike Finegan is de piggest?"
mike Finegan? Our family butcher
was Mike Finegan."
Yah. De grandfader vas a butcher.
He vent to Kansas and killed hogs,
pig lot of hogs. Dat made him ferry
pig man. Won vat kills twenty hogs
is not much. Won vat kills 100000
hogs is pig man"
The stranger, wondering. slipped in
silence.
DE Finegans are pig people now"
continued the proprietor. "Udder peO-
pie can't touch EN-. Got blenty coun-
try places, yachts und such dfngs."
An hour later the stranger appeared
before the palatiai residence of the
Finpgans in the center of great pri-
vate park Dinner had just been fin
ished and several men in evening dress
were smoking on the piazza. y group
of women were sitting near. The
stranger mounted the steps. hat in
hand, and addressed the men.
"Sirs," he said, after many years
absence l have returned to my native
land. When 1 left here my father,
Munroe Curtice. occupied the position
which IS now occupied by your family
the Finegans | would fain take my
position I'm society and humbly crave
the boon of an Introduction. I can as
sure you of my responsibility by stat
ing that l am related to two presi-
dents. my father having been named
for one, for another"
The ladies' held fans before their
faces to conceal their Smiles. One of
the gentlemen invited the stranger to
take seat on the veranda.
You must excuse me- he said, for
not remembering your family since
they have not been known here since
/ came into the world. You must have
been born abroad or you would know
that marked changes have come over
this country. 1t now requires wealth
to keep up a position"
Il have all that bachelor Of good
family requires. Though my pater
nal estates have been lost to me, half
a century ago n small sum was i'll
vested for me in Germany and it now
produces $500 n year"
There was an audible tttter from the
ladies. The gentlemen turned their
heads away.
THE incomes of the bachelors of our
acquaintance" said the host. vary
from $40. 900 to S1O.OOO.OOO Il year.
The stra niger looked disconnected.
May ask" he said presently, 'if
any of the old families are now leaders
IN society,"
Eve are as old as any. You must
know that the leaders of the time you
speak were not so influential as those
who lead today. At that time few If
any noble foreign alliances had been
made. Now there are many. My sis
ter is Duchess of DonemOnegal.'
Again Mr. Curtice was thrown fiat
n-back" He was too well bred to show
his establishment and pushed on TO
avoid doing so.
Perhaps l misunderstood the Gus
lOillS VI lbtSt 1llHGS, At SdIh. 1l'tiA Il
century ago q Curtice had but to men
ton his name and all doors We're
opened 10 him, or where he needed in
PRODUCTION II was given TO him. De
string 10 see something of those who
have taken the places of the leaders Of
that day, I would hunlbly beg you TO
present me. First 1 would pay my re
spects to your lady
At this the women arose and went
into the house, screening their faces as
they did so.
1.-THE term lady" said the host, as
now used in America for saleswomen
and laundresSeS. In society we are
men and women. at least to each other
But you must excuse me, sir. We are
TO have 4 few friends to play bridge
whist with Us this evening, and must
leave you. Happy to have seen you
and regret my inability to serve you"
The gentlemen all rose and went into |
the house, leaving the astonished Mr.. |
Curtice picture Of confusion.
That night, in q chamber over the |
beer saloon that had been visited by |
the stranger on his arrival, his dead !
body was found He had begun a let
ter headed, In my own ROOM" but had |
only written a few words. Since he |
was unknown he was buried in the
potter's field. F. A. mitchell ]