Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-15
THIS WAS ONCE A MAN.


From the Philadelphia Record
dinghy clad, hoary-headed son Of poverty
sat upon rude bench in the Blockley aims
house yard yesterday. His eyes were sunken
and bloodshot, and his features bore traces Of
trouble and dissipation, as well as of advanced
age. His oft-patched trousers had long ago
given up all pretense Of form, his pauper's
jacket chung limp upon his obese body, and .
battered felt hat, pulled far down over his ears
was the complement of his unpicturesque gsrb.
dull colored bandanna neckerchief that
had seen brighter days was knotted about his
neck in lieu of q collar, and as he sat and rumi-
mated he pulled away vigorously at an abbrevi-
ated clay pipe loaded with malodorous tobacco.
THE COUNTERPART OF JEAN vALJEAN.
He was but one of a yard full of decrepit
pensioners, and perhaps seemed no more pitt
able than the rest. But to one who knew his
history the pathos of his fallen estate seemed
thousand-fold increased. 1t would not have
been hard to believe that he had just stepped
out from the pages Of Lies Miserables," but it
required no ordinary stretch Of the magma
ton to lead one to realize that he had once
been social favorite of the author of that
great novel. Yet this battered outcast had
actually drunk many friendly glass and had
many long drawn chat with Victor Hugo. He
had handled the Jersey Lily ON his knee long
before she had begun to bloom; had frater-
nized with her father. the chivalrous Dean lie
Breton, and had numbered Lord Tennyson
among his many distinguished acquaintance.
HE WAS A JERsEYMAN.
This time-worn pauper, Sidney Thomas,
once was prosperous citizen of st. Heller, in
the Isle of Jersey. His father was well-to-do
undertaken, and from his early childhood
Thomas was brought up in association with
the best people of the island. He had an ex-
cellent education, and in his early manhood
was the proprietor of large livery establish
ment The lie Bretons were near neighbors,
and he spent many an hour by their freside.
During Victor Hugo's residence in st. Heller
cordial intimacy grew up between the two,
and many another notable visitor to the island
came to cherish a warm admiration for the
braye-hearted young Englishman, who was q
brilliant conversationalist and a genial COM
panion. He spoke French like a Partisan, and
was we'll versed in science and literature. He
was member of the Anglican church. and
numbered among his friends several promi-
| nent English clergymen.
HIS MARRIAGE WAS A FAILURE.
The successive deaths Of his wife and eight
children were the events that marked the be-
ginning of his downfall. His habits became
corrupt and his life dissolute. He remarked,
this time to a woman who was vain and extrava-
CANT, and in no respect his equal. She it was
who accomplished his ruin She sauandered
his fortune to the last cent, until in desperation
he abandoned her and fed to America. This
was in 1871, when he was forty-seven years of
age.
For a time he filled a clerical position in
New York. Then he drifted to Philadelphia,
and obtained a good situation as bookkeeper.
But his habits were bad, his ambition destroyed,
and he soon found himself reduced to mental
position In small ivery-stable in the lower
part of the city. There for six years he worked
for bed and board and a little more, until two
months ago incapacity and infrmity drove him
lover the hills to the poorhouse."
HE QUOTES SHAKESPEARE.
In the midst of his squalid environment
Thomas has yet retained refined and cultivated
tastes. His mind is strong and active, and
even in workhouse court he quotes Pope and
Shakespeare with fuency and descants with
equal facility of Longfellow, Dickens or Sweden
borg. He is modest and reticent in regard to
himself. But the rare pleasure of talking with
any one who is other than an illiterate vagrant
occasionally tempts him to say more than he
would deem prudent.
TIME HANGS HEAVILY ON HIS HANDS.
'The days are long and dreary in this far
off corner of the world" said Thomas to a
visitor recently. 81 buy a paper every day
and read it through from beginning to end, ad-
1
there is good deal of daylight still left. Con-
versation here is not very edifying. You
might as well ask an inmate to describe an
equilateral triangle on given straight line as
to expect him TO discuss the tariff or anything
else that's reasonable
STURGEON TOOK GIN AND WATER.
Thomas tells tale or two about Spurgeon
that might shock some Of the Baptist brethren
on this side of the water. When in London he
was frequent attendant at Spurgeon's taber-
nacle, and when the great divine visited Jersey
he dropped in upon Thomas at his country
seat. 1t is with tinge of almost malicious
glee that Thomas, when recalling the circum-
stances Of that VISIT tells of their tour to
the village ale-house. YES" says he, lit
wasn't only with Hugo that had cup or two.
Preacher Spurgeon and had here's looking
at you,' too. I took ale that time and the rev.
erend took gin and water. And footed the
bill, too" he added with chuckle.