, 1884-09-19
An ODD FISH.
sBOgy," the Peripatetic Telegraph
Operator, Turns Up.
He Enters Cheyenne on His Thir-
tieth Annual Tour,
And as Usual Levies Contributions
on His Friends.

formation to the public at large, but there
are very few telegraph operators of a few
years standing who will not. recall the
person in question.
Bogardus is more familiarly and even
more generally known as 'Bogy'-only
this and nothing more. Where "Bogy'
originated is wrapped in deep mystery.
He probably alwayshas been. Men whose
memories carry them back thirty years
or more all remember "Bogy," and he
is pretty much the SAINT now as he was
then. In personal appearance he is just
as neat, not a streak of silver appears in
his brown hair, and his step is as brisk as
it ever was.
His old conviyial habits still cling to
him. Years ago he used to be under the
influence of liquor t~wenty-four hours out
of each day, and the habit so desperately
cultivated still clings to him.
1t is said by those who know him best
that "Bogy" has seen more serpents in
the phantom condition than any man who
at present draws the breath of life. With
one hand securely tied behind him he can
still at any time of the day or night sum-
mon up a whole reptilian menagerie for
his private ediication. About thirty years
ago such trifes as these used to worry
him, but they don't do so now Some
times in the long ago, when he laid his
weary bones to rest in an out-ofthe-way
place, a spiritual owl was in the habit of
perching itself upon his nose. Its big
large eyes seemed to pierce his
innermost consciousness and CRATE
upon his very soul.
But all this was in the long ago.
Boys private collection of owls has
long since increased and by some myster-
ious process whenever he closes his eyes
six or seven of them perch upon his nose
and her gaze upon him with the same
searching solemnity as Poe's phantom
raven.
Yes" admitted ''Bogy" yesterday
while wheedling Manager Jones out of
the price of a drink and incidentally con
versing with a LEADER reporter at the
same time, yes, it was a little disagree
able at first packing around a private
menagarie of snakes and three prong
bulls and such like, but I've got used to
all that long ago. Do you know said
he, dsopping his voice to a confidential
tone, ''thatI never give a whoop for the
whole lot except when l happen
to shake the owls off my
nose and they stick their claws into
me or when some sportive imp goes to
pouring melted lead into my ears. When
this happens away out on the bleak
prairie, miles away from anybody, it amt
half as pleasant as you would think"
"Bogy'' used to be one of the finest tel
egraph operators in the country, but for
years has led a nomad existence which is
only paralleled by the Wandering jew.
He is continually turning up. sometimes
in San Francisco, sometimes in New Or
leans, again in New York or maybe Min
neapolis.
He seldom works any now, and the
most trifing acquaintance is sufficient
ground for n demand for a loan. How he
secures transportation is a mystery for he
is in a constitutional state of "hard-up-
ness"
He arrived in this city yesterday and
had no difficulty in finding acquaintance.
No one was glad to see him and he
didn't expect anybody would.
He fitted in here mysteriouly like a
summer zephyr, although he didn't carry
the same fragrance. He will fit out again
to-day or tomorrow Just as mysteriously,
and keep on fitting until some cold day
or in the stiffness of some dreary night
the fag-end of his misspent life will hutter
out like a tallow-dip in a storm and his
whisky-soaked spirit will aeetly fit to the
awful and mysterious Whittier.