Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-04-23

SprawlS in from the village or ESOpuS.
Across the great river is seen one of
the new Vanderbilt houses. In the 9TH
er direction are the lovely wooded
mountains leading toward the Cats
kills.
His Home Life.
The judges house is a modest but
comfortable wooden structure, stand
ing on the stone foundations of a
Dutch house of colonial times. 1t is
set on the side of a hill among shade
trees and fronts the river. 1t is the
abode of hospitality and refinement,
the typical home of an American gen.
ueman. The pictures, the books, the
furniture, the wide hall and glowing
fireplace, the sunny library and the
dining room, with its long mahogany
table, all show evidences of intelligent
tastes that were not developed in one
generation.
Here Judge Parker walks among his
bulls and cows, in top boots and pea
jacket, the incarnation of strength and
virility. He strides through the sor-
ghum and hay fields, visits the great
barn. tends the sick cow or fondles
the latest calf and helps his men to
clear up the leaves or stubble His
cheeks glow, his eyes shine, and he
swings his arms like Il boy. drinking
in great drafts of the pure air or
whistling 4 merry tune.
None of his eight farm hands knows
half as much as he does about the
trees, the crops, the cattle, sheep. pigs,
chickens, turkeys or ducks. Whether
in the peach or apple orchard, in the
COW pasture. barn or sty, he is the
master of all in knowledge as well as
in energy. He will ply his pitchfOrk
or put his shoulder under Il heavy load
with the best of them, and it is Il good
man who can keep up with him. He
is modest enough, save when he stands
among his great Red Poll cattle. the
pride of his heart Then he swells
with conscious comradeship. for they
are like him-big, strong and genuine.
There is no finer sight in that part Of
the country than Judge Parker in the
middle of his herd, calling to his grent
bulls and laughing as they come to
him.
There are tall silO and Il cold storage
house. built on the judges plans. In
the storage house are apples. pears,
cider and all manner OF good things to
eat. mostly the product of Rosemont
Thrift, Orderliness and energetic man
agement are everywhere In evidence.
In his home the gentle. lovable traits
Of the austere chief judge reveal them
selves. To his wife. the Inspiration of
his mature life. he is always like
boyish lover. To his venerable mother
he is the dutiful son. smiling at her
stern sermons on temperance and hui
nility, but proud of her noble charac-
ter.
He takes his little redheaded grand
son by the hand and swings around
he vcranda with him like another
,hild. He catches up his baby grand
laughter Mary in his arms and dances
Up and down the wide hall, whistling
he while And when his name is
mentioned to her she always purses
her rosy lips and tries to whistle.
lie HIS ~ lis SOli-lu-
avs church at Kingston every Sun
lay and sings heartily, so that stran-
gers in the congregation are apt to
urn their heads. Nor does he forget to
have his domestic servants, who are
Roman Catholics, driven to their own
church regularly.
The judge is vestryman in the
Kingston church and, although n man
IF very moderate means, he is probably
The wealthiest man in the congrega-
ton. He is the practical pillar of the
church and takes an active interest in
is charities. its cooking and sewing
md dancing schools. its physical cul-
.ure class and its basketball games for
boys. He is also a contributor to the
funds of the local orphan asylum and
s one of the managers of the King
ston city hospital.
His neighborly usefulness is to DE
seen on all sides. He is even the
freight agent of Il steamboat company,
so that the little private dock on bis
arm may be used for the convenience
If the community. and there the fast
st steamboats, of the Hudson touch on
heir way to and from New York.