Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-21

SNUB.
piracy was INDUCED in by persons Of
aristocratic birth, the present owners,
and were therefore quite proud of the
manner in which it had been obtained.
The aristocratic center of Kingston
consisted of two blocks on the main
thoroughfare. There was not a house
| on these two blocks whose front door
was not flanked with side lights and
arched glass above and whose gardee
was not situated in the rear, inclosed
| by a big wall. Some of the knockers
| on the doors were known to be 300
| years old. There was a disposition in
! the town to gauge the families by the
! age of these knockers. which were
| considered in lieu Of coats of arms.
In these aristocratic two blocks was
one house Smaller than the rest
/ though houses built in colonial times
were not large-which had finally pass
/ ed to the ownership Of an old maiden
who had died ut the age of ninetytwo.
/ She being the last of her family, at
/ her demise the house was shut up and
! remained closed for twenty years. One
day the street was electrified by the
presence of painter and decorator at
the Olmstead house. as it was called.
and a still stronger current was turned
on at the subsequent appearance of
a boy of twenty and girl of eighteen,
who were evidently a bride and groom.
They settled down in the old house
like a pair of birds just mated and
about to build a nest
Their appearance was a signal for
the collection Of groups of women in
different houses in the district where
the innovation had occurred. Had a
bomb been discovered in the middle
of the street, its fuse splitting venom
Gus fire. the commotion could not
have been greater. The parties inter
ested were a few old ladies whose
husbands were living, large number
of widows. still larger number of
old maids, with Il small crop of maid
ems coming on. Such a thing as any
family settling in any house in the
sacred district without the permission
of the social primates had never been
known since a returned patent medi-
cine man had dared do so. His family
had been ignored and frozen out with
in three months.
But the present case was different
These young creatures seemed to be
quite respectful BILE. What treatment
should be given them? Should they
be suffered to live in seclusion OF
called upon and invited to their neigh.
bors' houses? One thing was certain
action in their case should be unani
nous. 1t would never do for wedge
to be inserted into Kingston society.
After numerous consultations by DIFF
ferent groups. with women flying from
house to house to consult the old In
, dies who were not able TO get out
: there was found to be a consensus oil
opinion that the matter had better bt
left to Miss Drake. the last of thu
family of brakes. who lived in thu
: house built with the proceeds arisinc
from piracy. Miss Drake claimed de
scent from Sir Francis Drake (wht
acquired taste for piracy by preyinl
on Spanish commerce.. she being tn,
authority TO whom all questions of so
cial importance were usually referred
Miss Drake recommended that SOM
I one make it his business to find OF
4 how the couple lived; what was th
young mans business. If he were
professional man and in good standin
the pair might be called on and r,
ceived. But If he sold or manufat
8 tured anything the matter must b
9 further looked into. If he sold soG
e his admission would be oft of th
question.
But nothing could be learned abot
the young couple. They did not off
any information concerning then
e selves. and those who would learn {
: them were too well bred to ask the
o any questions. Besides. how cou
= they ask questions when they had I
acquaintance with the strangers: Al
how could they find out what was Il
J. husbands occupation when he had
occupation2 He went to the nearc