Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-03
A STRANGE GUEST.

Some years ago, when John Mccullough
was in New Orleans, a complimentary din
ner was given him, to which Robson and
Crane, the comedians, were invited. Rob.
son tells the following story of an incident
which occurred
cit was private affair, SO that when [
saw, sitting between Crane and myself, a
very seedy looking old gentleman, my at
tention was arrested, and 1 began to eye
the old chap with suspicion. By and by
he began to attract the attention of the
company. He was a man of, say sixty or
thereabout, unshaven and very shabbily
dressed. The night outside was bitterly
cold, and yet the old fellow wore thin
summer coat buttoned up to the throat.
What first drew my attention to him was
his appearance, and after that his appetite.
He ate voraciously, and his drinking kept
pace with his eating Again and again did
Crane and | replenish his plate and fill his
glass, and again and again were they emp.
tied. 1 confess that barbarous sense of
the humor of the thing came over me, and
1 gave way to it. From my pride of
place | deliberately piled the ancient
mariner with wine, and made point OF
inviting the attention of the whole table
to him. They all went into the joke, and
insisted, one after another, upon drinking
wine with the old man. The idea, of
course, was to get him tipsy, but here we
all failed, for the old gentleman had
head as hard as Socrates, and, moreover,
seemed to know when he had enough. The
quiet whisper and nudge was going round
the festive board, who's our friend !?
Who brought him in ? etc. But it was
quickly suppressed, for at last, with quiet
dignity, but firm courtesy, he declined to
drink any more, and no entreaty could
move him from his resolution. None of
our party seemed to know him, 30 we
finally concluded that he was poor rela-
tion or acquaintance OF some of the glvers
of the banquet, who had kindly rung him
in for a good feed. In the meantime
speeches were made, toasts were drank,
and slightly inebriated individual sung
out Say mine ancient friend, won't you
please give US speech? Something about
Shakespeare, you knowles the fellow. ,
"Nobody, of course, imagined that the
old man would have the nerve to get up and
and say anything, but he did. Well, sir,
in the course of my experience have heard
great many clever people talk about the
immortal bard, but on this occasion |
heard in fifteen minutes the most intelli-
gent exposition of Shakespeares genius
that it has ever been my fortune to listen
to. And the whole thing was done so
easily, and with such an entire absence of
effort, that it was not until he had finished
that we all began to realize that we had
been under the spell of a profound critic
and an accomplished orator. And those
who came to scof remained to pray. John
Mccullough rushed over and grasped his
hand enthusiastically, thanked him for the
honor of his presence, and begged his
name that the company ought to know to
whom they were indebted. At first
the old man seemed to lose his self-pos-
session. He articulated few words, but
it was plain his emotions were getting the
better of him. Crane filed him up glass
of wine, and the old man drank it, and,
after a little pause, rose slowly and with
difficulty. His manner had quite changed.
He no longer looked the keen critic and
fluent orator, but weak, in6rm old man,
who, in spite of every disadvantage of APP
pearance, still retained certain dignity
an elusive but unmistakable something
that pronounced him to be gentleman.
''Said friend to me as the old man got
upon his feet Bob. this don't look like
art this is nature. Gentlemen said
the unknown in voice tremulous and full
of pathos, l owe an apology to you all.
| have no excuse to offer for having in
truded upon your festivity, but / can at
least make the poor amend of confessing
that l am an intruder. l came to this
house this evening on the invitation of a
man once knew, and l stumbled by acct
dent into your banquet. came here hun.
cry and cold land l thought l could hear
the wind whistling outside as he intoned
rather than pronounced the words hungry
and cold y, and l could not resist the
temptation. l wanted to eat and drink
and get warm.
"And the old mans eyes dropped upon
the table as if overpowered with sense
of his degradation.
"'I know this is shameful he con.
tinued, but physical weakness sometimes
begets mental weakness, and l have eaten
nothing for three days. For three weeks
past have not slept in bed, but stolen a
rest in doorways, or in chair in the office
of some hotel. Sometimes l have walked
the streets till daylight. Such things,
gentlemen, tell heavily upon man of my
age. Otherwise no man with remnant Of
pride could have acted as l have done to.
night. But 1 thank God l have at least
retained courage enough to tell the truth.
And now, gentlemen, said the brave old
man, Strengthening mp with wonderful dig
nifty of manner, accept my gratitude for
what l have received. l have eaten and
drank with you, and am refreshed and
grateful. l trust you will pardon my in
fringement of hospitality and common hon.
esty and permit me to depart
The dinner party Immediately raised
purse of 500 for their needy friend. Rob-
son will not tell his name, but says that
twenty five years ago he was Congress.
man from Ohio, and he was once candi-
date for the Vice. Presidency Of the United
neutrality-suspicious. Louisville Cour-
ier.J Journal.
There will be trestle 500 feet long be-
tween Bolles junction and the mouth OF
Al oh