Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1858-07-29
much in the open air, and to walk constant.


rest at nine o'clock in the evening, and
rises at half past four, the year round.
He washes himself all over every morn
ing, in cold water, and rubs the surface
dry with a crash towel. He sleeps with
his windows wide open in the coolest
weather, and one morning last winter, he
says, his housekeeper carried out of his
bed.chamber three pals full of snow
which had blown in during the night.
He never wore underCo,hs nor an over.
coat. He wears light cloth-goes with
his shirt open, not even leaving
buttons on it so that il could be closed.
He has not worn a glove or mitten for
thirty-years; seldom carries an umbrella,
and is out in all weathers. He never
rides, even though he should have three
miles TO 60. Not long since, having,
about sunset, paid over sum of money
which he had collected for gentleman,
and having three miles to 60 TO reach
home, the man insisted on paying his fare
in the stage. He took the amount, paid
it TO the driver, rode out of sight of his
friend, got out of the stage and walked
home. al could not" said he, :" be boxed
up and jolted about in stage" His ex-
,remities, unlike those of old people gen.
orally, are warm, plump, and muscular.
His blood circula!es freely, and tinges
the surface with the hue of youth. His
eye sparkles with playful wit, and seems
TO relish the pleasures of life with ss keen
zest as the youth of eighteen. With
such habits as his, should we be surprised
at his health, endurance, and high spirits
Sharon Carter, as we have said, is very
extensively known in Philadelphia yet,
among the thousand, who know his person
familiary, there are comparatively few
who knew him as Sharon Garter. He
has '76 style of dress that attracts uni
versal attention, and his pedal extremities
are ever encased in buf-topped boots that
double over like the cuff of coat, accord.
ing 10 the Revolutionary pattern, people
know him by them, and he has thus ac-
quired the soubriquet of Doors" Of
course Ce do not approve the application
of this name to our venerable subject, nor
do we commend such a singularity of
manners or of dress as shall provoke wits
and urchins to apply nickname. But
we are writing history, not creating it.
He has, of course, the right to wear small
clothes, and such boots as he thinks proper
to do. and he can not seriously complain of
the irreverent wit which provokes name
for himself suggested by those same boots.
He is certainly distinguished by them,
and nobody else in this great city has so
good right to the appellation. In these,
"He stands alone;
There is but ONE in all this world, but one
Such pair of boots" ..s
Little things often make or mar
mans fortune, These boots have been
serviceabe to friend Carter above and be-
yond the ordinary use of boots, viz, in
business aspect. He is a collector, and
has followed this pursuit more than twen-
ty years. 1t has passed into proverb,
that if he can not collect bill, it is beyond
the reach Of hope and he is mainly en-
ployed in desperate cases, the boots, COM
bined with the quiet, pertinacious patience
of their wearer, become omnipotent.
Wherever they rove or rest, there the
eyes Of all are concentrated and as every
body knows their owners business. and
the kind of subjects he generally has to
deal with, the debtor "forks over" with
out delay, when sherifs and executions
would be powerless. In city like Phil
adelphia there are sufficient number of
slow paymasters to keep at least one man
employed as collector for this class alone,
and he who can extract moisture from a
dry sponge can command a generous per-
centage. AS no man who sees these boots
on his track, and knows the character Of
their owner, never delays payment an
hour longer than il is necessary for him
10 earn, borrow, or beg the amount, friend
Carter drives a prosperous business.
These facts justify our assertion, that the
boots in question are pre-eminenty SER
viceable to their wearer. His manner of
doing business is peculiar, and may be
proftably copied by others. He uniform
ly exacts his percentage Of the creditor,
in advance, if the case is very desperate !;
for says he, "Now, John, thee has tried
thy best to collect this debt. and may not
get it, but shall work just as hard if
fall as if ! succeed, and can not afford
to work for nothing. If i work long and
faithfully, shall, thee knows, earn my
pay, and therefore must have il IN ad.
vance" Armed with the bill, and more
than doubly armed" with dignified
manners, amiable imperturbsbility, and
last, though not least, those same buif.tepp-
ed boots, he calls on the delinquent and
says, Friend, does thee owe this man
that sum" He ofcourse gets an affirm
ative answer. Well, can thee pay il