The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-11-23
NO. 479.
4 NEEDY OLD CHAP.
STRANGE GUEST AT AN AcroR's OHM

some years ago, when John MoCuiIonejI
was ~ New Orleans, says The Io,jsv;lIe
oou''er Journal 4 complimentary dinner tSa9
gwen to which Robson and Crane. the GOMEZ
dams, were invited. Robson tells ths u.
'ow'ng story Of an incident which occurred
1t was private affair, so that when
saw, sitting between Crane and myself, yerv
seeoy-looking old gentleman, nv attention
was arrested, aud began to eye the old char
win suspicion. By-and-by be began to a.
tract the attention of the company. He was
man OF say sixty or thereabout, unshaven
ana very shabbily dressed. The niubt ont,
side was bitterly cold and vet tho old ssl,on,
wore thin summer coat buttoned up to thu
was bis appearance, and after that his appe-
tite' lie ate voraciously, and his drinking
kept pace with his eating. Again and again
ala Crane and replenish his plate and fill his
glass; and again and again were they emptied.
: confess that barbsrous seuse of the hui
NOR of the thing came over me- and I gave
way to It, From my pride of place, de,;b-
efateiy Piled the ancient mariner with wine,.
ana made point of inviting the attention of
the whole table to him. They all went into
the joke, and insisted, one after another. uporif
drinking wine with the old man. The idea.
oil 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 friend9 Who brought him IMP,
ETC. But it was quickly suppressed for at last.
| III.
with quiet dignity, but firm courtesy, he de-
chned to drink any more, and no entreaty,
could move him from his resolution. None OF
our party seemed to know him, SO we finally
concluded that he was poor relation or ac-
quaintance of some of the givers of the ban
quet, who had kindly rung him in for good
iced. 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 speech2 Something about
Shakespeare, you know. He's the fellow
Nobody of course imagined that the old
man would have the nerve to get up and saw
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 intelligent exposition Of Shakspeare's
genlds that II has ever been -f..-.----. =,
-Ahd the whole thing was done SO easily
and with such au 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 profound critic and an accomplished
orator And those who came to scott remain
ed to pray.
:" John Mccullough rushed over aud grasped
his hand enthusiastically, thanked him for the
honor of his presence, and begged his name,
that the company might know to whom they
were indebted. For the first time the old man
seemed to lose his self-possession. He articu-
lated few words, but it was plain his emo
tons were getting the better of him. Crane
filled him glass Of wine, and the old man
drank it, and after little pause rose slowly,
and with difficulty. His manner had quite
changed. He no longer looked the keen
critic and fluent orator, but weak, infirm old
man, Who in spite of every disadvantage OF
appearance, still retained certain dignity
an elusive but unmistakable something that
pronounced him gentleman.
"Said friend to me as the old man got
upon his feet
"'Bob, this don't look like art this is ma
ture.'
"Gcntlemen said the unknown, In voice
tremulous and full of pathos, i owe an apollo
gy to you all. have no excuse to offer for
having intruded upon your festivity, but can
at least make tie poor ameud Of confession
that am an intruder. | came to this house
this evening ON the invitation of a man once
knew, and stumbled by accident into your
banquet. came here hungry and cold (and
| thought | could hear the wind whistlng
outside as he intoned rather than pronounced
the words, "hungry and cold,'') and I could
not resist the temptation. wanted to eat and
drink and get warm
s.And the old mans eyes dropped upon the
table as IL overpowered with sense of his
degradation.
''I know this is shameful be continued,
but physical weakness sometimes begets mem
tai weakness, and I had eaten nothing for
three days. For three weeks past have not
slept in a bed, but stolen a rest in doorways,
or in chair in the office Of some hotol. Some
: times have walked the streets till daylight.
Such things, gentlemen, tell heavily upon q
man of my age Otherwise, no man with a
. remnant of pride left could have acted as
have done tonight. But thank God have
at least retained courage enough to tell the
truth. And now, gentlemen said the brave
old man, Strengthening up with wonderful
dignity of manner, accept my gratitude for
what have received. have eaten and drank
with you, and am refreshed and grateful. /
, trust you will pardon my Infringement OF
hospitality aud common honesty, and permit
: me to depart,
; The dinner party Immediately raised a purss
: of sixty-eght dollars for their needy friend.
: Robeson will not tell his name but says that
: twenty-five years ago he was Congressman
from Ohio, and he was once a candidate for
! the Vice Presidency Of the United States.
/, >.--sos.--.>--
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