The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-17
PARTINGTON AT HOME.
E. p. Shiilaber, the Aged Humorist, as He
Is Seen at Chelses, Mass.

&. p. Shillaber. the Aged Humorist, as He
Is Seen at Chelses. Mass.
81 never call man old until he gets
to be au octagon or centurion, said
B. r. Shillaber (Mrs. Partington) to
friend who was congratulating him up
on having that day reached the good
age of seventy.
Unless it should b, foreordained be-
forehand in advance, "playfully rejoined
his friend. that he should survive his
factories and become idiomatic before
that time"
The genial humOriSt was seated IN his
favorite room. which in these later years
has confined h N for months a. n time.
/ But few of his many callers would dream
of this fact. The ever hearty welcome
which they receive and the absence OF
any personal complaining certainly do
not hint of the severe pain which is
frequent visitor. Only the crutc1 in the
corner suggests it. There looked out
from the painting on the wall the ro-
guiSh face of Ike 1.-THE prodigal of vir
tue;" the very same Ike who caused
Mrs. Partington to wonder why he
didn't get medal. for certainly 4
more meddleSOme boy she never knew"
although. ut the same time. she dared
TO hope that with judicial ira ming he
might yet become useful membrane
of society,"" On the shelf below the
painting was Sidney MorSe'S fine
statuettt OF the humorist. The writing
desk, which had done him faithful
service for fully twenty-five years, stood
opposite.
shelf. were what he called his three
esSent als-a large Polvglot Bible.
which had an interesting family history,
Il Shakespeare and Il Webster's Diction-
arv. Tnere was twinkle in his eye
when he remarked that through these
ne showed his loyalty to the angular
/ SaxonS." Upon being asked where his
own books were. he naiyely repl ed that
! he kept them in another room out of
! sight" Speaking of these. it is pleas
I ant TO know that the first copy of each
| one of them he inscribed to the one
who for forty-tve wears Was Il true and
/ loving helpmeet. whom death claimed
/ some two years since, leaving him
alone but for the bright. helpful pres
ence of an unmarried daughter, who
! has now the sole charge of his house.
ard * 81 daily elixir which any man
might envy.
UIiortuAately. Mr.. Shillaber is not as
'.rich as CreoS0te" and never has been.
| He has longed Ito have villa n in the
country and become an amatory farmer
under the canister of heaven" But he
/ has surely illustrated. in his life and in
! his works, quality of mind which not
/ even Crpsus' money could buy that
lit is better to speak paregOrcally of a
person than to be all the time fingng
. epitaphs At him.
| In the confinement which is now
more or less his he IS ever interested in
| the outside world. His interest in poll
ties is as fresh as when he was Il Young
man, before he inherited the gOut
from his wife's ancestors. He is
rooted and grounded in the principle of
a true Democracy. The Boston Post,
which first Introduced him aS Mrs. Par
tingtOn, is still 4 welcome daily Wis tor
But in talking with him on political
matters no one can help thinking of
poor Paul. the corporal of the Bloody
1th. who was inclined to politics.
but wasn't propergander nor an oily
arch.st, nor an ayeriI,On;St. nor a demi
god; all he wanted was an exercise of
of IS sutlcrings and the use of his elect
i've French eyes"
Mr.. ShillaOer'S interest in his friends
is frequently shown in the apt impromp-
tus which unexpectedly greet them.
As an instance, with 4 copy Of Brown
ing's "Agamemnon and Dramatic
Idyls." which. one Christmas time, he
sent as present, he wrote on the fly
leaf:
"A Merry Christmas, | send with this,
Though il seems abSur1lity crOwn.nX
To wish for cichinatOrv bliss
Over the works of Browning.
The many RHYMES of his. which have
added pleasure to festive occasions. are
growing fewer and fewer. and in his
home in Chelsea his thoughts turn
Oftener than formerly to the unknown
country. AS he says himself, he is now
living on borrowed time - Chelsea
f.NaSS. Cor. Phiiadeiphia Press