San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-03-22


IT,
MAJ. Ben: PERLEY POORE, has, perhaps,
the most valuable collection of auto
graphs in the country. 1t contains, SAYS
the Washington correspondent Of the
Cleveland Leader, the handwriting of
10000 prominent men, and these come
from all parts of the world and date
back for several generations. He has
them all classified and sub-Classiiied.
One volume is devoted TO the army, one
to the navy, one to authors, one to edi-
tors. one to ladies', and one to clergy
men. In the volume Of the European
autographs you will find the noted
names of France, England and Ger
many, and in the number Of volumes
labeled United States you see the hand
writing Of the great men of the various
administrations, one volume being de-
voted to each. In these the President
leads; then come the vice-President and
the Cabinet in their order. The Sena-
tors and Representatives follow alpha
betically arranged, and in the list of the
administration you will find the manu-
script Of every noted man con-
nected with it. asked Ben: Perley
POOre when he first began to col
lect autographs. lie replied at
was in 1896, when | was on n visit to
Andrew Jackson in company with my
father. We were present together one
morning at the opening Of Old Hickory's
mail, and as he read the letters he
turned to us and said: lam beginning
to get letters asking for my autograph
1t is curious thing, and | don't see
what they want it for. | have been
afraid to send it out for fear that some
one might write something over it and
get me into trouble, but | have solved
the question by this card lie then
showed us card about the size of
playing card, which he had covered en-
tirely in writing his signature. and he
told me that | could have one if
wished it. | took it, of course, and
have been an autograph collector. to q
certain extent, from that day to this-l
should not say an autograph collector in
the seeking sense of the term. | never
wrote to man for his autograph in nv
life. | have merely saved the things
that have come to me. And just here !
would say do not believe in the gener-
al system Of autograph hunting as it is
now practiced Autographs should not
be collected as you would collect the
front teeth of distinguished men or the
parlngs Of their finger nails The mere
signature means nothing, and unless
there is some sentiment or association
with the name it is hardly worth keep
ing"
IHE Washington correspondent OF the
Omaha Bee, writes as follows about one
of Secretary Whitney's receptions. 1T
was one Of the biggest things Of the kind
ever attended, and have seen a good
deal of the ways of the world The Ia
dies were most magniticeatly dressed,
but some Of them with such scrimp dress
patterns that they didn't have enough
to finish out the waist above the belt
line, and felt SO much sympathy and
embarrassment that did nothing but
drink, drink, all night long to hide my
grief over the unfOrtunates. tell you
1t makes fellow feel all shook up the
next day as though he had been roughly
handled by western cyclone, or been
out on the road with gaslight piano.
rama Of the Greek slave. This is a Sc
we're criticism OF our society ladies,
replied. What else can they expect
said he, If they will dress in way to
suggest variety shows they certainly are
shame-faced enough to stand all that
will be said about them. But Heaven