St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-12


enthusiastic tOuriS is.
Those people who have penchant in
that direction are the same who make a
business of mutilating celebrated Statu-
airy or other objects which have his
tory surrounding them, that they NAV
have it to say that they have been to
this or that place of interest. They
have fondneSS for curioS of all kinds.
as they call them, and in order that
others may see them besides them
selves, they are often worn dangling
from their watch chains.
Chief Clark used to wear a curious
little watch charm, but in late years he
has discarded it for common stone
setting. 1t was miniature policeman's
club. highly polished and richly orna-
mented. 1t was made from piece of
the first club worn by him when he be-
came member of the st. Paul police
force, nearly twenty years ago.
DR.. Day, the eS-poStmaster. has an
eye for the curious. Two years ago
this fall the doctor, accompanied by
several of the court house commission
ers and other interested parties, went
over on the courthouse square. and
there, after short parley, it was
unanimously decided that he should
break the ground for the new court
house, which now looms up in such mag
nlficent proportions. A dozen strokes
reached hard, tiinty rock. He gave
another stroke. and succeeded in break
ing off small piece of the rock. I'm
observed the doctor stopped down,
picked up the piece of rock and put it in
his pocket. Shortly afterwards he had
the rock nicely polished, and on one of
Its plain surfaces had inscribed the date
of breaking ground. The doctor thinks
a great deal of his little treasure, and
wears it linked TO his watch chain.
"Tll tell you who used to wear a pc
culiar watch CHARM" said gentleman
to GLOBE reporter, who was seeking
information on this subject. land that
was the slate Capt. Barney" about
fifteen years ago he was visiting friends
in WestmOreland county, Virginia. Be-
ing distant only ten miles from the vii
lage where the immortal George Wash
ington spent his early days, he was
seized with a desire
TO VISIT THE SPOT
Accordingly he did so, and had the
pleasure of witnessing and noting all
the points of interest surrounding the
Washington homestead. One thing
that interested him most was the cherry
tree of historical fame, and the tempta-
ton to secnre piece of it being strong
within him, he out with his jack-knife
Many years after this occurrence Capt.
Barney, who prized:his little curio very
highly, had the piece of cherry tree
cut down to proper proportions and
ornamented in silver and gold. From
that time he wore the curio suspended
from his heavy gold watch chain.''
Archie Mcleod is lover of horse
flesh. He is also lover of the curious,
and he catches on to anything in that
line with great avidity. Two years ago,
while he was in London, among other
places of note. he visited the celebrated
queens tables. He did not want to
leave this place without carrying Off
with him some remembrance of it. So,
while the attendants back was turned
for moment. he stopped down, and.
gathering up handful of straw, placed
the same in his pocket. When he
reached home he had small glass cube
made that would hang on his watch
chain, and had inserted half dozen or
more small pieces of the straw that he
had secured.
While Mr.. Fairchild was doing sunny
Italy he went up in the cars from Ma
pies to Pompeii. After spending few
hours sightseeing and exploring around
Pompeii and Herculaneum, he took a
horseback ride to VeSuviuS, distant
about five miles. He states that he rode
halfway up the mountain, but was
obliged to tramp it afoot, knee-keep in
cinderS, to the summit. Of course he
must see the crater. and, contrary to the
expectations of the guides, he Ventured
farther LIp than he should have done.
He had got within twenty feet of the
crater when a terrible eruption oc-
Cured. The molten lava was thrown
fully fifty feet in the air, and large.
boulders of it fell all around him. He
was scared. but not so badly that he
didn't have presence of mind enough to
imbed nickel in the plastic
LAVA, YET RED-HOT.
When the lava cooled he broke off the
piece containing the nickel and placed
it in his pocket. He now wears this
curiO on his watch chain, and he says it
is continual reminder to him of the
narrow escape he had from death on
Mount VeSuviuS.
Postmaster Lee has a very pretty lit
tie curio in the way of a watch charm.
1t was presented to him Oh his last
birthday. 1t is miniature mail pouch
of gold. The postmaster prizes it very
highly.
DR.. Wheaton has an odd though
is nothing less than a piece of the era
mum of an individual who suffered Sc
we're fracture of the skull. The ease
was one that required the utmost care
and delicacy of operation. About the
time it happened the doctor was not as
skilled as he is now, but he pulled the
man through just the same. He was so
proud of his skill that he saved small
piece of the bone. which is now replaced
by piece of silver of corresponding
size. and had the same converted into a
watch charm.
1t is the boast of 'Bill" Erwin, the
noted criminal lawyer, that no client Of
his charged with murder was ever
hanged, but one. The case was tried in
Davenport, To-, and though bill"
pleaded as only he can, and argued with
all the force of a Henry aud power of a
Gladstone, the fates, as we'll as the evil
dence, were against him, and he had to
succumb. The criminal eXpiated his
crime at the end of rope, piece of
which "Bill'' managed to secure after
the hanging. If you notice his watch
chain you will notice a diminutive
strand of the rope hitched to link
of it.
'Baz' Armstrong is member of that
jolly fraternity that call themselves
"Elks." His membership in this order
is the proudest feather,in BaZ's cap, and
he gives emphasis to this feeling by
wearing on his watch cain handsomely
carved elk's tooth. embellished in gold
and silver.
An Object Of Compassion.
| New York Sun.