The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-31


Colonel George II. Butler as n RefoRmeI
Washington Republic.
The last that was heard Of this llstin
guiShed raconteur, critic, philosopher
diplomat, soldier and epicure, was In al
Hntriendly paragraph in the Associate,
Press dispatches from New York, whicl
said in substance that while in one Of hi
erratc moods (this is stating It mild, evel
George will admit he had doubtless iallel
of a wharf and drowned. A few day
ago, however, Ireceived letter from thi
literary Bacchus, which his old friend
will he glad 10 read. His letter was dateC
at Fort Hamilton, Long Island, and ii
object was to compliment me for some
thing ] had written in the Philadelphia
7im0. | omit the first page OF his letter
because It Is purely personal to myself.
1t will be seen that George Is not "all gone
TO pieces" after all:
"And now word about another famous
man-myseli. | don't care whether you
want 10 hear from me or about me; I'm
going 10 write to keep my hand in, and
pour pdsseT Ia temps. It's hot even here
too hot to play billiards, kick football or
pitch quoits, and I've read everything
within reach; so I'll bore You. 1 came
here agreeing to stay year. It Is the
best of the so.called 'Inebriate Homes
and not a bad place for a tired mariner 10
cast anchor in to calk up, rig new set OF
sails and ship new rudder, I've been
steering little wild Of late, Rammyl and
haven't always cast my latitude and longi-
tude accurately, although kept the glass
in hand about all the time! BY the way,
speaking spec Of mariners did you know !
'There are about forty OF us Poe Edgar
A. creatures here and, excepting myself,
a pretty decided set OF fellows. Three
doctors, two Journalists, lot more OF bust.
ness men, merchants, matters, brokers. two
clergymen, and the others dissipated sons
Of rich fathers, who have sent them here
in hopes OF reform or cure, as you please
10 call II. One is a newspaper man from
your State. " The biggest loaier
here, excepting, OF course. myself, is an
Episcopalian clergyman. They treat any
thing here, except a ward club on election
day-alcohol, opium, morphine, Choral
treat you well and charge you we'll. The
house Is large, imposing and convenient,
the table is tirst.class, and the park is full
OF woods, shrubbery, lake and pretty
flower garden. We are lust opposite
Staten Island in the Narrows. From
my window you can see -or can
see, for you are not here Wd-the Bat.
terry end Of New York, the spires OF Brook.
Ign, and almost hear Taimage howl for
mercy when he's home. OFT 10 the leit.
over the lower bay, is Jersey CITY, Hobo.
ken, Communipaw and the Orange Noun
tatns. All day long the commerce of
nation that's always a reliable phrase,
learned it from Judge Keller passes an /
repasses in trontof me about one thousand
yards of. Yesterday l saw the Scythia
90 out with the Duke Of Argyll on board,
but reckon Thurlow Weed didn't tell
the family that Pm here, as l failed to see
dear Lady Mary waving her handker-
chiei, as had led two or three pretty bad
opium cases to expect would occur. Be.
low us, or oCeanward, is Conev Island,
about three miles, and only mile from
here is Kathleen Villa, poor Barney vii.
liams' seaside home, where Mrs, Barney
is now with her daughter, Kathleen,
What painful error Of judgment was her
return to the stage!
"My hackers in the fight for tho cham.
pionshiP against whisky provide me every
thing-clothes, books, newspapers, pipes,
tobacco, stationery, postage mfs-all
that need, in fact, and generously as |
would buy for myself if still held nv
silver mines, and they only ask that III
stay here year. 1t is a literal 81 800 sine.
cure, without even the trouble Of auditing
your own bills. No hardship, is it, TO
give up stuff the taste OF which / loathe
when sober, and the results OF which fill
me with horror and disgust, but by some
inexplicable mental phenomena / have
been led time and again to take that did
hrd drink, and then Pm gone. Let's hope
better luck this time. That's not a cheer
tul subject, so I'm glad the page has run
out.
Give my love to that slim young gentle.
man, Jim Young, and 10 all the boys, and
tell them TO look out for me when the
Presidential campaign begins. I'll be
bad man when ] drop on the Avenue
next year, like Mercury, new.liChtel on a
heayen.kissing hill
"Did you hear that Bill Shaffer had
come back richH Why shouldn't reform
then, II stay away from bar.rooms and
Temperance societies year?
!, while you are stroking your chin over
that conundrum, I'll stealthily sign my
sell, yours truly,
~ :, GEO. II. BUTLER.
"P: S.-Loye to Matt. Carpenter and
BobIngersolt"
IngCrsolrs EuIosy OF the J.vs