The people's press, and Addison County Democrat. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1838-1841, 1841-05-18
MISCELLANEOUS.
JOHN RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE
From rolume of sketches no,c preparing for tn
press, by the author Of Clinton Bird
sha,c,' &c.

'crcai wits madness nearly allied
| remember some years since TO have seen
John Randolph in Baltimore. had frequently
read and heard descriptions of him, and one
day, as was standing in Market now Balti
more street, | remarked tall, Thin. unique.
looking being hurrying toward me with quick
impatient step, evidently much annoyed by q
crowd of boys who were following close 10
his heels, not in the obstreperous mirth with
which they would have followed a crazy or
drunken man, or an organ grinder and his
monkey, but in the silent, curious wonder with
which they would have haunted Chinese be.
decked in full costume. ! instantly knew the
individual 10 be Randolph from the descrp.
tons. therefore advanced toward him that
might make full observation of his person
without violating the rules of courtesy in stop.
ping TO gaze al him. As he approached, he
| occasionally turned toward the boys with an
cry glance, but without saying any thing, and
then hurried on as if to outstrip them, bu. it
would not do. They followed close behind
the orator. each one observing him so inlen,ly
that he said nothing TO his companions. Just
| before | met him he stopped Mr.. c., a
cashier of one of the banks, said TO be as odd
fish as John himself. | oitered into store
| close by, and, unno,iced. remarked the Roam.
| oke orator for considerable time, and really
he was the strangest looking being ever be-.
| held.
| His long thin legs, about as thick as strong
walking cane, and of much such shape, were
encased in a pair of tight small clothes, so
tight that they seemed part and parcel of the
| limbs of the wearer. Handsome white stock
ings were fastened with great tidness a. the
knees by small gold buckle, and over them,
coming about half way up the calf, were pair
of what, believe, are called hose, coarse and
| country knit. He wore shoes. They were
old fashioned, and fastened also with buckles
huge ones. He trod like an Indian, without
turning his toes out, but planking them down
straighi ahead. 1t was the fashion in those
DAYS to wear a fan-tailed coat. with small
collar, and buttons far apart behind, and few
on the breast. Mr.. Randolph's were the re-
verse Of all this, ard, instead of bis coat being
fan. tailed, it wos what We believe, the knights
of the needle call swallow tailed; the collar was
immensely large, the buttons behind were in
kissing proximity, and they sat together as
close on the breast of the garment as the fea.
lures at a crowded public festival. His waist
was remarkably slender; so slender that, as he
stood with his arms akin.bo, he could easily, as
/ thought, with his long fingers have spanned
it. Around him his coat, which was very
tight, was held together by one button, and, in
consequence, an inch IS more of tape, 10 which
it was attached, was percepiible where il was
pulled through the cloth. About his neck he
wore large white cravat, in which his chin
was occasionally buried as he moved his head
in conversation; no shirt collar was percep;i-
Bile; every other person seemed 10 pride himself
upon the size of his as they were then worn
large. Mr.. RANDOLPH complexion was pre-.
cisely that of mummy. withered, saffron, dry
and bloodless; you could not have placed
pins point on his face where you would no,
have touched wrinkle. His lips were thin.
compressed, and colorless; the chin beardless
as boys was broad for the size Of bis face,
which was small; his nose was straight, With