The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-07-16
Life's Ups And Downs.
Loaiss wori.

.AoutSftaic W 0fIG-
 The contemplation of being knocked down at auction may not be pleasan; for apostles o; la5incss and leisure. but II Is about the only way that some .agrantS can be made useful. The provisions of the v3grans set-sEe- -af;en beneficial tn those upon ~hoii; ;hes are imposed II has so proven m the past. and the auc- ucneers block has proved the turning pom; in more than one mans liie. As an illustration oi this there i> old Capiain lec Coomhs. There k good deal of TO- nance n ;ht> history hu, the facts arc sufficiently vouehed for to lust.fy its rep etltion here.
 Something like nf,> ar sixty years ago ioc Cocmb> was an idler about town worthless. ne-aCeount fellow whom ro one respe, led and esef> one was ready Ia kiek. 4 loNc ef liquor @aS companion 10 hi> paSsIon ter leisure. and combined made oc model xasrant.
 Everything else iaiiins he WIS finally convicted under he vagrani law and sen ;cnccd to be sold d, the court house door. The date is obscure. but t must have been between iSiS and lSss. tor III IS4i he MAS pIlounI the steamer Rainbow \; the tune he was ou, at condition and not l desiisblc purchase. bui he Na> hnllis Knocked down to a rAet captain iof thirty seven and a halt cents The rublcon n ee aomb'> liie vas passed when he met the auetionecr block He went with lhe man who had hircd hlm from the xaie loc master ar hls friend. a> Il turned out. put .l-fii to wefk-sts a TaustcT on .l >fean- boat. .Ai that time the nNcf was the oulS avenue of tran >pettiiian Ia the south. and steamhnatins WAS lRels and prosperous. Forced to work. Ceornbs se,m threw off hiS old habits ot lasIne>s. and became m t, tite. industrious man. He surprised all by his ac;fvlts and perseverance fase rapIdly from one position ,n another. and l, the end aaf his year oi scrv1ce WAS IT charge of the boat upon winch hc had been drtens to wefk .s a saSrsnt. and was considered one ut the bc>; pilots on the rNeI.
 Fortune has gwen her wheel ,, lneky turn tor hun sstsd hc dld not waste the opportunity. In few scats of pefse,er- ancc he it inundated wealth. and. as com nandef oi the steamer k.unho~ funnln: between thls sIn and New orleans. he hccame the leading boatmen oi the day.
 Something like twenty tc.tN .,ttcI he had been sold 6tpi.an eoainbs secured ennttal al the ENehAnec ii the conner ni s4Nth and Main stIccts. where the iiaml- tou block naW stands. lud fof several Ycafs conducted one oi the leading and most popular pubile houses n the ,fte
 IL Was during ,hls tislc tha, he vent to Philadelphia. where he was nairled tp Il reh young widow Returning io the south he igaIn wcat m the fltci. and ai rhe tune the MI hfokr esst. e.is III eanl- n,ad at ihc steamer i-aI3>k lie. Whfe Il boat VA apt.fcd u Memphis !, e.enel Il Pillow. and t@o ar three ycars Later sht ~a> agaIn captured bk the cdetll gun boats. and about The tl,tsc of the war CaptaIn Coombs went te N Ma>hugtan and it i> ,aid succeeded ln getting a oltim through congress for the value of hIs beat
 Those aho knew hun m the days oi hi, prosperity speak ot hun as frank. noble and generous He WAS neser offended by an alluslon Ia the past. and often spoke of the day upon winch he was sold as his lucky day Many of ,hc older people about the city remember { 4ptalf Coeinbs \, proprietor of inc Exchange Hotel he st told ot hm. DurIns h., cxtcrIcn,e Il, rver captain and hotel keeper hc .,rs Gm- ulAted wealth. and when he died he leii a considerable estate.
 Strange were the cNpencnces of Cap tain Gaombs. rom 4 Vagfant he ohinbed up the socla ladder to a position of wealth and respcot4h,li,y Such ean- trasts are found m the history oi but tca iYcs. He was 4 man that. iu the pftme and vigor of hts youth. was totally unable 'o make an opportunity for himself but his eNpeuence proye- that the possibili'ics oi life are llmaless. II that rtruc oi he shen power should bc sreate,i he was desuiu,e of energy. and called unihlc,s fellow. bui Ahen the tune came he took the tide T, it9 food shch led on to for tune.