Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-04

Moufn1uily the S0mDer melody or
the dead march from "Saul" came
through the. double sashed windows Of
the Eagle House. The music gained
in mournfulness what it lacked in i'm
pressiyeness, for Dan Hicks struggles
with the unfamiliar clarinet added a
wailing note not intended by the COM
poser. Not one of the members of the
Granville Cornet band was a skilled
musician
Vance Bevan moved over to the win
dow to watch the passing of the cor
tege. First came the band, shivering
in their gaudy uniforms. which they
would not hide beneath their over.
coats. Then followed the Niagara
Hose company and the Granville
Hook and Ladder. The long. light
truck of the latter was stripped of its
ladders, and in their place was plat
form, on which rested a flag draped
casket Behind this were two closed
carriages and then long string of We
hicies of all descriptions.
Hank Flagier Joined his guests at the
window.
There goes good man." he said in
the hollow tones that seemed most APP
propriate to the occasion. II tell you.
there wasn't better man in all SEQ
vile county He was always doing
something, First it was the engine
company. He got it the steamer. Just
kept at it until it had to come He
said Granville was getting too big
for the old hand engine He was
right What chance would there have
been of saving the Vail block If there
hadn't been steamer?''
One of the leading citiZens?" asked
Bevan as he proffered a cigar Flag
Ter nodded.
One of the best" he declared. I'VE
We're all sorry when he went to the
Philippines. / guess he stirred them
islands up. Only out there four years
and he came home with a cool hundred
thousand. Yes. sir"
But why go to the Philippines?
questioned Bevan. ut would seem
that SO clever man should have nc
difficulty In getting ahead nearer
home"
But Fred was in a hurry" explain
ed the hotel man. You see, he had
always been in love with Bessie Brew.
ster. Bessie loved him, too. but she
was an ambitious little thing. She
wanted Fred to get ahead faster. and
that meant the Philippines He left il
all to her too. / bet she must be all
broken up. That's her in the second
carriage, l guess. see Betty Harvey
in with her.
"Of course the family is In the first
hack. l rode in that hack the night
l got married. Lem Spriggs he says
there's been enough varnish on that
old hack to pay for a new one, and
guess he's right. Old man Hardness
had it when he set up in business as @
livery back in 1915. Every tother year
they slap on some more varnish, ant
| it looks as good as new again
Flagler ratified ON with bits of infor
| nation as the various carriages passed
The first heavy fall of snow was upon
| the ground, and Il few sleighs We're il
| the long procession. Bevan heard ;
little of the running comment. The
mention of Betty Harvey had rouse(
chain of thought. He had run W
from the city to argue with her ant
had found the whole town upset 10y
the arrival of Fred Greyson's body
| Betty was busy comforting her friend
Bessie Brewster, and would not ever
see him.
There was small hope that he would
he able to get speech with her, but b,
decided to wait Until after the funeral
He wanted to make one last appeal.
The two had met at the shore durin;
the summer. Betty had given her low
to the clean young engineer. but whel
he had asked that they might be mar
ried soon she had shaken her head
Stumblingly she had explained he
reasons for refusal. She was an heir
eSs, and in the little town in which
she lived she feared that the peopl
might despise her sutton as forum
hunter.
Ever since she had come into til
money at the death of her father he
friends had warned her against tn