Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-03-24
EoRrl.rMN YEARN nRrNk.
How "OlF charlie. PASSED Away an"
WINS Hu,rnCd by His Room '"m'
%panIpuS.

How "OlH ChArlcE Passed AWAY an"
WINS Huirtcd by His Room 'om.
pauI"uS.
IT rs good to speak well of the dead,
but IL can't hurt old Charley Ripton's
feelings to state that he was one OF the
toughest old drunkards in Detroit. tie
has been gathered in by death, and he
will hear not nor read not. His life was
rs nriou, as his death. lie lived as an
cxpcfiment. lie wanted to see whether
he could kill whisky before it killed him,
and when he found himself defeated he
owned up ike a man aud was ready to
die,
Think Of q man being more or less IN
toxi,atcd every day in the week for forty
two wears, That wa, old Charley eN-
ucrience US near az he could remember.
Not q man of his acquaintance ever saw
him have a-much money "a 3 dollar at a
time. and vet he managed to keep clothes
ON his back. food under his jacket, and
to find a bed. When men asked him
what be lived for, he answered To
tqkc solid c,mfort.' Perhaps he had it.
No one ever saS him angry he never
made q complaint, he was never worried,
and it wasn't half the time that he could
tell the day of the week.
Wei. after fighting whisky for forty
two long wears, old Charley laid aside his
battle.az the other day. Nobody knew
that he was ill--uo one had a suspicion
thar his time had come. He had been
given Il bed in an old rookery on Frank
lin street, and in the night he called out
that he wanted a doctor. One was sent
for, and when he had looked old Charley
over. he remarked
" You are going To die
That's what / 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, a lot Of his old
whisky. loving friends assembled to view
the body and see that it was buried at
the expense of the city,
" The object Of the meeting eX.
claimed a red-noscd topper, as they stood
around the body. lis to exhibit our re,
.pect for the old man and pass him into
the p%otter's field halfway white, If any
gentleman desires to make any remark.
now is his time.
There was a rainful silence as the old
.oakers looked at the body, and from il
to each other, ard finally a short mar
with watery eyes began;
"Ah! Old Charley was one o.. Tho
incest of gentlemen, He hadn't a fault
unless it was keeping too sober. ! don
suppose he'd have touched a drop o
whisky ii he'd owned a whole distillery
They say that cold water killed him, am
move that We sue the man who gave j
to him.
This speech brought tears to the eye
Of q woman in the corner, and the chair
man cmptied the ashes out OF his pipe
and remarked hat in the midst OF If
he was in death,
odd Charley Wa a beautiful citi
zen put in a MAI who used to drive
=, beer wagon. 1T was a tender sight t
see him smiIe when he paid his taxes an,
ga- bills, and no mar was more quie
and peaceful. II the police dubbed hir
/ hencyer said a word it the papers abuse
, him he only sighed and fell a tallin
! tear. o, | would that more of us wer
, likc'him. I'll give two shillings. when
. get it, to help buy him a coffin with tou
-. diamonds in the end
! There was great signing and groanin
), around the room, and the chairman raj
ped on the window.sill and said:
. 1--WE don't any Of us begin to kno
what Il day may not bring fortl
When | hear these words around me
even wish that ! was dead !"
q II was a long minute before the silen,
n was again broken. A cross,eyed soke
q called General Beat" rose up in Il
o corner and said
How lovely old Charley was! /
Y was a man who used to give thousands
dollars to the poor and not blow about
or insist on having it published in Il
a daily papers. lie was always trying
it sec how much good he could do, and no
is sober he could be. | don't think
n knew what the taste of whisky was. !
r, was a great worker, a good man, and
4. move that We put up Il monument to b
memory
AZ The chairman smiled as lie remembers
a that the whole crowd couldn't raise
is dollar and a half to save their necks, bl
d it was a time to do the fair thing, and
le losked around and said:
te viii some gentleman second Il
n move that we purchase a monument
il Broken-nOzed Barney seconded the m
le ton, and it was put to vote and adopte
IS, aud then the chairman said:
is Well, that's all it is understo,
il that the monument is to cost 5000
and | s'pose we ought to wear Grape
our elbows Tor thirty days. Yes, q
n Charley in life was II flower of beaut
at and in death he was not divided. Al
r. now we'll 20 out and play pigeon.ho
III and try for q brief space TO forget .
r. sorrow, p Detroit Free Press.