Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-14


New York corre~pondence Of the Phiiadsi.
phia >ews.l
There is an amusing hypochendrisc
in New York who carries the most me-
lancholy and gloomy visage that ever
expressed rebuke 10 fun in oil the vide
world. He Is small, round-shouldered.
and plump as to physique, but has the
most woe-begone face, considering that
it is round and chubby in outline, that
ore can possibly imagine. He talks
Of nothing but his ailments. and
yet the opinion OF his friends
and physician is that there Is nothing
at all the matter with him. His father
is q retired dry-goods merchant, who
made millions before he sold out. His
mother died years ago. and from her
estate and his fathers allowance his in
come is nearly 100000 a year. He
changes his doctor almost as often as
he does his clothes, and will not live
out Of New York. AS though seeking
10 cheer himself he is constant attend
ant at the theatres, where he sits sigh
ing and groaning, the most melancholy
Of men. II is said that he went 10 see
one burlesque sixteen consecutive nights,
and once looked amused.
Anything more incongruous than the
surroundings Of this odd specimen Of
humanity it would be difficult 70 inn
agine. He is never merry or gay, no
matter what the circumstances may be.
But not only that. lie wears an ex-
preston Of almost comic solemnity. 1
saw him yesterday going up Fiith ave-
nue. with one OF the most snowy turn
outs in America. lie sat high on dog
cart, enveloped in doye-colorei coat
and tipped with red gloves and
white oyer-gaiters. Behind him was
perfect specimen Of an Eng
lish tiger, scarcely bigger than .
ten-ycar-old boy. and as straight-laced
and proper looking as any coachman in
New York. The cart was immense,
red-wheeled, with . yellow body, and
the tandem team was composed OF .
big bay wheeler and magnificent,
mettlesome sorrel leader. Even the
iox-terrier which sat erect on the box
beside his master seemed pleased, and
the horses dashed along with vim that
attracted attention. People looked at
them in admiration, and then glanced
up at the great swell on the box, saw
the round and infantile face drawn into
woful grimace, and looked away to
smile.
Wealth can do much to enable an in
valid TO cast away his last days in New
York. A man who lives opposite me
is suffering from an incurable disease
that must end his life in few months.
He is rather portly, but his fsce is
piteously drawn and Of an unhealthy
color Since he cannot live, be is de-
termined 10 die with as much comfort
as wealth can command, and everything
in the house is made subseryient TO
him. At a certain hour in the morn
ing his carriage is backed up 20 the
door after The manner Of a cosl-cart,
anu Ic - tAll itu III a IcIiIllbk COUCH
down the stairs by two men, who slide
him right into the vehicle OF the Vic
toria pattern. lie is driven gently
through the park. No one knows that
the rear seat is an invalid's movable
chair. but such is the fact.
The bark is strewn before his door to
deaden the noise Of wheels his nurses
are experienced; a physician resides
on the second floor under contract to
remain until the end. II is said that
the patient takes a great quantity OF
morphine by means of hypodermic in
iections, which are gwen to him at
short intervals by the physician him-
self. This relieves his pain, but he
knows that every injection helps him
toward death, and he understands the
degrees by which he is approaching
death with quite as much intelligence
as the physician. lie is literally dying
by inches, and, knowing it, he smoo,hes
the road by every means that science
and wealth can suggest.