, 1873-09-07
BEAU HICKMAN.

episodeB In American social lifo and mannors.
Although no Was in common parlanco "a dead
beat" who never earuod Ill honest penny, and
forty years ho has boon Il celebrity, recognized
bv al tho residents and Govornmont officials Of
Washington. Fow strangers probably ever went
to that city who did not mike lis ACQUAINTANCE
and contribute to his support. Whom ho first
camo to Washington, he had his ehnro
Of the patornal inheritance, Which ho 8pent
in ycar in riotous living. He COM
mencod his Washington career az L Top. Whom
Ills money gave out. ho became dead-bcat. and
cicerone for gambling-houaee and houses Of
worBo reputo. He livod to much moro atl-
yancod ago than mon Of this class usually reach,
and ho died wrotchod paupor, WAS tumblod into
his grave In tho Putter'a Field by On undor-
takors assistant, and was then resurrcoted and
disscctod by medical students. It by means Of
the latter operation ho contributed any infor-
nation to tho searoherA aftor anatomical truth, it
was probably the only good he had eyor dono In
his worthloas lifo.
fops md dandies, and who have made droas tho
main object OF their 1iyes,-mon like Boat
Nhsh md Dcau Brummel, but they woro at the
samo time men Of wit, ability, and intelligence
Wloso company WIS sought for on account Of
those qualities, But Beau Hickman was pub
lie nuisanco. who never furnished any compon-
sation for tho pittances which ho squeezed out
Of strangers by sheer impudonco. while thou
sands Of men oil around him had to labor and
earn thor acauty wages by tho swoat of their
brows, and whio others, oyon with the hardest la-
bor. could baroly manage to keep soul aud body
together. Doau Hickman consrived to mako q
living out OF othor people By hs consummase
impndonce aud utter want Of shame. He had
neithor wit nor intelligence, and yot he suc-
cocdod In impressing himself upon ovory ono
and in certain way to associate with all tho
prominent men in Washington during period
Of thirty or forty years. He levied petty black
mail upon ovory one, and every one paid 1t with
out question, rs If indebted to him for
matter Of necessity TINT oyery stranger
who wont to Washington should SEQ Beau
Hickman, and. haying soen him, should con-
tribute something toward his support. How he
accomplished this, Or why pooplo should fool it
Incumbent upon them to support this elegant
loafor, must remain moro or leas OF mystery.
It is possible that tho general Impression that ho
belonged to distinguished family had somo-
thing to do with it. 1t ia possible TINT Boau's
early 'brilliancy made such profound impress
sion That people folt disposed to holp him in
koeping 1t up, and thus having drifted into
the practice Of paying him, it becamo sort OF
duty. It is furthermore possible that the
fact OF his being celebrity WAS reason whyiho
should be public rensionor. A celebrity is
always IN object Of curiosity, especially to
strangers, and when thero arc strangers in
Rome they usually do as tile Romans do, il not
considerable moro. All colobritioH arc exag-
gerated. Boau Hickmana vices were virtues in
disguise. Every ono had story to toll Of Beau
Hickman which was in his favor md thoae ato-
rios, passing from mouth to mouth and growing
as they travelled, made for him reputation
which impressed every ono. Wo can conceive
Of no other REASONS for his remarkable succoss
in securing living, for, stripped Of his idoalzod
surroundings, ho was nothing but common
loafor aud very nnromantio yagabond,-an hab-
itue Of saloons and gambling-house which
he freqnented, not for tho purpoao Of gaming
or drinking, but for doad-beating others,--and
nuisance in tho community. It is hardly poHsi-
bic that tho1e could DO moro than one Beau
Hickman in any community. II there we're, tho
law would step in and suppress them.
Worthless, pro1fgate, and miserable Us this
mans life vas, 1t was nevertheless not without
IN element Of pathos, which has beon emphasiz-
cd by tho indignisy paid to his romains, after
the poor devil had boon dumped unceromoni-
ously into tho Pottor's Field. He noyor
diyulged word concerning his family relations
during Ills life, and thus saVcd them from public
Phame and scandal. lie always told the truth
and dcspised @iar. In most respects ho was
honest, and he novcr harmed any ono. Ho mover
borrowed money, but hHaya took 1t as gratuity
which belonged to him Of right. The mtsory Of
his latter days Naa tho natural consequence Of
his mode Of life, md when he won't to "the
demnition bow-wows" because aeody in Ills
dress, was stricken with rheumatism and
other dBeaseB, and could only hobblo
around tho streets. = wrotohed, diseased,
poverty.strioken, broken-down old man. atill
having trace Of gentility about him how
ever, ho was an object Of pity. Whatever bis
:vioos woro, he had done no harm to any Que, aud
when death kindly relieved the yagabond pom
siouer from the noceayity Of making any further
lovicB upon the community, and ended hts
wratchednoas. Le might have boon allowed to
rest in his obscure grave. Instead Of that, his
romans woro mutiatod in a manner which can
not but shock eyon tho moat calloua person. It
Ia q desecYation undor any circumHtancas but in
THIS case, although he lad boon worthless
parasitic society all hs lifc 1t seems we'll nigh
Ill.