Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-03-26
Bean Hickman and Canada Bill.

Beau Hickman, the great wag, then
world famous as a clever tritkster. The
two sports met on the steps Of the huge
marble Capitol. Hickman had been
pointed out to Canada Bill by a boot
black.
Is your name Hickman, pard? in
quired Bill, extending his hand.
The same, sir. Whose hand might
have the honor ofpresslng?' returned
Hickman, thinking that his new ac-
quaintance was a newly arrived western
member Of Congress.
The hand you grasp, pard,' respond
cd Bill, is one generally known as
being more able to deal cleyerly than
fairly. 1, like yourself, am one Of So
ciety's razor straps. l am
Canada Bill, by gumu
Shake the number-two-times-for
I'm glad to meet you, Hickman
How long are you going to stop in
the town.
stepped of expressly to make your
Are you known in this city?'
No.
Then l will turn you to good ac-
How much money have you to
venture on a sure thing'
Got Sc 0O0.'
with you?'
Right here and Canada Bill pulled
forth two huge rolls OF bills.
How would you like to turn that
into sl2. 900 within the next three days p
Name the job, and Pm your man.
'Sh! Wen take a drink, and Hlck-
man led the monte-tosser into the card
room Of a fashionable sample room.
The next day a genteel, solemn look
M man entered the gcntlcmen's par
lors at aillard's Holcl, which were
,illed with senators, congressman aud
,fice seekers and holders Of all grades.
lie carried small note book IN bis
nand, anda as he approached each group
ne would bow aud say:
.Gentlemeu, am collecting money
for widow lady and her three children.
rhcy belong to once proud but no"
rast down family. If you will aid them,
please ask no further questions, but
1--WE what YOU see ht.
Ia the entire hotel the gsntlemanly
bessar only received three contributions
Of twenty-five cents each. The Others
waved him lmpatiently aside, while
some plainly told him he was an i'm
poster. Before leaving he said quietly
to the three gentlemen who had given
han money:
This will be repaid you tenfOld to-
morrow evening at this hour
He then took TIE address Of each.
asking them not to fail to be in the
parlor next evening to get their money,
and cautioned them to speak to no one
Of this promise-that he was Sir Orlando
Malterson, President Of the Royal Lon =
don Society tor the Encouragement OF
Beneyolence.
As a matter of course, before be got
a block away from the hotel every one
knew all that he had said and done, and
all considered him some crazy fanatic.
Then a report got about that he was an
immensely rich but insane English no
bleman, who spent yearly hundreds OF
thousands III seeking those out who
were willing to lend aid to the needy,
and in rewarding them afterwards, SO
that, according to his cracked brain, the
cause Of charity might be in a general
way accelerated.
The next morning he came again,
asking aims, and every one was on the
lookout for him. He Grst singled out
the three gentlemen who had given him
twenty-five cents each, and very quietly
passed each an envelope containing
$3.50. and a small card, upon which
was printed. Give and you shall re-
ceive.' Cast your bread. on the water
and 1t shall return to you tenio!d.
: Remember the example of Sir Orlando
Matterson as you journey through liie.'
Sir Orlando MaIterson took s7o in
donations from the house that night.
and it was noticeable that those whom
his example had thus qulckened were
very careful that he should have their
correct address. The same result fol-
lowed m each Of the scores OF hotels
and sample rooms which he had initiat
ed on the night before. The third night
he. with a solemn face, returned to each
donor of the previous night the exact
teufold promised.
1T would be a joy which l would
consider cheaply purchased said he,
confdentially, to g dozen gentlemen,
If at the cost of half a million dollars
[ could teach the citizens OF this beau
tiful city to be thoroughly generous TO
the poor
That night he was like the ticket
seller at the railroad. One, two, five,
Ten and even twenty dollar bills were
showed at him on all sides, so great had
been the awakening IN the cause OF
beuevolence which the example of Sir
Orlando Matterson had aroused. A
benign smile hovered about bis mouth,
and tear that glittered betimes in his
mild, kind eye proclaimed tie joy his
soul felt as he showed bill after bill into
his pockets. and gazed with the look Of