Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-01-10

| He is fat, good natured man about
sixty, whose face fairly reflects benev-
olence, and whose soft gentle voice acts
as relief on the ears of the prisoners.
1--WE have had some of queer charac-
ters here said he, "and about Christ
mas time, when one is kind Of cheer
ed into q reflective mood, one recollects
some of them. The most noted char
acter | remember was a few named
Sam. He had scores of names, but he
never held on to any of them of length
of time. He was no criminal, but he
was a slave to drink. For years his
his time was spent either in the ten
day house here or on Blackwells Is,
land. In his lucid moments he would
in measure realize his condition, and
then have himself committed. Finally
be got so that he became a regular fix
ture in the Tombs, and made himself
generally useful. One thing, however
he would always contrive to do, and
that was to get drunk. He would fire.
quently get small change from visitors
and Immediately on the receipt thereof
he would be found gloriously drunk.
Everybody watched him, but nobody
succeeded in finding out how he did it.
Finally one Christmas Day, when the
Commissioners were here, one of them
promised him bottle Of the finest
whiskey, if he told how he struggled
his liquor into the building. He then
showed US. There was an old forgot
ten sewer, which opened into the grass
plot outside of the Tombs, and was COW
cred with rubbish and old iron. When
ever he was sent out on message he
would fill an old tin can, and press 1t
through. Then he would dive in the
bowels of the earth as it were, and
drink until the can was empty. Poor
/ Sam, he meyer got drunk after that
bottle of whiskey which the Commits
soner gave him, for we closed ap the
sewer.
Poor Henry Willard, his fall from the
pinnacle Of success WAS even more rap
id than his ascent. A few months ago
the head of the powerful Northern Pa
cifc confederacy, he has now sunk so
low that none will do him honor
With ruined health, a mind from over
work and intense strain, his reflections
on New Years Day as he gazed at the
murky atmosphere outside must have
been anything but cheerful. There IS
now no doubt that Willard brought on
his collapse himself. Like all paryenus
who have risen from nsignilicance by
their own efforts, his confidence in
himself grew oy 2rcrowning, and unln-
tentonallly he made enemies. That he
should antagonize the Gould interest
was natural. Two such dynastles can
not exist together without clashlng
but he made enemies right and left, and
particularly of such people as he did
not know and to whom he did not give a
thought. When he found it Il matter
of life and death to have friends, he
saw none but opponents, who Hooked
about him like so many Banluo's
ghosts.
/ The question is a common one in
Wall Street at present, "Will Willard
get on his legs again ?> and | asked
one of the Nestors of the Street what he
thought of it, 81 think Wizards sun
is set" he replied. True he has ~
tense determination and energy, and he
possesses in an eminent degree that
German virtue Of perseverance, but
YOU uuSU nav Z uCllCtl UlliU Vel mans 90
Il rule lack the recuperative power
which is distinctiyely American char.
acteristic. You take a native, no mat
ter what knocks he may receive, how
often he may fail, he never gives up.
lie may have been thrown from the
topmost pinnacle Of success. The mo-
ment he RECEIVERS his breath and gets
over the dazed feeling his fall has given
him, he sets to work to climb up again.
Now the German is different. He
sticks to his work like grim death, but
once he slips and rolls down hill he
loses heart For this reason | believe
that Wizards days as financial mag
nate, even were his health perfect, are
over
RUekiqn.s Arnica SaIyp.