The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-03-30

| ton VIII b" unable to masllcate, consequent
ly there won't b any market for beef corn,
or chewing tobacco, and the deuce will be
to pay in trade circle. generally 1t won't
w'-l,, G .nr1r
81 didn't thinl; Of that point, General"
said the retired financicr taken little
aback.
"No. George you didn't" continued the |
Superintendent "You had better GO to your
room and think the whole matter over lain; |
and when YOU have devised some way of OBJ |
WAITING the dilii ulty | spoke of, why en-
we'll talk about leave of absence to go to
| Washington
"Now,' continued the General, as Inmate |
Boutwell, moved rather rueiully away "Pll |
show you our oldest case, the centenarian
OF the establishment" We entered little
room, in the centre of which, bent over
table, sat person of extreme age, attired in
a rusty swallow tail coat. He was writing
diligently and without cessation.
"Look up, Hannibal" said the Superin-
tenlent, poking him gently with his cane.
"Loob up and see the gentlemen"
When the aged Inmate looked up, we saw
that he was tied in his chair to keep him
from tumbling out. He smiled blandly up
on us for moment from behind his specta.
c'cs. and then begun to write again as indus.
triously as ever.
"What is he dong?" I asked.
Gle is writing franks. He has lost all his
teeth and his hair and his hearing and his
writes franks from morning till night, stop
ping only for his Cruel. The other inmates
are celebrating the Fourth, but here is
old Hannibal at his customary occu.
patton. He writes his name on every
old envelope, rcvspnper. or scrap of
tbs big mail hox in the hall. OF course
like the contributions of the rest of the in
mates, they never % any further than my
office Bat he doesn't know it, and he pla-
cidly keeps on writing franks The only
thing that ever eNasporates him is the sight
Of postage stamp, suppose he will write
''a"N ull 'ne lay " '"'.,''n,' oucn' "ou-
ell the Teueral dIdhcbeasiy, rs the free OF
habit"
..v,,, ,.,,,.. Gul a,,.;,,,. ooroo.;or, -
i'' ''"'' 'i''" '"', '''''" W
epi'fIeS IN yonr m''l box General
"Rlthcr, We have a good reading room
cnnnect7d with the institution, and most "'
- the inmates take great interest in current at
fairs. Many OF them fancy that they are
still Influential IN shaping Ho''tIcal events
They write innnmera'le letters which no
T'"y ever r'"'' 'n' ''S,'.' ~, ''n-
49, "1' ','''''' '''' vi" 80
~, " '"' '''' H,"''- ' '..' ''''' .'''
-, cure !" "''p "'"' ".,'- ~ '''' ,N''''''
-, I''' '""'' 90 ~ " ","" ""'
l'u-n'" "' ''' t'.',,"' 'F'n'' N''''" r,y'"!
,r' N"'''N '',' " ~ INV
~ ''o "','," '"e ,'' O,''o' ''' ~'o'" D'"'
T ''''A ',''O ''0 O'''' t''0'o0 0','''',''c'
"io'"' on'''','' O,i! S7S,e'o"s io0"'
.his o''c''e''ei'" 'ne ooA' LOU may val"
=, II Us ''' ""''S'"i"'
The General had been iumollng IN HI
- pocket book and he handed me the follow
;, ing note, which have preserved;
. THE RETREAT, July 8, 1880.
DEAR SYLPH; Although writing come
~ H% iine viii WITH fgbt If % ont 5u ON this II line IF #
- takes all summer. 7 have made escape,
res but nv worst enemy cannot saw that I eve
ay let any guilty man mistake, &. s. GRANT,
,ze ,,,,,,
Nhat' l eNcia'meu' Is ne mere
raj les, les, S',' your su,ue' we eDnppy ~, III
"''"' '"o ''"o''>' '"' "' seems 'o'''A''
l." n"pf'' - ~, y. $3.50 , e" .o
pass '"e''' ''' "''' Oe ''"'''''' W ''"'''
le- lne majority OF the inmates had Assem-
Ter oled IN the large courtyard OF the asylum
a when was high oricK wall patroiied
Neepe''' l "e recurrence u 'ne na'iol' 1an'