The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-12-06
WHAT MADE HIN SHINE?

We met him on the Waverly road,
txo miles out of town, trudging along
with bent form, eagerly poking about in
the dust with a 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 too long for a cone and too slender
forasurport. 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
seenhim in town, ,wanderingu gupand down
the streets, peering into every crack and
Granny of the stone pavement; we had
crossed him IN the lobby of the opera, ever
stirrir g 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 the 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 ride-partly of
pleasure, partly of -business-and were
driving back to town. 1t was a beauti-
fu morning in June, the brilliance of
the sun unlocked by single cloud in
the deep.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 a jubilee.
We put the top of the buggJ 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. My friend
watched the old man good while, and
said:
"What a singular creature! l have
often wondered who he can be, for l
believe he haunts every nook and corner
oil the town and country. How terribly
stopped he is But he does not appear
to be feeble, because never saw him
quiet ;land, though he takes no notice
of any thing about him, he has strange,
eager manner, as if he might be upon
some business of pressing Importance -
] replied tnat | had otter noticed it,
and could never understand seither, why
hc carried that crooked sfjek, for Ger.
tainly it was of no possible use. As we
had passed him, l turned round, when
George said, suddenly:
Why, Joe, see hcreI What's the
matter with his clothes? They shine
asif they were covered with spangles
Just look at theml And what on earth
is he doing 2" -. -.-... --
Here the old man, who had bent for an
instant on one knee, jumped up, and
shrieked out:
eTwenty-three thousand five hundred
and ninety-seven
George and l, scarcely crediting oul
ears, looked at each other in blank
snazement. We looked at each other
and looked at him. What could il
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 thick cloud of dust by
TIE rabid movement of his stick tina,
we could hardly see him. When il
cleared, he had nearly reached the toll
+ gate, and we we're obliged to content eur
selves simply with astonished ejacula
lions. - ye.sr,.9
THAT night, about IL o'clock, the two
= oi ns we're 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.
q lie turned quickly around the corner
and came upon US SO suddenly that h.
brushed against my left side in passing
The night was dark, and he was out o.
sight in q moment. But what was the
singular noise we heard for an instant
IKE the rasping wings of an insect
And, when held up my left arm, thai
coat sleeve was torn in small three
corhered snags. l looked at George ir
mute inquiry, and We both gszed behind
Us INTO the darxnes, but there came nj
answer from any place. -@~ fs'
IL must have been more than a weel
aiter this that, one bright afternoon,
was taking stroll by myself in the up
Pef part OF the town, when l met thu
oid man again. Thistime he came upoi
me 30 neApeetedly that l did not se,
nim until he was just opposite, when h'
.uddenly bent on one knee, stopped t.
me ground an instant, then jumped up
snd shouted, in a metallic voice :!
Twenty -four thousand two hundre,
and seventy eighth