The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-06-07
LEr SMITH Walk.

A man died In the Cook County
Hospital the 0her day about whose life
there had been oil Of those singular
events which sometimes, when clus-
tered, make poverty romance. The
day he was taken to the hospital he
asked the Warden il the building was
safe. "And this Is my ward2" he said,
inquiringly, AZ he was assisted on his
bed, from which ho never got up. The
Warden said yes, unless he wished to
be changed. He shook his head ut the
suggestion, and then he noticed that it
faced western window. When asked
II this was an objection he smiled tho
faintest way and shock his head. He
seemed to notice that there was dis
position on the part Of the nurse to be
attentive to him. He called the Warden
with sickly motion Of the hand, and
when the official stopped over him, the
patient, whose face was waiting for the
glory of eternity to flash upon it,
seemed to brighten hit a. the lips
whispered: "Let Smith ralk."
II was not delirium, as the Warden
first supposed. 1t was u riddle, how
ever, which was not unraveled until
after the spirit had gone upon its jour
ney to look after another riddle--tho
perplexity Of which begins after the
worry about it is all over.
He was man Of tho world in all that
implies, except luxnries and rest. lie
was q Bohemian, not in the definition
which the uninitiated give to the word,
He was traveller who had no guide
his destination was always at the end
of tho day. with the setting Of the sun.
And when tho sun went down he would
turn his back upon it and face the east,
to watch for the reappearance, no mat,
ter how deep and dark tho night which
gathered about him. Always polite,
always ready for any scheme, always
CHEEKY, he believed, or came to believe,
that the world was in his debt, and he
had made solemn oath that tho world
should pay him what it owed, though
the payments were small, seanty. and
often uncertain. He had a system u
philosophy, which was rounded by ont
expression: LET Smith walk"
II is believed that no single newspa
per article, in q print Of ordinary III
mensions, in single issue, could cover
the eventful details Of this eharaeters
life, and ut the same time retain its 9th
er features a. newspaper. To tn,
writer was given the history, and Il
this was added personal Acquaintance,
with him in various places where tn,
character now and then appeared fo
no one place ever held him long.
He was n graduate Of IN Eastern
school. His father was an eminen
iurist. and the boy became man, I'm
der the influences Of most distingulshe,
and cultivated society, long before Ii,
came to the years which mako averag
men and women. Of his own accord
with the full knowledge and consent u
his kindred aud society, he chose /
quit them. OF his own will he starte,
TO acquaint himself with tho ways q
the world almost empty-handod. 4
his own detriment. and that Of his pre-
fession, he first encountered success
He was q handsome man in build. il
carriage, in his address Society pette'
him, but no turned away from its ca
resses. Fame opened the gates whie
led to the multitude in her court tina
waits to receive the favored with NJ
plausc. He turned away from til
tempting. Ever courteous to womer
and their champion always, he neye
had an ENHANCEMENT Of any sort wit
one Of the opposite sex.
When tho success he had achieve
lay heavily upon his hands, he east
away. Sngle-handed he went at tn
world. He met it nj every phase whie
it presents. From the receptions Z
state occasions. he swung like a man |
the air to depths almost as degradsn
as any which sickens the heart of MAJ
He came back from these pollution
now and then, often indeed. and, r,
newing his acquaintance with the cul
ured, he fascinated and charmed whel
ever the seas Of laces and faunees, an
the witcherv Of beauty met wit and GA
/. lantrs. and created a pageant abos
splendor's glittering throne.
Tho close of the war found him
fresh recruit in the tatterel remna,
which gathered about the grixxled La
on the plain OF Appomattox. He h
started out few months before ON Il
other side, and SO strong was he in h
faith that ii would be good fortune
him to be successful, he deserted Il
Federal forces and went over to Il
J cause about which the day had begu
: TO descend. i wanted to be in ut Il