Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-14
SAM SINBAD A SAILOR.
HE ASTOUNDS A NUMBER OF CHI.
CAGOANS ON A STREET CAR.

! TIE NolOUNOS a NUMBER OF CHI
cAGoANS ON A STREET CAR.
Stolen from Home When Five Years of
Age. He Visits Every Country ON the
Globe-sIaver. Millionaire AMI PhiIo.o-
pher-N"w Living Ia Micbigas.
| Car No. ~ on the south side cable stopped
moment ON w Wabash avenue at the corner
| OF randolph street and took on board a tall,
straight old man, whose long gray beard
swept almost to his waist, but whose bright
eye and upright bearing spoke the man of
maturity, not decrepitude. At State street
as the car rounded into the loop, a second old
man, evidently n farmer, stepped on board
and took n seat by the ancient of davs. As
the train passed on around into w Wabash ave-
nue. again perhaps dozen others got on the
ear, al well dressed and clearly moving in an
element aside from that of the two strange
| characters who sat side by side. The old man
| moved up To his farmer companion and the
two fell to talking quietly until Havlin's thea
tire was reached. The car stopped and sew
/ eral persons got out to Join the crowd press
| ing into the foyer
HAD VISITED THEATRES
Lots OF folks going in there who can't nav
their rent" said the ancient Lots of 'em
| don't own the clos on their back. Got To
take EN- home tomorrow and paw rent on
| enn ~
Did you ever visit theatreF asked the
farmer in an effort to be agreeable
&" said Longbeard, and then after a
pause he added, 1--we been to theatre in
Hong Kong" He shifted his legs, and bent
his eyes kindly on the farmer as a man who
know he had struck hard and was willing to
give the victim time to recover
Hong Kong in JapanF" asked the farmer,
dazed a little, yet hoping his companion
meant some city near home
No, Hong Kong amt in Japan; it's in
China. said the other. And I've been to a
theatre IN Toxic, too; that's in Japan; and
in Calcutta
We'll, you've Travelled" said the farmer
es, I've been to shows in Paris and Lon
don and Liverpool and Leghorn and Alex
andria; and I've been to shows-not theatres.
but the best they had-on the east coast of
Africa, and in Melbourne, Australia and
Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, and I've seen
the shows in the Chinese quarter In San Fran
CISCO
Several gentlemen bent forward and fred
questions at the old man. He was in no wise
diSturbed he looked calmly, kindly ON them
which showed, rocky as be looked, that he
had either been over the ground or had
studied his story wonderfully well
"On what ship did you sail to Parisgr asked
one of the first
Paris amt no seaport" said the ancient.
Il Travelled there in 1850 in diligence. We
call 'em omnlbusesn
How old are youF"
Seventy nine. | was born in 1910 in Viii
ton, little town in New York state on the
edge Of an Indian reservation
In May, 1915, my fathers brother, who
was a sailor, took me for walk in the
woods, and | didn't get back till 1885. He
carried me to New York and put me on
hoard vessel to Liverpool, that he had
shipped on for three years voyage
We never reached New York for seven
years, and then had a good chance to ship
again and went of without going home
But always recollected my folks and where
used to live, and how old was when uncle
took me away.
learned to read on shipboard and used to
get books and read about strange countries,
Then would talk to sailors, and when "a
voyage was over would ship on some craft
going where wanted to go. That way i
learned pretty near all languages ANY of
Won talk Frenchr
The lady did, and he proved to her his claim
IN n mastery OF that tongue
Anybody talk Russian, or Spanish, or
Germang'
The lady tried him in Spanish and gentle
man present approved his German. The
other languages had to be taken on trust, but
the passengers exchanged glances eloquent of
faith in the ancient
ONE OF MEACHAMs HEIRS
In 1887, he continued, II drifted down to
New Orleans, and old man Meacham there a
rich old slave dealer-you've all read about
hlm-was getting up crew for the slave
| trade, and | shipped with him He wanted
| only choice men and he got 'em. He paid
every one the best wages for able seamen, and
besides that arranged that each one who
| stayed with him five years should get 500 900
| from his estate when he died.
'Old Meacham died three years after he
hired his crew, and only two fellows stayed
in his service till the five years were up
They had got good pay for their work, and
got good offers TO ship again, and they left
and went. / stayed the five years. and got
| the S2OO,O00 he left me in his will. i went
into business for myself then-built a boat
| for 500, 600 and carried passengers to France
and England. / wouldn't carry a ton of
freight for no money, and my packet was the
| finest thing that ever hoated out Of New Or
leans. Passengers had to pay for it, though,
and made heap of money. In 1874 built
the first ironclad boat that was ever put up
| in Boston. Ii was before the day OF metal
bottoms, but l spent s47,O in iron plates
| half an inch thick on that boat She run all
right, but she run into an iceberg in a fog
| bank of Newfoundland in 1876 and was
sunk with crew, passengers and cargo.
I've built many n vessel in my time and
| made heap of money. i was in the Red sea
trade till lost a square rugged ship there I've
lost one ship IN the Atlantic, two in the Pa
| cific one in the Red sea and three in the Mis-
sissippi river
Where do you live nowT" asked one of the
gentlemen.
Benton Harbor, Mich Nice town, too.
Just drifted there. Got some money left, but
I've lost heap"
The end of the trip had been reached. The
| lady had left the car some blocks back, and
only three gentlemen stood beside him The
old man turned to go.
Tin stopping till Tuesday at 2726 Calumet
| avenue. You can find out there I'm telling
the truth. But you young men look here,r
and he grasped the two nearest him with a
vigor that would have done credit to half his
years Pm old enough TO be your grand
father, and / never drank, chewed nor
| smoked, but I've seen mere life in more lands,
had more fun and more trouble than all
three of you'll ever know about. But take
my advice and don't drift Chicago Her
aid
Lotus Roots Purify Water.
Indian Engineering states that large bas
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