Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-11
Miseellaasuns.
A VENERABLE IMPOSTOR.
BY FRANCIS BRET HARTE.

~h' eoiSehSO ISIOoo NY tbOlCs L lih GoMC-
what distracted by the spectacle Of a ven-
cradle head whose crown occasionally ap-
peares beyond, at about its level, The
apparition of very small hand-whose
fingers are bunchy, and have the appear
ance of being slightly webbed-which is
frequently lifted above the table in vain
and impotent attempt to reach the ink, and
always affects me as novelty at each re-
currence of the phenomenon. Yet both
the venerable head and bunehy fingers be-
long to an individual with whom am fa-
miliar, and to whom, for certain reasons
hereafter described, choose to apply the
epithet written above this article.
His advent in the family was attended
with peculiar circumstances. He was re-
ceived with some concern-the number of
retainers having been increased by one in
honor of his arrival. He appeared to be
weary-his pretence was that he had come
from long journey-so that for days,
weeks, and even months he did not leave
his bed except when he was carried But
it was remarkable that his appetite was in
variably regular and healthy, and that his
meals, which he required should be
brought to him, were seldom rejected.
During this time he had little conversation
with the family, his knowledge of our
vernacular being limited, but occasional
ly spoke to himself in his own language
a foreign tongue. The difficulties attend
ing this eccentricity, were obyiated by the
young woman who had from the first taken
him under her protection being, like the
rest of her sex, peculiarly open to impo-
sition-and who at once disOrganized her
own tongue to suit his. This was affected
by the contraction of the syllables of some
words, the addition of syllables to others,
and an ingenious disregard for lenses and
the governing powers of the verb. The
same singular law which impels people in
conversation with foreigners to initiate
their broken English, governed the fami-
ly in their communications with him. He
received these evidences of his power with
an indifference not wholly free from scorn.
The expression of his eye would OCCASION
ally denote that his higher nature revolted
from them. have no doubt myself that
his wants were frequently misinterpreted
that the stretching forth of his hands
toward the moon and stars might have
been the performance of some religious
rite peculiar to his own country, which
was in ours misconstrued into desire for
physical nourishment. His repetition of
the word 'googoo'-which was subject TO
variety of opposite interpretations
when taken into con junction with his size,
in my mind seemed to indicate his abo-
riginal of Aztec origin.
incline to that belief. as it sustains the
impression have already limited at, that
his extreme youth is stimulation and de-
ceit; that he is really older and has lived
before at some remote period, and that his
conduct fully justifes his title as "a Ven-
cradle lmposter." A variety of circum-
stances corroborate this impression his
tottering walk, which is a senile as we'll
as juvenile condition; his venerable
head thatched with such imperceptible hair
that at a distance, it looks like mild au-
reole, and his imperfect dental exhibition.
But beside these physical peculiarities,
may be observed certain moral symptoms
which go to disprove his assumed youth.
He is in the habit of falling into reveries,
caused, have no doubt, by some circum-
stance which suggests comparison with
his experience in his remoter boyhood, or
by some serious retrospection of the past
ears. He has been detected lying awake,
at times when he should have been asleep,
engaged in curiously comparing the bed
clothes, walls, and furniture with some
recollection of his youth. At such mo-
ments he has been heard to sing softly to
himself fragments OF some unintelligible
composition which probably still linger in
his memory as the echoes of music he
has long outgrown. He has the habit of
receiving strangers with the familiarity of
one who had met them before and TO whom
their antecedents and peculiarities were
matters of old acquaintance; and so un-
erring is his judgment OF their previous
character that when he withholds his con-
fidence l am apt to withhold mine. 1t is
somewhat remarkable that while the ma
turity of his years and the respect due to
them are denied by man, his superiority and
venerable age are never questioned by the
brute creation. The dog treats him with
respect and consideration accorded to none
others, and the cat permits a familiarity
which should shudder to attempt. 1t
may be considered an evidence of some
Pantheistic quality in his previous educa-
tion, that he seems to recognize fellow
ship even in inarticulate objects; he has
been known to verbally address plants,
| flowers and fruit, and to extend his CON-
fidence to such inanimate objects as chairs
and tables. There can be little doubt that
in the remote period of his youth. these
objects were endowed with not only sem
tient natures but moral capabilities, and
he is still in the habit of beating them
when they coalide with him and of pardon
ing them with kiss.
As he has grown older-rather let me
say, as we have approximated to his years
he has. in spite of the apparent paradox,
lost much of his senile gravity. 1t must
be confessed that some of his actions of
late appear to our imperfect comprehen-
sion inconsistent with his extreme age. A
habit OF marching up and down with
string tied to soda-water bottle, dispo-
sition to ride anything that could by an
exercise of the liveliest fancy be made to
assume equine proportions, propensity
to blacken his venerable white hair with
ink and coal dust. and an omniverous ap-
petite; which did not stop at chalk, clay or
cinders, were the peculiarities not calcula-
ted to excite respect. In fact, he would
seem to have become demoralized, ard
when. after prolonged absence the other
day. he was finally discovered standing
upon the front steps, addressing group
of delighted children out ii his limited vo-