The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-10-27
BRe. PARTINaToN ANo IKE.
a Visit 10 u. II. shiIisbss-Chas WITH tAAs
Blue-Eyed Old ~aentopasn.

a visis 20 II. II. shiIisbss-ohas WITH sAAs
Blue-hyOd Ola oonussaan-
1 made a pilgrimage to the lonely Boz.
ton suburb OF Newton Center not Ions
& with an cid and intimate friend Il
the humorist- OF coerso I have known
al of my Life Of the existence Of Mr.. n
y. Shillaber. but l CO, fsss that I looked
la spite OF myself to see a little wtzensd
old lady. with bright, black, bsady eyes.
very thin hands, and gray corkscrew
ringlets. 1t scanned as though shs ought
TO come hopping into tho room in an
elusive, bird-like way and begin saying
snnny things at ona The dooF VISA
opened for us BY 8 hearty, happy look
ing young gin Of the high school ~
who said, GRANDPA expected you out
on an earlier train: he has boon waiting
for you for an hour, and VIZ! come right
down." She ook us into the parlor, and
went out to speak 10 her grandfather
and presently we hoard his s!ow step on
the stair marked with peusts and &C
cented by his staff, for he Is lame from
rheunatism, then Mr.. Shillaber came
In. He shook his old friend. Profes-
sor -, warmly by sho hand, and
Na'SeS& N" 81 Ncibialiy. E1c ~ - ok,
jovial-looking ma with sunshiny blue
eyes, q ready smile and strong features.
One feels at nee IN the presence Of a
hopeful, happy nature. 1t is moro than
q whimsical and amusing nature; it 10
me of tho kind which endurcs trouble
graciously and is well enough poised to
be always certain Of the silver lining
10 every dark cloud. 1t is easy to see
in his graveness that I've has sorrowed.
and indeed l am told that the loss OF the
companion Of his life was no common
one to him; but he 10 n Eerene soul
till, and, for the time ct least, it seems
Is though there is no philosophy like
that OF laughter and tho laughter maker.
His daughter came in and with her
daughter found our quintetto Of people
in the parlor for a half hour. Directly
l had shaken hands with Mr.. Shillaber,
I asked:
Mrs. Darlington, where Is Ikcr
He is here" ho returned, tapping his
coat-front, and speak ing in a oonh-
dental way. ike is always with me-;
he never leaves me. Or you might say,
If you like, there is Ike" nodding to his
granddaughter.
20. grandpa" she cried, II hope l am
not 80 bad as Ike"
IKE isn't bad, noS at all bad" said
hrs. Darlington, shaking her head, IKE
Is very good. We went driving yester-
day" Then he told OF a visit to the
home of the owner OF The Boston Her
aid with whom he once worked in a
printing Office. ut was about 100 years
ago" he said, Il don't remember ex-
acuy how long II was. Maybe it Yves q
little longer than that but we viii cali
1t 100 years"
Mr.. Shiliaber, by the a Ia 70 years
old, and except for tho rheumatism,
which keeps him lame, IL not at all aa
unhealthy man, and perhaps good for q
large share Of the number Of year OF
his reminiscence. He talked with his
old friend OF their own early service in
Boston printing house soon after they
came from Maine, and l hoard how the
young Shillsber took tho name Of Mrs.
Darlington from the old play whore that
estimnble person tried to sweep back the
waters Of the ocean, how be wrote his
witticisms for u Boston paper till he
found that tho editor was making
money and name out Of his property,
then how, with two or three friends. he
started tho journal known as The Car
pet Bag, on the s,reagth Of tho Parting
Ton nams. Phs paper established MrA
Partiugtap's reputation, though K wnO
NOT . fiaAnciGl succesa. Since that time
her Iay.n.s havs always found u quick
market AMI Mr.. Shiilaber ha1 writtea
much besides all OF the timo. or Ats,
however,, he has writtau very Little. lie
says ne Ii growing passy.' and his pro-
n~unciation, uttered with y twinkle ia lila
blue eye, IL worth recommending 70
trench-attemptinG people who rum 70
the other extreme, and call paSs0
"passay."
The homo Of Mr.. Shillaber il across
Boston from Newton, in the suburb Of
Chelsea. Like another sage of Chelsea.
he has chung TO his home there long after
It was an questionable quarter, but his
need Of attention has now compelled
him TO go to the pleasant home Of his
children at Newton.-Co Chicago Inter
Ocean.