Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-06

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while.
"Maksim,'' he said when the young
man had finished. 81 think can help
you. Get away from your work be-
tween and tomorrow afternoon and
come to me. Don't let your folks know
where you are"
Maksim was promptly on hand at
| the hour first named. and Mr.. Lowell
said Come with me-"
Together they visited Dan Cupid"
Elmer, the marriage license clerk at
the courthouse. where Mr.. Lowell, by
deity evading certain little TECHNICAL
/ ties, aided the boy in securing the
| precious license. Then, cautioning Sc
/ crecy, he said. ''See Natasha as quiet
| ly as you can and bring her to the
/ settlement house tomorrow afternoon
at o'clock"
Four O'Clock the following afternoon
| promptly brought the lovers, and as
| promptly the two were made one and
! happy at the same time. Mr. Lowell
| handing Maksim the certificate at the
close of the simple ceremony, which
/ his wife had witnessed, saying: "Now
/ you are married as well as the presi-
/ dent of the United States or John d.
( Rockefeller. Say nothing to your peo-
| pie about this marriage and let the
other marriage proceed. TO be mar
| ried twice won't do any harm, and it
will satisfy your relatives, yourselves
and the laws of California all at the
same time. God bless your And Max
| sim and Natasha went their ways
/ with the reverent feeling that "God"
and "Mr. Lowell" were synonymous
! terms.
That evening there was a crowded
meeting of the faithful of both sexes
and all ages. Devils were to be ex-
orcised. The air was surcharged with
/ suppressed excitement.
! Maksim and Natasha were both in
attendance, the boy dutifully occupy
/ ing seat on the mems side, and Ma
tasha sitting demurely on her side
among the women.
/ The meeting began with the usual
chant the words of q Bible psalm be-
/ ing intoned in unison by the entire as
/ semblage with long practiced rhythm
and accent far more precise than mu-
steal This chant was followed by an
other, the elders, who sat about a
small table in a corner, leading and
/ the rest following, while rough shod
! feet kept time against the uncarpeted
/ floor.
The air of the place soon grew foul
! Not a window or door was open. and
| the stamping feet raised a suffocating
dust, to say nothing Of the vocal ex-
halations of the hot. excited mass. 1t
was evident that if the devils could not
/ be expelled in any other way the air
would soon become so rotten that no
devil who had any regard for his
health would stay.
During the progress OF the service
thus far many covert glances had been
cast at Maksim and Natasha. Anxious
watch was kept on them for the first
/ sign that they were being freed from
/ the Satanic spirits within them.
! Maksim noted this. and when the
meeting was about half over. the
( benches having been removed and the
! whole company were standing, he
walked TO the elders corner and whis-
/ pered something in his fathers ear.
! 1t must have been an assent to the
| church marriage. for instantly the old
patriarch. his face flushed. his eyes
! glistening and his whole attitude pro-
/ claiming that Maksim had got the bet
I ter of his devils. threw up his great
arms and began q new chant. At the
same moment Natasha. taking her cue
no doubt from Maksim. whispered a
word in her mothers ear. and Katga's
| triumphant shout could have been
! heard three blocks away.
/ ivory in rom O1Irrht tho
electric signal of good news. and the
/ excitement began 10 boil The condi-
tons were ripe and the moment had
come for. a wild debauch of religious
! frenzy. Devils had been driven out.
there was the exhilaratiOn Of triumph.
and n satUrnalia Of religious iatoXica-
ton was about TO begin.
The noise became more deafening as
the chanting continued Men embrac-
ed each other. SprinCing into the air
and gesticulating wildly. The shrill
voices of women arose above the pam
demonium. Here and there under the
| stress Of excitement overweight
nerves became unstrunc. muscles be-
gan to Jerk" invountarily. and the
whole room became an insane carousal.
Old Mother Shuben collapsed. Il young
! woman overcome of the spirit fell
prone in a corner. and the limit of
strained endurance was reached when
a stalwart member locking arms with
brother behind his back. lifted said
brother and threw him bodily over his
head. stretching him full length on the
floor and nearly breaking his neck.
There was 4 pause The incident,
| which was so nearly an accident. re-
called the jewellers to their senses. the
ghost dance ceased. the doors were
| opened, and the excitement Gained
down. The people. exhausted. but hap
by. hurried into the open air and weDd-
ed their way home. The devils bad
been chased away, Maksim and Nata-
sha were to be married by the elders.
| and Eden was once mora rrlm.
~.