The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-04
SOME INCIDENTS IN THE LIE OF a
DEGAYED BEAU.
From the washington ohronIo;e.l

from the washington ChronIo'e.l
A remnant, worn and weather-beaten, OF
those .good old days" when omnibuses rolled
In lonely state up and down the thoroughtares
Of the nations capital, and Webster, Clay and
Calhoun were the principal stars In the Con-
gresslonal playbllls, may be seen almost any
6ne day, leaning against one of the marble
pillars Of the Metropolitan Hotel, gazing at
the; promenaders that pass along PennsylVa-
MD avenue In panoramic review. Beau Hick-
man, as he leans thus, with one foot crossed
over the other, bringing their broad surfaces
of: bunions out In bold relief against the pave
aaent, Is dressed In full suit Of well-worn
black. carsfully brushed; green and purple
neck scarf, whose thread of once shining gilt
has long since assumed dismal rusty black,
hangs negligently down In a wilted way, as II
IL toe remembered the day when it associated
proudly with tsa number hundred and four
teen vest" or ninety-six coat. Many are
tha stories told Of this deesyed man OF fashion;
/ his sp0nging record vielng, II possible, with
his miraculous and unending wardrobe.
Upon occasion he arrived at the Springs
only to flnd another beau Installed before him.
Cogitating on the distressing fact, he chanced
TO meet his rival, who called bis servant and
commanded: "BiI, lay out my number eight
vest, my number eleven coat, and Ky number
servant and said: "Sam, lay out my number
hundred and fourteen vest, my number
ninety-siI coat, and my number q hundred
and eight pants for me 10 drive in" His
rival, overwhelmed by these high figures, left
the next day. Being pennlless on one occa-
sion about dinner time, he walked into
WGadsby's,n (now the Washington House,)
room, ate his dinner after an exaggerated
American fashion, went to the hatrack and se-
lected one Of the best, walked to the depot, and
took the train, which was about starting for
Baltimore When the conductor came around
he found Beau leaning out of the window In
push to aequalnt him with his presence, but
the landscape held him entranced. He gave
him another, harder than the first, when Beau
came In 30 suddenly as to knock his new hat
of. He then got into an angry dispute with
the conductor, sayiEg tit was new hat, just
bought, and had bis Ticket In the band," and
demanded the money for the hat, which the
obtained his dinner, ride 20 Baltimore, and
money enough for new hat by that fast-grow-
Ing requirement called 'cheek."
= Strangers who visit Washington often
evince great desire for the "honor' of an
INTRODUCTION, when the Beau tells "that 1t has
been the custom for gentlemen to give him
an Initiation or Introduction tee." If they
ask him how much, he will tell them; "mem.
bers of Congress and gentlemen OF distinction
ffty cents; others q quarter OF dollar" That
the. .fifty cents is handed to him In nine cases out
of ten I need not tell a person of the readers
Discrimination character. But although In the
ofi;ttmes Beau put such high estimate upon
himself, we find him in these degenerate days
Knocking down the pleasure of his acqualnt-
:. snce tor ten cents. Modest men, fearful OF
: hurting his feelings, invite him up to the bar,
where he says: Il never drink; I'll take
cigar or the change"
During the var Washington possessed q
place Of amusement Of the lower order, called
ssCanterbury Hail." situated on Louisiana
avenue. copfagratlon which was for once
blessed razed 1t to the ground. The fire oc-
Cured In the daytime. and many witnessed 1t,
among them Beau Hickman, who stood be-
seeching some one to save his trunk, which
was In an adjoining building. as 1t was all he
had In the world. Some kind-hearted person
rescued 1t from the fast-burning building,
when Beau kneeled On the pavement, uD-
locked his treasure, and displayed to highly
admiring and - discriminating assemblage
fashion plates from the year 1900 up to the
wear of the fire.. Whether the benevolent In
diyIdusl considered himself repaid by the dis.
NAV for the risk OF bis life do not know.
Not a week since our city Masons entertain
ed the Providence (R. ~ commandery. Beau
was sssiduous In his attentions and explana'
tlons, dilsting at great length on the changes
tfsat have taken place in Washington since he
first knew it. As they we're leaving IBeau
asked one of them for little recompense.
tsWhat p exclaimed the Mason; "here We nave
been everywhere about the city, received the