Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1883-01-09
"PRALSE NE LORD."

l23, l25 WILLIAM ST., NEW 1ORK CITY, I
January 2nd, 1888. !
Dear Interior.
Nearly 40 years ago, when a student
in Centre College, used to listen with q
sort of rapture to the fluent illusions of q
peddler in razor strops, whom ! have seer
once and again in front Of the old Shields
House (now Thorel's) first hacking and
dulling jack-knife on the curb-stone and
then by skillful application of his magic
strop restoring ii to such state of sharp
meas that ii would sever hair held by one
end. All the time he was manipulating
the knife he would recount in doggerel
verse the merits Of his incompatible strop.
Some Of these poetical outpourings / can
recall after the lapse Of nearly 40 years, 40
strikingly we're they put; and there are not
few left in Central Kentucky who will
remember the man / write about. His
name was Smith, (of course) but he was
popularity known as the "razor-strop man"
His strops had real merit and were sold for
% cents-really cheap as well as good
Well, all this prelude to the simple but
startling fact that one of my first auditors
and now my very steadfast friend, very
gray, but still in vigorous health and activ-
ity, was and still is the veritable razor.
strop man" Ofmy boyhood. The old mans
eyes twinkled the other night when re-
peated his old saying, "a few more Of the
same sort" the allusion coming in perfect
ly in my sermon; but the personal bearing
of IL only known to my venerable friend
and myself He has thriving business
down town, ia well-to-do and sells more
than strops now, though he is still vending
the famous article that laid the foundation
Of his prosperity and which will still make
a dull knife OF razor
'sharp as a wOman's tongue
Or tigers claw,
jaw jaw, CLAW CLAW,
and few more left OF the same sort" He
was only converted three years ago, but has
rapidly ripened into one of the most fervent
and active christians in New York.
Another attentive hearer and devoted
christian man is Mr.. John Guiteau, broth
er of Charles, who shot President Garfield
He speaks freely about his brother and has
told me many things that have thrown
light on a very strange chapter Of human
life and the history Of fanatical enthusiasm.
This morning rode down Broadway in
a stage with the father of Mr.. Jim Fisk,
killed by Stokes years ago. The old gem
tleman introduced himself to me and We
had pleasant chat, being almost alone,
(for a wonder in the omnibus. He soon
led the conversation to his dead son. whose
memory he tenderly cherishss. 1 was
greatly touched by what he said. Stokes
keeps one OF the most elegant hotels ON
Hoffman House-And the
wonder Of the place is in the bar-room, on
which be spent 100000 in interior decora.
lions. Everybody wants to see a 100000
bar-room. There is not its like in the
world, perhaps Shall | add that have
not personally inspected il? hear that
Stokes, after serving his term in the peni.
lentiary, went to California and made7his
money by few successful strokes in stscks.
One sees a good deal Of human nature 10
he street cars and stages on Broadway. 1
OF down few items, which when "found,
took a note of''-ss Capt. Cutie sageiy
advises.
CASE lst.-Eniering the omnibus aud 20.
ng 10 the only uuOeeuPied seat, am near
y imPaled in taking II, by very sharp ell
BOW, held ingeniously "at the charge" by
Il owner, a gentleman with grizzled beard,
veil dressed and hands folded on top Of his
Walking stick, which furnishes the lever
gs Of that elbow without seeming to do .
0. He holds his position until l have ad. !
listed myself at respectful distance, not {