Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-12
AT THE WHITE HORSE HOTEL
The Peculiar Retreat of Misers and De-
cAyed GentIemen.
London Letter IN Boston Herald.

London Letter IN Boston Herald.
"Decsyed" (as they say here, or as we
would say reduced gentlemen, with long,
old-time coats and beaver hats brown and
rusty with age. ShOwmen down on their
luck, gamblers out of the way of luck,
lawyers dropped from legal grace, travel
ers, loafers and sharpers, all these flock
to the White Horse. There is strange
air Of g0Od-tellOwship with the lot, who
greet each other in this wise "Hello, old
blOkeW Some men wear clothes ''all
tattered and torn" others are rugged out
in pltiful respectability, but alas! none
are comfortably dressed in the house
where Goldsmith once LODGED. Many have
look of state all nOurishment, others
appeared attenuated and blue from want
OF food. Yet, with all this, there is a
bagatelle atmosphere over all of ''live
easy and die quick" At one table sits a
jolly crowd OF cOngenial spirits, with
pewter mugs full Of brown stout. The
latter fluid buys much temporary happi-
ness. 1t buys warmth and hospitality.
At another table we find three merry old
souls singing ''happy-gO-lucky" song,
the while fourth member of the group
with glass of hot gin in his hand and
two fire-pOkers laid before him on the
hearth. tries in vain to do a swOrd-dance.
This happens at high noon. In one corner
sits small cobbler, with broken ham
mer and few tacks, pegging away at a
shoe too far gone to mend. Near at hand,
a huge man tries to repair, with pain
full patience, series of rents and rips IN
pair OF trousers that would have been
scOrned by an ''old clo'" dealer. Further
on, two men of about 80 years of age are
enjoying a game of cards, with most
greasy, nwholesOme-lookipg bits of col
ored pastebOard. One OF them is silent,
intent on the game. The other gables on
about his travels. He has explored
Africa, China and North and South
America. On his left arm be boasts a
rattlesnake bite, on his right shin a taran-
tula bitel He caps the climax by assert
ing that he was once the victim of mad
dogs bite, and has had The hydrOphObia.
He says he Is 80. lie is an ancient mari
ner dnd most ancient liar. All alone at
the table sits man of lrving-like aspect
and general theatrical air. The table
is Uttered with rags, strings
and rolls Of cotton. He appears
to be making a rag doll of nearly
elephant size. We ask the mans name.
A bystander replies: "Why, limp 'e's
Wallentine Wox; 'e's the great wentrilo-
quist, and 'e's good uu; e makes an old
woman out Of them rags and pants the
old woman's face on the back Of his hand.
Then 'e goes round to the pubs at night,
stands in the cheers and makes the old
woman talk for pennies. Oh 'e's a good
un." Additional inquiry proved that this
man is a very clever YentrilOquist and
prestidigitateur, who travels round the
provinces in the spring and summer,
spending his winters at the White Horse.
His guestship is only a matter OF miserly
economy, though, for be has banked
$4,000, or $4,000, as profits on bis bust
ness. Another man is busy broilinQ
a penny herring on the Goals, but
we hnd be has several snug thou
sands. He is miseF Of mysterious his
tory. No one knows how much he Is
worth, for his money is distributed about
in several banks. 1t IS only known of
him positively that he once was a well-to-
do shOp-keeper, who, fearing to risk his
gains in business, gave it up, and has
ever since lived the life Of miser and q
recluse. His breakfast is penny herring
with no bread. His dinner Is two pen
MES worth OF beef, a ha'penny potato.
and a ha'penny biscuit. Az he drinks
neither tea nor coffee and has no supper.
his food costs the small sum Of tourpence
a day. Add 10 this beggerly amount six
pence for a bed, and bis entire living
mounts up only TO 10 pence, or zoe. 4
day. He does not grant fayOrs
He does not ask favors. II a fellow
ledger were starving, he would not Give
him bread. RumOr has II that he scOrn.
fully refused TO help an own brother who
was dying OF starvation. The man thus
described is about 70 years old, with bent
form, pinehed face, and small furtive eyes.
AS he broils his herring, be glances about
like weasel, fearing he may be robbed.
Once cook d, be carries the mean little
fish to a distant corner, muuching Il as
though ashamed Of the performance.
After nIghtlall the White Horse is a lively
place. At fl O'Clock the fun wakes fast
and furious. That is the hour most AT.
iected by the transients, and then thew
take their nightcap Of beer or spirits.
usually the latter. BY the house is
fairly quiet, and wrapped in the arms OF
Morpheus are the dodgers at tenpence a
day.