The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-04-22
An Extraordinary M0nOmaniac and His
Remarkable Turnout.
From .he Nashville Union, March 25.I

IFrom the Nashville Union, March 25.
The attention of great many people
was arrested on the streets yesterday by
the presence of character so strikingly
original that no being outside of the crea
tionS of Dickens probably ever equaled
him. lie drew crowds around more eager
to gaze upon him than if he had been the
strangest animal from the most distant
cline. He resembled nothing we ever
saw or read of, but was suggestive of
various noted characters of history and fic-
tiOn. To one he called TO mind Peter the
Hermit, to another Don 'Quixote, and to
one enthusiastic small boy, Rip Van Win
kle. There was no similitude, however,
between him and any of these. His name,
as our reporter was told by himself, was
Edward u. Blake, and he was from Mary
land. He had travelled extensively through
the South, and claimed to be on the singu-
lar and rare mission of doing good TO
his fellOw-man," and nothing else.
Mr.. Blake occupied small, rickety, old
barOuche, drawn by small, rickety old
mare. He was so incloSed in the vehicle
as not to be seen from every side by any
means, and would not have attracted such
crowds but for the Inscriptions with which
the whole outfit was covered. These are
all of a Biblical character, and most of
them as solemn as those on grave-stone.
First, on the brow-band of the birdie by
which the animal is guided are inscribed
the words, Holiness unto the Lord"
Then, on the front of the carriage, "With-
out holiness no man shall see the Lord,
and "a Christian present for you." The
presents had possibly all given out. as the
inmate did not distribute any. On one
side of the barOuche was "The Word of
God. As | live, saith the Lord God, |
have no pleasure in the death of the wick
ed, but that the wicked turn from his way
and live" On the back: "WOrd of
God. Thou God seest me. He that FORM
ed the eye, shall he not see? The eyes of
the Lord are in every place behOlding the
evil and the good" On the other side:
" The Word of God. Whose despiseth the
Lord, put away the evil of your dOings
from before mine eyes" Again: "A
Missionary of the Second Coming. Word
of God. Two books: The Sacred Roll
and the Divine Book of Holy and Eternal
WiSdom-abOut 900 pages of Gods holy
inspired word. which is the Lords second
coming. Praise the Lord. Be ye also
ready with the Lord"
These external matters are sufficient to
get together an audience. But on closer
inspection several others are deserted in
the interior. All the space inside except
sitting room for the occupant was taken
up with boxes and carpet bags. On one
of the boxes is seen "A Christian trying
to do good On the end of another,
Love to Man," on the top of the same,
my natural food : mush and sugar. fruit
and water-please accommodate me-" On
the inside of the same, "ThOu God seest
me. Trust in the Lord and do good"
The notices did not stop here. The
occupant was an aged person of slight,
feeble form, thin-visaged, and with long
white hair brushing his shoulders, and
! long white whiskers all tinged with yel-
| low. His look was gentle and meek, and
his apparel Indifferent. His hat was COW
cred with oil cloth and Inscriptions. The
| latter were, "Glory to God in the High
est, Peace and Good viii toward Men, !"
etc. On his back was piece of oil cloth,
with the words, In the Lord have |
Righteousness and Strength"
He stopped at various places in the
midst of crowds so large and dense as to
| blockade the streets. He held a sort of
I service whenever he halted, consisting OF
| the singing of sacred hymn and familiar
/ talk on the subject of doing good in the
world and elevating humanity. Before
commencing song he took book con-
/ tanning the words, together with a tuning
I fork, from one of his curiosity boxes
! Striking the keynote with the fork and
catching it up by gently whistIing three
or four notes, the old man would begin to
sing in a voice of considerable melody.
Finishing this he would begin his homily,
which he delivered in an easy, natural and
connected manner. 1t turned chiefly
upon the duty of benevolence, but con-
! tained the requisite personal explanation
| He had Travelled from Maryland, where he
| had a farm rented out, through Georgis
and Alabama, and was now on his way tC
| Indiana and Ohio The same animal had
brought him all the way in the same We,
hicle. His sole object had been, and was
to talk to the people and try to do good tC
his fellOw-m man. This was his way OI
serving God.
There were many surmises as to his mis-
sion. Some supposed he had something
to sell, but this he positively disavowed
Money was not his object; he was on {
purely benevolent tour. Many supposed
him crazy, and he is probably mOnOma
MAC. His arrangement however, is ful
of method and contains nothing in th'
least repulsive. He is hardly more thai
an extreme oddity and contribution TO tin
variety of humanity.
He stopped before noon on Church
Cherry and Union Streets, but was com
PEELED to move on by the police to avoiC
blocking up the streets. He drove to th'
clothing store of Fl. Metz & Co., on NJ II
ket Street, and purchased pair of panta
Icons in preparation for visit to the How
ard School. He handed in So note for tn
garment, and on the back of this lengthy
scriptural motto was found. In one of hi
addresses he stated that he had petition
with eighty or ninety signatures, and ;
likelihood of thousand more, asking tn
President of the United States to have
sacred motto on all currency bills. Hi
idea was doubtless based on the theOrl
that money is the root of all evil, and tina
it is best to strike at the root of thins
when you want to eXtermlnate 1t.
The old wanderer made it speciality. h,
said, to visit schools. When provided
with his new unmentiOnables he drove t
Howard School and walked in. singing il
the most innocent manner, to the Hncon
trOllable merriment of the school. In tn
afternoon he drove his tabernacle to tn
Public Square and delivered another lee
ture to considerable cencourse.
He is the same individual that spen
some days in Columbia about six week
ago. His illusions to the people of tina
section are of the most kindly character
He saws he was never better treated thai
when in their midst. Some idea may b
formed of his rate of speed, when it i
considered that he has been several week
coming from Columbia to Nashville. II
is harmless monomaniac that may d.
some good before he gets to his journey
end if he continues to go slow.
BarbarOus Treatment Of Captive b.