The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-16
THE SKELETON DUDE.
The Funny Things Written in His Au-
tograph Album.

From the Ne,0 York Morning Journal
One of the most striking-looking charac-
tiers at Barnum's is Harry Coffey, who has
adopted the professional title of the "Skel-
eton Dude" Mr.. Coffey is an intelligent
young man, who few years ago weighed
100 pounds He became the victim of a
mysterious disease which consumed the
greater part of his adipose tissue, leaving
little bat framework Of formerly stout
man.
Although Mr.. Coffey might have settled
down IN dime museum as an ordinary
living skeleton, at a small salary and might
have eventually married the fat woman,
as all living skeletons do, he had an ambi
ton for higher things and he struck out as
the e. Berry Wall of the skeleton king
dom. In that line he is a decided success.
All OF his salary that is not borrowed by
the tattooed man and the boy-snake is ex-
pended upon fine clothes, and Mr.. Coffey
rejoices in the possession Of a wardrobe that
would do credit to the most confirmed An
glomaniac in town.
Even a skelton dude had his little fan
cies, and Mr.. CofYeys latest fad is that of
an autograph collector. He purchased
big autograph album a few days ago in
which he requests his admirers and casual
visitors to sign their names.
Write anything you please" is his adj
vice to the callers and they take him at his
word.
The album was formally opened by the
genial "Todyn Hamilton, the friend of
everybody connected with the big circus.
On its first page Mr. Hamilton signed his
name to this sentiment, which the skeleton
dude proudly refers to:
HE is a man of small parts, and easily
seen through, but, nevertheless, worth his
weight in gold.n
Ag
an enormous salary, Mr.. Hamilton's en-
comium is doubtless founded on facts. Po-
lice Justice p. Gavan Duffy has also placed
his autograph in Mr.. Coffey's collection
The sentiment which follows it reads thus:
you are awfully thin, but you seem to
be awfully thick with the girls.
Mr.. Cofey is indeed "masher,n as he
cheerfully Acknowledges. He points with
exultation TO fashionably written pas
sage in his album, which he says was the
work of a Fifth avenue belle. 1t was as
follows:
Il dote on thin gentlemen. EMMA"
After studying up Mr.. Coffey's fine
points, n well-known sporting man wrote:
. As heavyweight puglist You cannot
rank with John l.. Sullivan, but you are
dandy in your line"
A convivial friend of the skeleton dude
toasted him in this manner:
May your shadow never grow less"
Mr.. Coffey is certain that if his shadow
does grow less nobody will be able to see
it,
Eddie Schmitt, who is judge of dudes,
wrote as follows
Altogether too thin, but very fine
A lady who. it is to be feared, does not
live the most pleasant of home lives,
gazed at the skeletons muscles and then
wrote:
II wish my husband were as thin as
you"
A facetious friend writes this:
'Never drink your lemonade through a
straw. You may slip through and be
drowned"
A welknown politician signs his name
and says:
"You remind me of Fatty Walsh, but
Mr. Coffey thinks that he was joking
One visi or dropped into poetry and left
this gem with his signature:
Although you are thin,
You're not a Skin"
Before MIR. Coffey leayes for the West
with the Barnum show he intends calling
upon Mayor Hewitt Alderman Divyer and
other prominent citizens with a request
that they atfix their signatures in his al
bum. He has left four pages blank in case
the Mayor d sires to write him letter.