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

V. Il
three times week and the rest OF theN
time remained at home. From what
his OCCUPATION might be the problem
became. How did he live?
All this put OF decision as to the
reception of the newcomers. Some OF
the young persons of the town would
have been glad to make their ac-
quafntance. for youngsters are gre
garious and not so set in their ways
as their elders. But their mothers
would not permit them TO become on
terms of equality with persons about
whom they knew nothing. So the tea
parties ard the spciables went on with
out the bride and groom.
There were no young men In King
ston. so the groom could not make any
effort in a social way. but his wife IN
dictated that she would be pleased to
make acquaintance. She occasionally
smiled on meeting neighbor and on
one or two occasions dropped a re-
mark. Bnt as time passed and no one
called on her such informal recogni-
tons became constrained. and et sess
most of them ceased altogether.
When half year had passed It be-
gan to be noticed that the bride was
seldom seen out of her house, and from
this time forward she appeared more
and more seldom. One day man
with a satchel in his hand came up
from the city with the husband ana
disappeared within the portal. A
dozen pair OF eyes on the other side OF
the street saw him go in. and two
dozen saw him come out. He was the
only visitor the couple had received
since they came to Kingston. and he
went away without exchanging word
with any one except those he had come
to see. He made one or two visits
after this. and every time he came
desire welled up in the breasts or
many women TO interview him with
regard to the strangers, but TO speak
to a man to whom they had not been
introduced was not to be considered.
The next commotion among the
Kingston ladies was resplendent
touring car that pulled up before the
house occupied by the couple. An
elderly gentleman and lady, threw off
their fur coats, sprang from the auto
and ran up the steps. They were re-
| ceived by the husband. the door was
| closed behind them, and the battery of
! eyes that stormed the premises looked
/ upon nothing but the outside Of the
| house. On the arrival of the next
| train from the city the same auto
/ brought from the station the stranger
with the bag who had appeared before
4 Nd fyrn oil IF
! ly respectable appearance.
The impression got abroad that the
young wife was very i'll; that the elder.
ly couple who had come were her par.
| ents and the others were doctors.
1t now occurred to the good people
of Kingston that possibly they had
made a mistake These connections of
the young people were certainly rich
and to all appearances respectable.
Was there not still time to atone for
their neglect? Not that there was any
atonement, to be made had the couple
turned out to be ordinary persons. 1t
was due only since it had become ap-
parent that they were both rich and
respectable, for, while all the elite
of Kingston were respectable, none of
| them were rich. and their respect for
the combination was something over
whelming.
Two of the most estimable leaders
Of the place called at the house and
sent up cards and message asking
If they could be Of service. A reply
came back, borne by uniformed maid
who had come from the city by train,
that the lady begged to be excused
from seeing them, and there was moth
ing they could do.
This was very nearly, if not quite. a
snub. Then some one reported that q
city newspaper had mentioned that a
reconciliation had occurred between a
wealthy banker and his wife on the
one hand and their daughter and heI
husband on the other, the mother be
} ing social leader and member OF
one of the oldest families of the coun
try. The young couple had eloped and
hidden themselves in an obscure vii
lsge called Kingston, where the brides
parents had found them.
The pride OF the town was wounded
by being referred to as an obscure vii
Idse, anu Tue young girls all Wept DIT
ter tears Of disappointment that the!
had lost an opportunity to becom,
friendly with a member of the exclu
sive circle of city society.
One day the automobile pulled up il
front of the house in question. Tn
elderly couple and the young coup
came out, attended by maid carrying
: a baby dressed in garments trimme,
/ with the finest embroidery and lace
All got into the auto and chugge,
away, leaving the house to be shut a
! by others and an object of no furthe
: interest to the neighborhood of King
3 sion.
= Before this. episode the town had be
: come wormy. and after it crumble
= more rapidly. But few Of the aristc
D cratic set are now left. and they ar
, too old to get out. They sit all ia
e looking at the grass growing in til
= street.