Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-12-14
WHAT MADE HIM SHINE?

We met HIM on the Waverly road,
two miles out of town, trudging along
with bent form, eagerly poking about in
the dust with q long, crooked stick
Well, that was nothing unusual we
had often seen him before with the
same heavy stoop in his shoulders, and
carrying the same knotted staff, which
was 100 long for cane and too slender
for a support. He seldom looked up, but
when he did, his eyes set far back in his
head, were small, and sharp. and gray,
and searching, and they fell again al
most instantly to the ground. We had
seen him IN town, wandering upand down
the streets, peering into every crack and
Granny OF the stone pavement; we had
crossed bin In the lobby of the opera, ever
stirring about, but wholly wrapping with.
in either himself or the pattern of the
carpet; we had noticed him in the court.
room, moving restlessly about, always
scanning TIE floor with the same intent
expression we had passed him on the
turnpike, still with his keen, sleepless
eyes bent rigidly upon the ground-we
had met him in all these places, his
anxious yellow face taking no heed of
US but that day we met him on the
Waverly road, two miles out of town.
We had been on a ride-partly of
pleasure, partly of business-and were
driving back to town. 1t was beauti-
fu morning in June, the brilliance of
the sun untecked by a single cloud in
the dccp,blue sky. There was no mois-
ture in the air, nor on the waving leave;
and in the dry and pleasant fields the
grassphoppers were holding Jubilee.
We put the top of the buggy up To
shield us from the heat, and allow d
the horse to choose his own pace, which
had slackened TO a walk, while we
leaned comfortably back in our seats,
enjoying the situation. Ny friend
watched the old man good while, and
said
"What singular creature | have
often wondered who he can be, for
believe he haunts every nook and corner
OF the town and country. How terribly
stopped he is! But he does not appear
to be feeble, because | never saw him
quiet; and, though he takes no notice
OF anything about him, he has a strange,
eager manner, &s if he might be upon
some business OF pressing Importance"
replied taat had often noticed it,
and could dnever understand, either, why
he carried that crooked stick, for Ger
tainiy il was of no possible use. As we
had passed him, | turned round, when
George said, suddenly:
why, Joe, see here! What's the
matter with his clothes? They shine
as if they were covered with spanglcs
just look at them And what on earth
is he doing?'
Here the old man, who had bent for an
instant on one knee, jumped up, and
shrieked out:
Twenty three thousand five hundred
and ninety,seven
George and scarcely credting our
ears, looked at each other in blank
a'nazemert. We looked ut each other,
and looked at him. What could it
mean? We drew in the reins, and
called, without receiving any reply.
We called again, and louder, but the old
man, with his eyes fixed upon the
ground, persisted in utter silence. and
sent up such a thick cloud of dust by
the rapid movement of his stick that
we could hardly see him. When i,
cleared, he had nearly reached the toll.
gate, and we were obliged to content our.
'N'''S ''H'Piy VAN aSloilSucl t.JdCula-
tions.
That night, about II o'clock, the two
o. us were returning On foot from the
theater, when whom should we meet but
the strange old man who had so aroused
our curiosity in the morning.
He turned quickly around the corner
and came upon us SO suddenly that he
brushed against my left side in passing.
The night was dark, and he was out of
sight in moment. But what was the
singular noise we heard for an instant.
like the rasping wings of an insect =?
And, when | held up my left arm, that
coatsleeve was torn in small three.
cornercd snags. | looked at George ir
mute inquiry, and we both gazad behind
US into the darkness but there came no
answer from any place.
1t must have been more than a week
after this that, one bright afternoon,
was taking a stroll by myself in the up
per part of the town, when met the
old man again. This time he came upon
me so Unexpectedly that did not see
him until he was just opposite, when he
suddenly bent on one knee, stopped to
the ground an instant, then jumped up
and shouted, in metallic voicel
"Twenty-iour thousand two hundred
and seventy eighth
turned rund to look at him, but al