Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-22

II knoWO yer had glStS. Mars
Ge'oge. I'd sure have brought the
coach" said the old darby, looking
spologetcally at the wagon he was on.
The colonel told him that | was going
TO stay some time and that he reckon
ed / would know all they had soon
and so be would not begin by Offering
excuses.
by the way, sir" be said as we
stepped on the platform. Il have not
the pleasure OF knowing your name,
though you have heard mine often
enough this morning" I had. indeed.
overlooked that detail or else felt In
different TO It. but / handed him 10Y
card. which he read carefully and then
asked:
II reckon you amt any relation to
the Palmers OF Kentucky. | rOOmed
with two men from that state of your
name years ago when | was at Prince
ton"
/ told the colonel that I was not
from Kentucky, but thought there was
some kinship. l had intended telling
him that the families had never met
and that In all probability the Ken
lucky Palmers would not know OF me,
but did not finish my explanation, for
/ as soon as l mentioned kinship ne
| grasped my hand warmly and said:
Then. sir, you can make yourself
/ at home in my house as long as you
| care to. for there were never two finer
/ fellows than those Palmer boys. even
If they did join the Yankee army dur
| ing the war. / tell you. sir, | am
proud and happy to entertain one of
! their blood at the Pines. And now.
Jefferson. drive fast, for we must let
Miss Ellen know we have a guest"
/ The Pines was distance of some
five miles from the town limits 1t
was appropriately named, for after we
entered the grounds we passed into a
primeval forest Of tall and stately
pine trees. The long needles waved in
the wind, and there was a mournful
cadence in the branches. different from
the song we hear I'm the northern for
ests. The ground was covered with
pine straw, and il might have been
falling there and ungathered for gen
erations. 50 thickly did it seem to lie.
We crossed a branch over which there
had been built an old stone bridge.
now covered with vines.
That. sir, was built as a memorial
TO General Oglethorpe" said my old
host, seeing my curiosity. for the
bridge was out OF all proportion to the
size OF the stream. When the gen.
eral paid his memorable visit TO this
place 1t was right there. sir. that be
drew from his pocket a small flask
and after Offering my grandfather d
dram took one himself You must
know. sir. that the great philanthropisl
was supposed TO be A teetotaier and
certainly never took n drink in the
presence or any OF his colonists fol
fear OF setting them a bad example
That little act shows as nothing elst
could the great confidence and esteem
I'm which he held my worthy progeni
tor"
/ was anxious 10 hear more OF thi.
episode. but feared TO get the coIone
started on what was evidently to bin
an important bit of family history anC
which | suspected strongly had becom,
a hobby Some day Ellen shall wall
here with you" he added. "and show
you the Inscriptions on IL. You viii
end them interesting"
Ellen again. | was beginning to fee
the keenest anxiety TO meet this ElleI
and TO wonder what she could be
half cook and half lady. had beguI
TO think from the little bits | had pick
ed up concerning her during the day
We passed from the pine trees into
long avenue OF cedars. and when WI
emerged from this the Pines IN all 10
solitary and lonely grandeur stood be
fore Us. rich in coloring from the SCI
ting sun that bathed IL in a crimson
glow. As / looked at II in wondermen
II might have been a dream out of IN
past that had taken shape and tloate'
now across my vision. Its front an
sides were fanked with colonial col
umns OF the Doric type. and the lov
wings running at right angles TO tn
body OF the house were covered wit
vines which almost hid the low porch
This porch was supported by diminU
tive columns Of the same CracefU
} curves. | was so moved by the beauT
OF the whole 81 first that ! failed [
note that some Of the columns were o
the point OF falling ana that other
were crUmbline TO decay. The pIasre
had fallen from many Of them. show
ing a dull red brick behind But thes