The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-09-09
!. bury sbont presenting ZIG bill, J, yAhIeh.. Y

ta-hurry about presenting his bill, which.
il is needless to say, Wao never paid. z 1'i,, s.
=. Soon after he became pretty we'll ac.
lquainted with Washington, he became
the guide of such visitors 20 the capital
as desired to pRtroniza houses OF i'll
fame and gambling houses, and In this
way, st is said. sometimes made from IS
to $25 q. day. sSNphen Inv gambling
houses, he never played; but sometimes
some one would give him q s'chip, {"
which lie would at once get the banker
TO cash. He was early addicted TO tell
ing stories, for which he always demand
ed red, white or blue chip, (named
after the checks used in the game Of
faro according to the character OF hia
story or the apparent financial status of
his listener. An old sporting man saws
Of Beau: "He always despised a liar. I
have often seen him tell stories to O per-
son, and end up, as usual, BY asking for
chips, and sometimes the person would
say he had no money; subsequently,
however, he would take out ten or
twenty-five cents and offer it to Bean,
but do you think Beau would take it?
Not hei He " onld decline it with Of
Tended dignity, just because he had lied
to hiE." Many of his stories were
amusing, and frequently contained re-
ferences to President Jackson, Clay,
Benton, Webster and others who had
honored him with chips during their
congressional career. Possessed of some
education and good conversationalist,
always of an equable temper, and never
inclined to be pugnacious and talk fight
he was tolerated by statesmen in his
time, who wauld laugh at his Jokes, and
introduce him to their friends from the
States, frequently as "General Hick-
man." and then retire to watch the
bleeding process. The gentlemen unnc-
quainted with Beau's little peculiarities
would lieten with the most respectful
attention to tho Generals" stories. at
the conclusion Of yarn, Beau would
say, II think, sir, that story is worth u
quarter" whereupon the gentleman ad-
dressed would laugh and remark, Ger
tainly it Isl" but not exactly compre.
hending Deau's drift, would offer him
no money. "Well, then, if it fs," Beau
would say, 'please hand over the quar-
ter" To say that the gentleman was
astonished, would convey but half the
Truth. He would look at the "Generhl"
| luizzlcally for moment, aud finally
discovering that he was in dead earnest,
would burst into laugh, in which his
friends would heartily join, and cash up,
while Beau would 60 in search OF mn-
other victim.
In his younger days he frequently
went to New York and sometimes to
Norfolk, Baltimore and Richmond,
where he would remain few weeks, in.
variably "beating" the landlords out OF
I hill Ia
with an acquaintance, an old sporting
man, and both put up at the first hotel
IN the city. Beau was. as usual, splen-
didly gotten up, and nine days elapsed
before his bill was presented. When it
was, Beau took it to his friend and said,
What am to do? I haven't got u
red" ''Take this $1,000 bil," said his
acquaintance, ''and offer to pay your
bill. Beau did so, and the clerk see.
ing him in possession of 80 largo sum
said. "We can't change that: never
mind, Mr.. Hickman, we can wait until
you get the change. just as we'll AS not. u
1t is almost unnecessary to say that
whilc the clerk was waiting for the
change Bean beat his way buck to his
old stamping ground in this city.
About ten years since Beau began to
~ I'D tuo uCE1ultlOu OOW-WOWS, o.
MIR. Mantilim would say, very rapidly
His dress became seody, although he
managed to maintain an appearance OF
shabby gentility at all times, and occa
sionally looked quite spruce. He alsc
became quite lame. and always walket
slowly and with shufiiing hitch, whicl
gave him the appearance of being rhcu
matte. lie always denied, however
that he had the rheumatism, and said i
was his feet, which were covered will
corns and bunions. the result of wear
ing tight boots. "Tho fact that my
feet are crippled up so," he would cay
"shows me to bo blood No com
mon man could have such feet rs have
got"
Onco. several yea. ago. some or,
procured for Beuu au entire suit O
velvet, attached to which were minute
bells. He donicl on that SHIT for about
n year, and when he entered hotc
would shake his coat, which would So
oil the little bells jingling, and say
I'm IL bell team, 1 um!'' Ills face ~
sembled parchment, and his eyes locke,
red and in1amed. He was, in fact, fol
several years before his death IN obiec
of pity, aud although ho sill continue,
to retail his yarns, especially on inaugu
ration and 0tbnr trni., law. - oxou,, =,