Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-25
rHE PREslpENTs FAC sIaIILE.
Striking Resemblance of Bill Nathans
to President Arthur-Cost of Luxury
to the Former.


Boston Globe.
There is a resident of New York who
resembles President Arthur so closely as
to be commonly mistaken for him. The
likeness has existed for twenty years or
more. and was subject OF comment
among the acquaintance of the two men
when there was less social difference ne
tween them than there is now. Bill Ma
thans was shoemaker, with a shop OF
his own near the custom house, during
the years that Arthur, before appointment
as Collector, held subordinate positions.
They got shaved in the same barber
shop, and a change of proprietorshlp gave
the opportunity for joke on the new
owner. Nathans went in to have his lace
smoothed, told his name in order to lden-
tify his private cup, and, as 1t was broken,
talked about ordering another. just out
side of the door he met Arthur. They
consulted briefly. Arthur went in, nodded
Familiarity, and took his place In a CHAIR.
The barber looked in surprise at the Gus
toner who, apparently, was the same man
who had a minute before been under his
hands; but he had no time to make any
comment before Arthur said: i've got
a cup here marked 'Nathans.' Don't you
remember? You were speaking TO me
about new one yesterday"
'Yesteday, sir?' exclaimed the puz-
zled barber. Didn't l shave you right
nOwY'
Il haven't been in here since yester-
day." was the cool reply.
The barber was not a total abstalner,
and had no good reason to trust his own
mind implicitly. A barely-hnlshed spree
made him more than usually doubtful OF
his memory; but he was thoroughly
alarmed by a mental condition that
seemed to deprive him of the power to
discriminate between two minutes and
a day. He shaved Arthur very thought
fully, and that evening went to 10 tenn
perance meeting to sign the pledge.
The resemblance did Nathans no good,
| though it enabled him to crafty his van
ity by posing in public places, and re-
ceiving mods and occasional hand snakes
under false pretenses. rms fOrm OF
amusement, however, proved c0stler
| than it might seem at first thought. 1t
was easy enough to fool casual acquaint-
auces of the collector, but the sport took
time that he could not spare from his
small business, and so sank from employ
er to employee.
The elevation of Arthur to the Vice
Presidency entailed additional RESPONSE
| bility upon the counterpart, who there
| upon undertook to keep up proper
shadow Of dignity. This he did by dress
ing as nearly like Arthur as the obtain
able information on that subject would
permit. The expenses of his wardrobe
were thus augmented far beyond what he
could afford: but he kept at it resolutely,
and showed himself in guises that salts
fed his notion of what a Vice-President
Of the United States ought to be. Then
came the further eXultatiOn of Arthur,
and still Nathans manfully, proudly
bore the burden of similitude. He has in
formed himself of the Presidents styles
of dress, all of the real or fancied changes
in his demeanor i'll the direction of in
creased dignity, and especially of alter a.
lions in the cut of his beard. Arthur's
rather long side whiskers had not
been trimmed closely many days before
Nathans learned of it, and had his
own shortened in as nearly the same way
as could be accomplished without actual
measurements. He may be seen on after
moons sauntering in Broadway and lOung
ing in places of weighty mems resort,
getting a compensation for his bankruptcy
IN the stares which his likeness causes.
He misses the mistaken greetings that he
used to receive, for the improbability of
the President going about in the city so
unceremoniously prevents anybody from
going further in their attentions than to
remark the great resemblance; but, on
the other hand, there is more glory i'll
merely looking like a President than in
being taken for a collector. But there is
dread in his heart; he thinks that Arthur
may let his whiskers grow without his
finding it out in time to do likewise until
it is too late to catch up.