Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-19

for depots. and in front Of these there
was always to be seen some antiQuat-
ed wagon or carryalL These latter
boys and girls laughing and chattering
like lot OF magpies as the train pull
ed up They were there presumably
TO get the mail, but as / thought more
likely to exchange bits of gossip and
TO End out what was going on" down
the road | gave myself up to listen
ing TO their chatter. and / found my
self wondering as the train would start
again on its slow journey how many
of these bright and innocent faces
there would be at the next station to
greet us. 1t would indeed take some
time. | thought. to get proper esti-
mate of these people. whose clothes
would indicate that they belonged to
the farming and labOring classes, but
whose conversation. accent and gram
NAUTICAL phrasing would lead one to be-
lieye they represented a class better
educated and with more culture than
one is likely to discover in such out OF
the way counties as those through
NulCD We were now passing.
By degrees the few passengers who
had taken this train got of. and to-
ward the end of the journey there was
no one in the coach but a venerable
looking old gentleman and myself. He
wore a long frock coat and an old
fashioned silk hat He represented
type / had begun to know and recog-
niZe. He seemed well known along
the road 1t was "Howdy. Colonel
Turpin?" at every station now, and
some one always asked. "How'S FL
len?' His clean shaver face would
wreath itself in a smile as invariably
he would make answer:
"Elen's well. but between the cook
ing and the music she has little time
left TO frolic with you young people"
Its her own fault" said some one
at one OF the stations. for all she has
got to do is to choose which farm she
prefers. that of Squire Hawkins or Jim
Valleys Hollyhurst" At this there
was a burst of merriment from the
young people in the wagons.
Don't be putting such notions in
my Ellen's head just now" he would
laugh back. ELLEN and Bud have their
old father and mother to look after for
awhile yet. to say nothing Of the
Pines"
Bud can do that by himself" called
out one youth. Then he suddenly turn
ed red and hung his head as he saw
the girls casting their eyes from one
to the other and laughing.
Il dare say there are others OF Us
who have used that argument to Ellen
before this and many a time" added
another boy scarce out OF his teens.
80 you need not bother to repeat II,
colonel"
/ BY the time our train had started
again | had determined to introduce
myself TO the colonel for ! saw mate
rial in him for a letter. By way of
/ opening operations | asked him the dis
lance to Oglethorpe station, where l
/ had expected TO leave the train.
About FIVE miles. sir" he said, and.
with a courteous. old fashioned bow
| across the aisle. he added, May l ask
| If you are bound thereY
/ told him that was my destination.
/ lie then continued:
| ''If il be not too impertinent. may
ask you what takes you to such an
/ out of the way place? You are not a
lawyer from Atlanta. are you. sirr'
There seemed to me to be a note of
| alarm in the question. and he appear
| ed greatly relieved and his face bright
! ened visibly when | told him that |
was not a lawyer and was visiting
/ Georgia for the first time l soon learn
ed the cause of his anxiety as TO the
matter OF my profession. for in a con-
tdential whisper. which could have
been heard throughout the car had
there been others in IL, he said:
When smart looking young men like
you come up this road they bring trou-
bic with them usually and as often
leave more behind, sir"
How is thatr' determined to bur
row as deep as possible in this ante
belium soil which / believed TO be rich
from the wild and uncultivated growth
OF experience. Don't smart looking
men often come up this roadT'
Hardly ever but to forecIoSe some
poor devils mortgage" Here ne be
/ gan To laugh immOderately. and when
his riSibles had subsidized sufficiently
to explain. for / was somewhat sur
. prised at mis- sudden burst OF merri-
ment, he said:
"Tll bet yon a pine knot all sawed
up against busheI OF potatoes that at
a half dozen stations bets are being
made right now that you nave come up
to fOreCIose the mortgage Oh the Pines
That's my place. YOU know. I'll have
a good laugh at their expense when /
60 down the ROAD again"
Are all the plantations about mere
mortgaged?" | asked.
Mostly" he said Il know my plan
tation is, and heavily. too. but most of
the planters don't ike TO acknowledge
IL Old Bill HoIlins vowed his wasn't
for ten years. and then one day a fel-
low looking about like you came up
and closed him out He was SO asham-
ed at being caught in a lie that he
moved out OF the county and has never
been back since"
Il sincerely hope, sir. that your
fraQkneSS in the m3tfPA NAV be re-