Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-11-24
BEAu HIoKnAN.


We often hear it said that the mos
pitiable object in life is a lady Whose
charms of youth and beauty have long
since disappeared before the SHOWS o,
fifty winters, dressing and putting on
the airs Of u maiden Of sixteen. Not
so. A far more pitiable N is a man,
the counterpart of the being just men
toned.
Aremnant, worn and weather-beaten
of those "gOod old days. when omni'
buses rolled in lonely state up and down
the thoroughfares of the nations capt
tai, and Webster, Clay and Calhoun
were the principal stars in the Con-
g~ressional play-bills, may be seen al
most any fine day leaning against 9
marble pillar Of the Metropolitan Hotel
gazing at the promenaders that pas
along Pennsylvania avenue in pan
Oramic review. Beau Hickman, as
he leans thus, with one foot crossed
over the other, bringing their broad
surfaces Of buniops in bold relief against
the pavement, is dressed in a suit Of
well-wOrn black, carefully brushed; a
green and purple neck-scarf whose
thread Of shining gilt has long since as
sumed a dismal rusty black, hangs negli-
gently down in a wilted way, as if it,
too, remembered the days when it assO-
ciated proudly with "a number hundred
and fourteen vest" or a ninety-six coat.
Many are the stories told Of this de-
cayed man Of fashion; his sponging re-
cord vieing, if possible, with his mirae-
ulous and amending wardrobe.
Upon n occasion he arrived at the
springs only to find another Beau IN
stalled before him. COgitating on the
distressing fact, he CHANGED to meet his
rival who called his servant and COM
manded: "Bill, lay out my number
eight vest, my number eleven coat, and
my number sixteen pants" Where
upon Beau called his servant and said:
''Sam, lay out my number n hundred
and fourteen vest, my number ninety
six coat, and my number one hundred
and eight pants for me to drive i'm His
rival, overwhelmed by these high figures,
left the next day. Being penniless on
one occasion about dinner-time, he
walked into Gladsby's" NOW the
Washington Housed, put his cap into his
pocket, entered the dining-rOOm, ate
his dinner, after an exaggerated
American fashion Joe Gargery would
have said he "bolted it"), went
to the hat-rack and selected u Of the
best, walked to the depot, and took the
train which was about starting for Bal
timore. When the conductor came
around he found Beau leaning out Of
the window intently studying the land
scape. He gave him a push to acquaint
him with his presence, but the landscape
held him entranced. He gave him
another, harder than the first, when
Beau came in so suddenly rs to knock
his new hat off. He then got into an
angry dispute with the conductor, say
ing, "It's a new hat, just bought, and
had the ticket in the band,n and de-
manded the money for the hat, which
the conductor finally paid him, andthus
Beau obtained his dinner, a ridet to Bait
more, and money enough for a new hat
by that fast growing requirement called
CHECK"
Strangers who visit Washington often
evince a great desire for the ''honOr" Of
introduction, when the Beau tells
them "that it has been the custom for
gentlemen to give him an initiation or
Introduction fee." If they ask him how
much, he will tell them, members Of
Congress and gentlemen of distinction,
fifty cents; others, aquarter of a dollar
That the fifty cents is handed him nine
cases out of ten, L need not tell a person
Of the readers discriminating character.
But although in the old times Beau put
such a high estimate upon himself, we
find him in these degenerate days knock
ing down the pleasure of his acquaint-
lnce for ten cents. Modest men, fearful
Of hurting his feelings, y invite him to
the bar, where he says: 81 never drink;
III take a cigar or the change"
During the war Washington possessed
A place of amusement of the lower order
Canterbury Hall, situated on
Louisiana avenue. A cOntiagratiOn,
which was for once blessed, razed it TO
he ground. The fire occurred in the
daytime, and many witnessed it, and
lmong them Beau Hickman, who stood
Jeseeching some one to save his trunk,
which was in an adjoining building, as
{ was all he had in the world. Some
1ind-hearted person rescued it from the
as%t-burning building, when Beau
Sneeled down on the pavement, I'M
Ocked his treasure, and displayed to a
lighly-admiring and discriminating as
.emblage fashion plates from the year
500 up to the year of the fire. Whether
he benevolent individual considered
himself repaid by the display for the
isk of his life, we do not know.
Not a week since our city MasOns en-
ertained the Providence Rhode Island)
Jommandery. Beau was assiduous in
lis attentions and explanations, dilating
It great length upon the changes that
nave taken place in Washington since
le first knew it. AS they were leaving
Beau asked one of them for a little re-
,Ompense. "Whatr" exclaimed the
Mason; "here we have been everywhere
bout the city; received the utmost at
%ention, had everything we desired,
md you are the first person
Who has asked us for a cent"
But, sir" returned the Beau,
you forget that not many men have
cen the sights that / have witnessed;
ew have gazed upon the patriot Lafay-
tie when he visited this country. Have
not told you more of what personally
concerned Daniel Webster and John &.
calhoun, and those men that viii not be
orgOtten until the end Of time, than
-Ou could have learned from historians,
Who only delve in letters or hearsay for
heir information? l have grown old
n the service, and if you strangers who
profited by my information cannot
i've a little something toward my sup
'ort, 1 think it is very hard" The Ma
on succumbed to the flowers of Beau's
hetoric, and left with food for thought.