The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-04-05
How COLL Charley" Was Passed In.

OUT IL can nurL Ola Cnarl6y hlpCOn s
feelings to state that he was one of the
toughest old drunkards in Detroit. He
has been gathered in by death, and he
will hear not or read not. His life was
as curious as his death. He lived as an
experiment. He wanted to see whether
he could kill whisky before it killed
him, and when he found himself de-
feated he owned up like man and was
ready to die.
Think of a man being more or less
intoxicated every day in the week for
AZ years! That was Old Charley's ex-
perience as near as he could remember.
Not man of his acquaintance ever saw
him have as much money as dollar at
a time, and yet he managed to keep
clothes on his back, food under his
jacket, and to find bed. When men
asked him what he lived for, he an
swered: "To take solid comfort. :"
Perhaps he had it. No one saw him
angry; he never made complaint; he
never worried, and it wasn't half the
time that he could tell the day of the
week
Well, after fighting whisky for "a
long years, Old Charley laid aside his
battle-ax the other day. Nobody knew
that he was ill-no one had suspicion
that his time had come. He had been
given bed in an old rookery on Frank
lin Street, and in the night he called
out that he wanted doctor. One was
sent for, and when he had looked Old
Charley over, he remarked:
"You are going to die!''
"That's what 1 thought" was the
placid reply, and before daybreak the
old man was a corpse.
When the news went out that Old
Charley was no more, lot of his old
whisky-loving friends assembled to
view the body and see that it was burr
ed at the expense of the city.
"The object of the meeting" ex-
planned red-nosed topper, as they stood
around the body, sis to exhibit our re-
spect for the old man and pass him in
to the Potter's field kinder halfway
white. If any gentleman desires to
make any remarks, now is his time"
There was painful silence as the old
soakers looked at the body, and from
it to each other, and finally short man
with watery eyes began:
"Ah! Old Charley was one of the
incest of gentlemen! He hadn't fault
unless it was keeping too sober. I
don't suppose he'd have touched drop
OF whisky if he'd owned a whole dis
tillery. They say that cold water killed
him, and move that we sue the man
who gave him the water"
This speech brought tears to the eyes
OF a woman in the corner, and the
Chairman emptied the ashes out of his
pipe, and remarked that in the midst
Of life he was in death.
cold Charley was beautiful citi-
GEN." put in a man who used to drive
beer wagon. "It was a tender sight
to see him smile when he paid his taxes
and gas bills, and no man was more
quiet and peaceful. If the police club
bed him, he never said a word; if the
papers abused him, he only sighed and
ell alling tear. Oh! would that
more of US were like him. I'll give
;wo shillings, when 1 get it, to help buy
him coffin with four diamonds in the
end"
There was great signing and groan-
ng around the room, and the Chair
nan raped on the window-sill, and
aid:
"We don't any one of us begin to
NOW what day may not bring forth.
When I hear these kind words around
ne, even wish that were dead!"
1t was a long minute before the deep
ilence was again broken. A cross
'yed soaker called seen. Beat" rose
Up in the corner and said:
"How lovely Old Charley vast He
vas man who used to give thousands
IT dollars to the poor and not blow
bout it or insist on having it published
n the daily papers. He was always
rying to see how much good he could
10, and how sober he could be. don't |
hink he knew what the taste of whisky
vas. He was great worker, a good |
nan, and move that we put up
monument to his memory"
The Chairman smiled as he remem-
'ered that the whole crowd couldn't
aise dollar and a half to save their
lecks, but it was time to do the fair
hing, and he looked around and said:
"Will some gentleman second the
move that we purchase a monument?'
"Broken-nosed Barney" seconded
he motion, and it was put to vote and
.dopted, and then the Chairman said:
swell, that's all it is understood
hat the monument is to cost $4,000,
md s'pose we ought to wear Grape on
ur elbows for thirty days. Yes, Old
charley in life was flower of beauty,
nd in death he was not divided. And
low We'll go out and play pigeon-hole,
nd try for brief space to forget our
OrrOW. n-DstrOI Free Press.