Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-10
IRE OF rnoHns.
A macy sketch OF Hii Gnthrio es
This County.


BY ssander, An The Philadelphia News
When was a mere boy II was my habit
every summer to spend some weeks ia the
country in New Castle county, Delaware
inst across o t2.acre field from the farm.
house where visited stood q substantial |
farm dwelling owned by one Guthrie. lie |
had several sons, one Of whom was the
most unfortunate mortal l ever saw OF
heard Of. His life was all thorns.
Bill Guthrie was half dozen years my
senior, but spent many summer hours IN
his company, for he was a big, strong
country boy and there was a sense of pro-
lection in his hearty manner that quite
won me- At the time l speak of he was
far from pretty. His mouth was very
large. his fnce was sallow and freckled,
j his eyes were as nearly mud color as any
thing / can compare them to, and his nose
WIZ very large aud very fiat. He was
smart aud solid and, above all, staunch to
his friends. His hair was the strangest OF
ali hirsnte coverings have ever seen on
man or beast. II was entirely unique; q
cross between bristles and curled hair. If
il had been OF any known color it would
have been dull white, but it was not
~ that, for it was dead. II started to stand
np; then, after attaining perhaps half an
Inch in length, curled up and snapped OF.
He never needed a barber.
That hair was the result of what hi
called his bad luck. 1t was the legacy, 50
10 speak, of his first considerable acct
dent. He WAS fond of sugar, Bill was
and one day when about three yers old II
the temporary absence OF his mother, a,
climbed up into the three;cornere'
country-cut cupboard, where the suga
~ - s...Tx. tt,a af.,rnoot half II Wa
Bills luck that q bottle of turpentin
should be on the same shelf. It was Bill
luck that the rickety cupboard capsize,
and he fell underneath. That WINS ba
enough, but he might have, and did, out
grow tie broken arm he received. Blu
the turpentine bottle fell on Bills hea
and broke as it fell. He never did out
grow that. 1t left him as bald as a turni
for years, and what hair did gro
eventually was such as I have attempte
to describe.
A few years afterwards he was walkin
the top rail of fence. The rail turne
and Bill broke his leg in the fall. The
the summer after first met him-he VIZ
perhaps Ia years old then-an old maj
that had heard the thunder of "a summer
and that was as staid in her habits as
Quaker centenarian, suddenly took
notion to kick up her heels while Ri
was passing. He caught the foot fiji
in his face, and his already flat nose WI
split from forehead 70 upper lip. Yo
may guess it did not improve his pc
Honal appearance.
The very next winter the boys BEGAN
possessed of mania for coasting. The
was hill in the vicinity of the scho
house half mile long and as steep as
house roof. Its descent was interrupt
by what they call "break" in the cou
try; watersheds foot high running he
diagonally across the road. The road II
between high banks, and was complete
oyerprown, so that, winter or summe
the sun had no chance to peep in.
made capital coasting, but was decided
I'd hazardous. The adventurous coaste
procured long boards or slabs, secur
their seats, started of, and went doN
with the speed of the wind. The fl
boy, who acted MS steersman with
heels, held on to the second boys lei
that were twined about him, and so
until the board was full. 1t was L
Guthrie,s luck to be the hind boy.
never heard of an adventure he was
sghindn in. The board on this occasit
in jumping one of the "breaks," jolf
Bill off. But the boy ahead held on
his feet with grim clutch. The shi
stones and snngs did the rest of the wo
aud did it pitilessly. Poor Bill was
up for many day, and when he
about again his corpse could have b
identified without the mark on his nj
Well, he enlisted in the army. o
boy he was, but brave one. The
time his regiment, the Fourth Delawi
smelled fire was at Antietam. They "
drawn up in reserve quite out of dam
Suddenly Bill Guthrie, who was in
front rank, fell forward on his face.
was picked up stone dead. A stray
let had struck him exactly between
eyes, just at the ragged edge of the
left by the old mares shoe.
have not said a word about the ii
when the other boys did the mischief
Bill got the trouncing when they
stole melons and Bill alone was eau
when a pole swing broke and sent
flying through space how he was n
without stone bruise on his heel or {
on his hand how he caught all the
eases that were going and had enouI
bad luck every day to discourage any
with life, because if attempted tt
count such little incidents / should
to write book.
Strange fatality, wasn't it But
a stranger case still. / have Il
enough for busy day, however, al
III speak about the other tomorrow