Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-20
The Genial Wit
Henry kiner, the Geneseo
Newspaper Man, Talks
to Press Club.
BRYAN AND TAFT COMING
Both to Be Guests of Tri-City Organ
ization-Other Business
Transacted.

Henry l.. Kiner, the sage of Geneseo,
poet, philosopher and journalist, was
The guest Of the Tri-City Press Club
at its regular monthly meeting at the
Hotel Harms last evening. Mir. Kiner,
who was presented by Chairman Muel-
Ter Of the entertainment committee,
and the introduction was prefaced
by a short and eloquent talk by Mr..
Kiner's lifelong friend Guy V. Petit.
Mr.. Kinerdcliyeredd an address Astounding
in entertaining "reminiscences, of the
pioneer days in Illinois journalism.
bristling with wit and with here and
here a touch of pathos, He told as
only Kiner can. OF his experiences in
launching the Geneseo News. of the
struggles and deprivatiOns and hard
ships he endured, as well as of the III
licrous incidents that developed
during his career Incident TO his re
marks on his own experiences. ne
spoke of how deeply he had been touch
ID during the afternoon in asking after
Old friends horeabout, To find that 50 many
If them passed beyond The shores OF
time. He expressed his deep apprecia
zion of the privilege of having the op
portunity TO become the clubs guest
and of meeting personally the worker.
in The tri-city newspaper field.
Could Not Get Hat Big Enough.
The invitation came to him simulta
ncously, he said, with his nomination
for mayor of Geneseo, and he laid boil
honors before his wife at the same
time. Mrs. Kiner, he said, at once III
formed him that. no matter what h,
did about the political proposition, h,
would accept the invitation from the
newspaper boys. Of course. But, sh,
IadmCnished me-" said the speaker, 81
would be necessary for me TO get
new pair of shoes and new hat be
fore going away from home" Kline
then told of how he went out forth
with and bought the shoes, but afte
visiting the four hat stores in Gene
| SEQ, he was obliged to give up tina
| iask-he could not find one big enough
And. so he said, Il am here wit
my old hat" In conclusion. Mr.. Kline
read the following original lines writ
ten for the occasion. and which he wa
requested TO turn over to the secretar
of the club for preservation in it
archives:
'Faiher of Waters; Or. the Tri-Cities.
have seen you. regal river. where yo
wash the wharves of towns:
| Where tho t.att1jl PUSHES ShlNsr b1Nja
shed their silkcn gowns;
Where the forest glowcd and sableC
where the gOrges Grimly frowned. .
Where the bridges. many-cabled, we
your beaches, manv-towncd.
Hcmispheran vein, I know you. car
opted by every sky,
| Yet. in All your long drawn flow. yo
lave but three towns that will Tri!
Ill have seen the lake gemmcd region
1 where you have your lonely birth.
/ And the gulf whose floods are legio
l with the waters of the earth:
l From the Northland to the Southlan
| from the pine unto the palm.
1 From the canehrake's weird. uncout
land to the CULTS colossal calm.
| There's an Il WIZ city sitting yond,
by the saltless sea.
| Many Il Was towns are quitting maj
for all eternity;
But the principles Of copybooks. a ia
and faultless fry.
l Proclaimed just after potty-hooks tn;
we should Tri and Tr.
The Twin-C Paul and Minnie I
st. Antone's Toured falls.
ttFight the felines of Kilkenny, down