Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-11
STRANGE LIFE HISTORY.


4 Philadelphia special says: "Come and
sit down by the window" said Thomas w.
Radish, pleasantly, Thursday afternoon.
"You are welcome, coming as you do fresh
from the hustle Of the multitude. like to
rub against fragment of the crowded hour
in which the rest Of humanity lives and
moves"
The speaker ran his wheeled chair gayly
toward the large bay-window, and motloned
your correspondent to wide Turkish sofa
facing him He then made a dash toward
sidehoarG, and returned with handful
of cigars and box of matches. The long
sought interview with ''the ingenious in
valid" as Mr.. Radsh is universally called,
then proceeded Its Encouragement had
been difficult The recluse is not accessible
to everybody. He is partial paralytic,
but not monstrosity in any sense. He
shuns the world only because he finds ample
companionship in his books and birds. His
valet is quite his match at billiards or cards,
and amusement is therefore obtainabe with
out making any draft upon his friends.
The Radsh homestead is one of the Oldest
III that part OF the city. 1t is substantial
structure, built over thirty years ago, and
towers above Il wilderness ofsmaler houses.
Thomas was student in a New England
college, but never Was graduated for some
mysterious reason. It was said among his
companions chat the college president sent
for him one night and that Tom disappear
ed from lis classes the following day. The
family lived wholly within itself Not
only were its members strangers to the
city, but they seemed TO desire the social
isolation which necessarily environed peo-
pie whose previous history was unknown
Gossip, it is said, declared that the family
fortune had been accumulated in the slave
trade, but that was probably false.
Young Radish belonged to the then 1lour-
ishing Unicorn Club. He could play the
then nascent game Of poker with considera-
bic nerve. 1t was said of him that he could
lose 81 900 at cards several nights in success
sion without evincing the. slightest uneasi-
| ness.
One night, or rather morning, young Rad
ish was brought home to the paternal man.
sion nsensible. He had been Frustrated ct
his club. The nature of the shock that had
| brought the crisis never could be learned.
| One side Of his face was distorted, and an
examination convinced the physicians who
| had been hastily summoned that the young
carouser had lost the use Of his limbs. He
was dead below the waist. He fingered be-
tween life and death for months Griefand
| the care for the invalid broke his mothers
health and she faded away into the grave.
The fathers disposition Soured toward
every living creature on earth except his
| criDped son. He became Il monomanlac on
the subject of making his boys life as con-
| tented and happy As money could. He
| purchased the two lots ont on Pine street,
| then far in the suburbs and began the erec
ton of tho large mansion the invalid has oc
cupied since 1852 No expense was spared.
Every appliance that ingenuity could con-
trive 10 minister to the comfort of the inva-
lid was introduced The halls were nearly
double the width Of those in ordinary city
houses. so that the man on his wheeled chair
could pass with ease An elevator at the
end of the nall on each floor sufliced to give
him ready access to all parts of the house.
In after years he has used this lift only to
ascend. A heavy brass rod attached to the
balus;rada on either side served as track
upon which lie fastened couple Of hooks
at The end OF Il wide leather strap. Into
this cradle he was wont to sling himself,
and with wbiz to descend to the landing
below. Descent was then made to the Ii
hrary, where the interview Incorporated in
| tfle narrative given aDONc WAS IcSulIcI
NV Whole trouble in life has been that |
started without any definite purpose" said
| Mr.. Radish ''If had formed any plans
before my great misfortune came upon me
| should have proceeded to carry them out"
What preciptated your paralytic attack
at the Unicorn CLUB" asked the corre-
spondent.
! "rhat incident will lose half its point in
| The telling, because | cannot give names, "
1 he replied "Were to give them to you,
you would net dare to repeat them, with
the extensive knowledge of our law of libel
which, as Il newspaper. man, you doubtless
possess. Briefly, then, was playing cards
poker-in Il private room at the club one
night. There were five Of us at the table.
Two of these were the best friends had in
the world. | really loved them, and would
| have died before I would have wronged
them. We played for small stakes at first,
but as we began to get heated with liquor
the limit was waived by all of us, and the
bets grew quite large for those days. l had
lost about S5,OOO but did not feel badly
about it, as my two friends had won most
Of the money. The cards had been dealt
for another hand Among mine were three
| lacks. I came in and raised the ante
500. The player on my left passed out,
and for the first time during the game
casually cast my eyes toward my best
friend across the table He held his cards
! in his left hand as he counted out 800,
after which he went $500 better.
'This made it clear that we were to be
the only two players. made good and
drew only one card-a trick by which had
often succeeded in getting full and, oc
casionally, fours' My friend called for q
/ card, but placed his 'deadwood' a tritie toe
hastily among that in the centre of the ia.
Bile. Just as the card was given him, and
as turned up my card to find that it wa:
the fourth jack, an unexpected accident oc
Cured. My best friend uttered e frightfu
oath and dropped the cards in his hand, facs
upward, upon the table. He bad carelessly
laid his fist upon the lighted end of hi:
&lo + NJ