Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-06

a pNs,ssspatsas Cripple Ea3eys u mssIf Cn-
~ s>ssSssrsssss ssssSssss 81 Mis- Esr'y

I'll down IS tue Window saiu InoWts
w. Rxdtsh. pleasantly, Thursday afternoon.
"Ycu are welcome. coming rs you do fresh
from the hustle 81 the multitude. Ike "a
rub against fragment OF the crowded
hour ~ which Che rest Of humanity lives
and moves"
The SPEAKER san his wheeled chair gayly
toward the large bay-window, and motsoned
your correspondent 10 a wide Turkish sosa
facing him. lie then made dash toward
q ddebcard. and returned with handful
Of cigars and a box Of matches. The long
sought miefviex with "thc Ingenious In.
vslid,, ~ Mr.. RadIsh IL universally called,
then proceeded. Its Encouragement had
been difficult. The recluse " not accessible
70 everybody. lie IL a partial paralyt!c,
but not moosfrosity In any sense. Tie
shuns the world only because he finds
ample compabiouship In his books and
birds. His valet IL quite his match at bill
liards or cards, aud amusement IL therefore
obtainable without making any draft upon
his friends.
AN EXCLUSIVE FAMILY.
The Radish homestead. at No. 1865 Pine
street. IL one OF the Oldest In that part Of
the cite. IL II substantial structure,
built over thirty years ago. and towers
Radish's wide range Of accomplishments
had been often rcciteG to the Herald cor
respondent.
Thomas was a student In New England
college. but never was graduated for some
mysterious reason. IL was said among his
companions that the college president sent
for him one night and that Tom disappear
ed from his classes the following day. The
family lived wholly within itself. Not
only were its members strangers TO the
city, hut they seemed to desire the social
isolation which necessarily environed peo-
pie whose previous history was unknown.
GOSSIP, II Il said, declared that the family
fortune bad been accumulated In the slave
trade, but that wa probably false.
Young Radish belonged TO the then
tlourishipg Unicorn Club. He could play
the then nascent game Of poker with con-
siderable nerve. II was said OF him that
be could lose 1000 at cards several nights
in succession without evnclng the slightest
upeasiness. That sum was large amount
TO win or lose at play In this city forty year,
ago.
TAKEN HOME ISsENsIBLE.
one night, or rather morning, Young
Radlsh was brought home 10 the paternal
mansion insensible. He bad been pros
trated at bis 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
/ he physicians who bad been hastily sum-
moned that the young carouser had lost
the use OF his limbs. He was dead below
the waist. He fingered between life
and death for months. Grief and the
care Of 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 crippled son. He became
o monomaniac on the subject Of making
his boys life as contented and happy as
money could. He purchased the two lots
out on Pine street, then far in the suburbs,
and began The erection OF the large man.
sion the invalid has occupied since 1852.
No expense was spared. Every appliance
that ingenuity could contrive TO minister
to the comfort OF the invalid was intro.
duced. The halls were nearly double
the width Of those in ordinary city
houses. so that the man on his wheeled
chsir could pass with ease. An elevator at
the end OF the hall on each floor sufiiced 10
give him ready access 10 all parts OF the
house. In after years he has used this lift
only TO ascend. A heavy brass rod attached
to the baiusirade on either side served rs
a track upon which he fastened a couple OF |
hooks at the end Of a wide leather strap. |
Into this cradle he was wont 30 sling him |
self. and with "a whiZ to descend 10 the |
landing below.
At the suggestion OF Mr.. Radish we as
ceDded 10 the gymnasium, where your cor
respondent witnessed some really surpris- |
ny feats Of agility, skill, and muscle on the
part Of his Invalid host.
STORY or A QUEER LIFE.
Descent was then made to the library,
where the interview incorpora in the
given above was resumed.
"My whole trouble in life has been that |
started without any definite purpose" |
aid Mr.. Radish. "if l lad formed any |
plans before my great misfortune came |
Ipon me ] shonld have proceeded TO carry |
hem out. My fathers sympathy was in
,rdinattly deep. He spent a fortune in
building and equiping this house for me.
1e 10y ed nc because he haze LOST everything
lse In the world that was dear TO him"
"What precipitated your paralytic at.
ack at the Unicorn Cluby" asked the cor
respondent.
"That incident viii lose halt its point in
he telling, because cannot give Names"
Ne replied. "Were TO give them TO you,
;ou would not dare TO repeat them. with
he extensive knowledge of our law OF
lbel which, as uewspaper.man, you
doubtless possess. Briefly, then. l was
,Iayino cards-poker--in private room
4 the club one night. There were five OF
Is at the table. Two OF these were the
,est friends had in the world. l really
owed them, and would have died
,efore | would have wronged them. We
,layed for small stakes at first, but as
Ne began 10 get heated with liquor the
limit was waived by all OF Us, and the
bets grew quite large for those days. | had
ost about $4,000. but did not feel badly
about IT. a. my two friends had won most
" the money. The cards had been dealt
Tor another hand. Among mine were three
acks. 'came In and raised the 'ante
300. The player on my left passed out
md for the first time during the game ] |
casually east my eyes toward my best
friend across the table. He held his cards |
IN his left hand as he counted out 800,
liter which nc went $500 better.
DETECTED At CHEATING.
This made IL clear that we were 10 he |
he only two players. l made good aud !
drew only one card-a trick by which 4 |
he'd often succeeded In getting II fun |
and, occasionally, 'fours.' MY friend |
called for card, but placed his dead |
wood trine too hastily among that in |
The centre II the table. Jut az the card |
war given him. and as turned up my card |
10 find that IL was the fourth Jack, an |
accident occurred. My best |
friend uttered frightful oath and |
dropped the cards in his hand, face up |
ward, u.pon the table. He had carelessly |
laid his fist upon the lighted end OF his |
neighbours cigar and the surprise. COM
bined with guilty conscience, had eX-
posed him as cheat. lie already had "a |
full hand. as the five cards spread out be- |
fore us all attested. The one he had dawn |
still ley on the table. IL would have been |
got rid Of In some way-dropped on the |
floor, perbaps-before a show Of hands, l |
did not comprehend the gravity OF the case
until my leftband neighbor said: And
you discarded three cards, YOU thief Then
realized that was being robbed by my
friends. IL flashed on me instantly that
whenever one or the other dealt the win
ming hand wac found beneath them. My
cbagrin did not arise from the loss OF the
money. That pot was niue clearly, but
don't know TIN this day who got u.
was on my feet In an instant, drew the pis-
toll. which every young blood carried in
those days, sud fired, point blank, across
the table az my former friend.
FEELINGS ORA SUPPOSED AUBDERER.