The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-03-29
Al Mesrdere9's Portrait.

A Mesrderes's Portrait.
The Chicago Times thus describes Pike,
the spiritual phrenologist, who recently
murdered the editor of philosoph-
ieal" journal in Chicago, and who is in
prison for the deed: A curious face was
Mr.. Pixies. A fierce light seemed to burn
deep down in dark blue eyes, and gleam
and fash from beneath pair of shaggy
eyebrows. 1t might have been the light
of the window which kindled the weird
fire; it might have been the embers of
a great passion beneath. A long Roman
nose. a hooked nose it might well be
called, which one could fancy added a
certain amount of keenness to these eyes,
overhung thin upper lip covered with
a tangled mustache, the ends of which
found hirsute conpanionship in the un-
clean meshes of his frowsy beard. Two
deep lines running from each side of his
nose, and furrowing his cheeks until they
disappeared in the gloom and obscurity
of an illimitable territory of beard, lifted
this nose into bolder relief. A narrow
forehead pushed up from his nose, and
had succeeded in attaining to consider
able altitude, when to all appearances, it
had been brought to halt by mass of
hair which had determined to resist the
encroachments of two much forehead.
This hair still hung threateningly around
his forehead, fell over his ears in tangled
knots, mingling itself with his beard,
and from the back of his head hung far
below his coat collar in uncombed
masses. The sides and lower part of his
face were covered with long, untidy,
struggling beard in keeping with his
hair.
In his dress he was not the less singu-
lar. Not gaudy butterfly of fashion is
Mr.. Pike. A true reforner, he has dis
pensed with collar and necktie; man
with destiny to work out, lofty idea
to attain, he scorns to make use of shirt
cuffs, and in consequence, his short coat
sleeves expose an uncomfortable extent
of wrists. His coat is of the ministerial
cut, having down its front large num-
ber of buttons, all of which are brought
into requisition from the top one to the
bottom one, as the garment is buttoned
close about him, even to the throat,
which oompels the mind to grope
helplessly about in amaze of uncertainty
whenever it attempts to solve the CUES
ton as to whether Mr.. Pixies apparel
includes vest and shirt. The ministe-
rial and closely buttoned coat shines with
the luster of extreme age. 1t is one of
those things which, like bald head, be-
come brighter as it grows. Especially is
it glossy at the elbows, and at the back,
at which latter place Mr. Pixies
angular shoulder blades have thrust it
in sharp contact with every thing he
leaned against. The pantaloons are OF
the same material. Each knee is the focus
of dazzling aggregation of rays Of
light produced by the mirror surface Of
the well worn cloth.
Mr.. Pike on this occasion has bad
cold, a distemper aggravating enough at
any time, but frightfully SO when the
victim has no handkerchief Mr.. Pike
has no handkerchief. But this situation
which would fill an inferior mind with
horror, Mr.. Pike contemplates without
dismay. He is man of resources. He
has cold in his head and is destitute Of
a handkerchief. What does he do Why
he wipes his nose with his coat sleeve
and with grace and ostentation which
seems to say, "You see, don't you, thai
it takes hold great deal better than 6
silk handkerchief" Thus is difficulty
which the ordinary individual contem
plates with the EXTREMIST anguish easily
overcome by the philosophic mind. Thu
the votaries of a spiritual philosophy
grapple with and subdue the difficultie
of life.
Mr.. Pixies cold in his head is bad on,
one of the thin and watery sort; bu
each time is the gathering drop brushe,
deftly away by the ready coat-sleeve
The visitor gets used to it, and at las
begins to admire it.