Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-23
A Life OF Romance.

persY
The Questioner was thin and tall, and a
pair of black eyes blazed fiercely in bag
gard face. His gray hair and shabby at
tire made him look like an old man, and
yet he had youthful voice and the
breezy swing of rollicking man about
town. Taking all this in, an At
lanta Constitution scribe informed
the visitor that no Panama paper
was on his exchange list, and was not
likely to be found in the city.
After pause OF moment the stranger
said
"You don't recoUect me-"
mo, l can't recall your face, and still
1t has familiar look"
"Have you forgotten Henry UllenT
The mention of that name carried the
scrlbe's thoughts back to the tumultuous
year OF siXty-two. Among the refugees
who fed from New Orleans, dreading to
fall into the hpnds of Beast Butler" as
he was called in those days, We're Henry
Uilin, IA bright and handsome yOungster,
and his widowed mother, a dignihed old
creole lady. whose devotion to the Con-
fgderacy had impoverished her. Worn out
by excitement and disappointment,
Madame Ullin died n few weeks
after reaching Atlanta, and her
son, after obtaining commits
sion in the Confederate army
through the friendship Of Mr.. Benjamin,
of Louisiana, left the city, and was soon
out of sight and forgotten. Young Ullin's
success at the time in securing naval
commission excited the admiring envy OF
the town boys, and it was confidently eX-
pected that be would turn out second
Semmes. These expectations were disap-
pointed. Ulliu's vessel was heard OF in
several sea fights, but his name never fig
ured in the record, and it was rumOred
that he had been dismissed from the ser
vice in disgrace.
Looking at the emaciated figure before
him, the journalist pulled himself out of
the musty past, with its sulphuious men,
cries, and said:
Sand so you are Henry Ullin?"
eyes, this is what is left of me-"
"What became of you after you entered
the navy, and where have you been all
these yearsY
Il do not know that 1t would interest
YOU" replied Cllin. Our acquaintance
was too brief and slight to give me a
claim upon your attention. Still ! will
answer your questions. The fact is / was
in no way fitted Tor the position of a naval
! lieutenant. | was q mere land lubber,
and would not have made decent mid
shipman. My brother officers, of course,
found this out, and upon our arrival at
Liverpool, on my first cruise, | was almost
kicked out of the service. l was invited
to resign, and | did so. But | did
not much regret il. My head was full OF
an invention / had studied out while
crossing the ocean. 1t is unnecessary to
describe it to you, but | don't hesitate to
say that 1t greatly simplifled an important
part of a vessels machinery AS l spoke
French like native, | went to Paris, and
tried to sell my invention to the govern
ment. II was no go. Finally, an old
Frenchman took hold of it, patented 1t in
his own name and gave me 100000 for my
interest in it,"
"Why, you were in big luck" said the
surprised listener.
"FOr the time" was the Sad reply. "But
$50, 900 was nothing to me IN Paris. 10
six months | was cleaned out at rouge ct
nOir. In fit of the blues | joined the
chasseurs and was sent to Algiers. ] be-
lieve | made a good soldier Later | went
to Mexico under Marshal BaZaine, fought
in twenty pitched battles, came out with
out a scratch, and returned to France,
where left the army"
"rhat was about '66. What have you
been doing sincer
81 invented a dredging machine" said
Ullln, with a smile, PPM born inventor,
you see. ] worked for DeLesseps on the
SueZ canal. | have been working for
him on the Panama canal. | am now on
my way back sfrom New York, where
went TO purchase machinery"
"Wlll the canal be a successY
"BeyOnd doubt. Come down and see
the first section opened on Oct. l..
"NO, | thank you.'
"Well, l must be going. ! don't care
to stop in Atlanta. Most Of the boys
knew are dead; the others have forgotten
me. Au revOir!'