The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-02-25
LIVINGSTONE s CIRCUS.
A Rich and Eccentric New Xorker's
Strange Performance.

A Rich and Eccentric New Xorker's
Strange Performance.
Standing in front of the Hotel
Washington one day soon after my
arrival IN this city / saw a strange
sight coming. A rather oddish, but
weli-preseryed man sat upon the
high fore seat of an open vehicle,
driving SIX horses-a pair next the
wheels and four tandem. Behind
were two vehicles, each drawn By
six horses. with coachmen and foot
men in livery. The coachmen were
dressed in the regulation English
costume, but the footmen wore
green and black short coats, with
caps to match, and cream -eolored
trousers. The old man in front,
with his plug hat and peculiar face,
handled the reins with skill and
spoke occasionally to his gsyly trap
ped and bobbed' steeds. His mind
scenes to be set upon his work. l
said to the porter of the hotel
"what is that2 Is il a circus?"
The Italian, who spoke English
very well, smiled and said: it Is
Mr.. Livingstone, an American
OF course, concluded that MIR.
Livingston was some vulgarlan who
had suddenly struck oil. | found
out his whole history soon after
wards, and imagine my amazement
when | was told that he was one of
the distinguished Livingston family
OF New YORK, and a man Of bril-
liant education, speaking several
languages huently. But be is a
crank, all the same. and a good
coachman.
Ii appears that he has oeen living
in Florence twenty or thirty years
and he has kept up this street hip
podrome or street procession all
these years. Horses are his hobby,
and he spends nearly all his surplus
money on them. rhey cost MIN,
twenty four head, $4,000 year.
fhey soon eat their heads of, and
The sums the old crank has squan-
dered IN this way is a shame. tie
Is now % years of age, and old
enough to know better. His horses
are sp.endidly groomed and quarter
ed, and give hIm no trouble as he
makes an annual contract with the
head coaohmau, VINO rllleves him OF
all responsibility. On himself he
does not spend $1,000 year. He
takes his meals at a cheap cafe and
takes his seat N the pit at the
theatre.
Formerly be drove as many as
twenty -four horses In nand himself.
he alwaws drives himself, and
sometimes his LEADERS" would be
lar around a corner and out of sight
before the vehicle got into the turn.
He had a runaway picnic three years
ago aud was thrown from his perch
aud arm broken. This diG not de-
ter him, however, and it was not
long before his string of steeds took
fright again and dashed through
the streets of Florence, scattering
destruction and CONSERVATION as
they went. A cab was utterly de-
molisaed and the driver so badly
bruised that he afterwards died at
the hospital. The authorities step
ped in at this stage of the game and
informed Mr.. Livingston that hence
forth he should not drive more than
six horses in hand through the
streets. The old man WAS nearly
heart-broken because his pet luxury
had been so fearfully curtailed, but
the officials were firm, and SIX
horses are all that be can handle
now. But he will have his stable
out and has always from twelve to
sixteen head following his coach.
This passion or craze seems to have
taken complete possession of the
old Jehu-
A few years ago he lost his wife,
and shortly afterwards married a
Ocdulliui 1ldlidD WOudh WIN AeeA
a soiled reputation. 1t was not
long before the young bride ran
off with her stepson, youth hard
ly grown, put the old man kept on
driving his norses. After round
at Paris the guilty couple returned,
and the old man has so far forgiven
his beautiful bride as to settle an
annual sum for her benefit. One of
his sons is lying at the hospital at
Deaths door, but the old man drives
his horses just the same. Nothing
short of Gabriel's silver trump would
stop his praucing steeds.
Gen. Sberman's Dilemma.
A correspondent to the Troy Press
'ays "Oue incident, however, winch
happened in San francisco about
i've years ago, came near breaking
he General of the habit which has
astened its terrible grip upon him.
fhe occasion was pretty Alice Har-
'ison's farewell benefit, and, as luck
would have it, Tecumseh and his
D