Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-19

snipg or falling, the landau in which We
drove had been closed. and We four
looked out through the same two sper.
lures into which the multitude thrust
its mnitrudinous heads. Mr.. Tilden
saw Paris in the streets for the first
time, NOR had any Of Us ever bsasid /.
spectacle so extraordinary.
He was keen observer. Few men
saw more, or saw as much. described
the scene at the time, and I know |
borrowed from him many touch in the
picture tried to paint-probably with
out acknowledgment, for obvious rea-
sons. But | may now render to him
Whist is his due. II he had been oil his
life trained in observing and collecting
facts Tor such purposes, he could hardly
have observed or chosen more skilfully.
He asked US to notice the number Of
people who had blue eyes or gray
eyes, and why there should be so
many, and was none too well satisfied
with the suggestion that the blue eyes
and gray belonged probably to Parisiaus
Of Norman blood. "Why should these
be so many Normans in Parish" And
when | said they were the Yankees Of
France he whispered +" All !! you come
from Boston, know" Nothing i'm
pressed him more than the one fact that
during our four-mile journey amid this
immense throng Of people Of every class
there was no smoking. That, be saw,
was their French way Of showing re-
spect to the man they loved; for they
did love Theirs, the liberator Of French
territory. AS the hearse passed not = pipe
or cigar or cigarette was to be seen-uot
q curl OF blue smoke over that sea Of
heads. He asked questions about dress,
about the quarters through which We
passed, about hundred things. They
were to the point aud often extremely
acute; but what was most remarkable
about them and him was the freshness
of the interest he showed in so many
topics remote from all his lifelong
habits of thought. He had-perhaps
rare combination-de6nite views and
an open mind. On matters on which
he had thought his mind was made up;
on new subjects he had the receptive
ness of q child and the eagerness of
child in novelty. There was no view
or theory be would not consider, but If
you supposed he accepted it on trust
you presently found out your mistake.
1t was a long days work for an in
valid-this funeral of Theirs; but slr.
Tilden went through the whole Of it, in
Guiding the speeches at the tomb, which
our early arrival gave us the chance oil
hearing. l next saw him in London.
He had crossed the Channel in gale OF
wind. The boat was so crowded that
be could find no place to sit but bench
amidship, with miserable masses OF
second. class humanity all about him.
Presently came sea which swept
and flooded the deck, and there
the old man sat up to his knees in the
brine which surged back and forth about
him. His plaid shawl was no protec-
ton, he was drenched through. Ar
irving at Dover in this condition, he re-
fused to 60 to the hotel soaked as be
was be travelled up to London. Natu-
rally, he was i'll after an adventure and
an imprudence Of that kind. | got a
note asking me to go and see him, and
I found him next morning in bed aud
threatened with a serious illness.
The voice was softer than ever, ne va
suffering and little anxious, but the
spirit and vivacity of the man we're un.
conquerable. | think it was q week
before he rallied and departed, and
during this period saw him several
times, and never afterward. 1t was in
1877. My whole acquaintance With
him may be counted by hours, but it
was delightful one to me. The doctor
kept him indoors. There day after day
be lay and discoursed, ana that is my
last memory Of HMM bed, in a dull
room of q private hotel, on dull No
vember morning in London, but illu-
mipating the place with his good humor
and his admirable talk. q. W. ).