Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-09-05

through their fingers. whilst Others would
slyly wink or tap their foreheads and
nod knowingly toward the little slim
hgure who, all unconscious of comment or
grimace, passed by them on his accustom-
ed way.
Every body. little and big, in nv native
town knew him, guess, and his peculi-
arlties, physical and otherwise, were the
constant and unfailing source of good
natured comment throughout its length
and breadth; such, however, Is always
the case concerning anyone possessing any
extraordinary virtue or especial defect, In
circumscribed and uneyentful village
such as he at this time lived in.
He was near sighted TO the verge OF
blindness, very deaf and slow gated, and
his deep sincere religious convictions.
which had their emphatic reflex upon his
exterior, gave them thereby an austerity
Of demeanor and bearing that in one so
little as he proved verltabie anti climax
and thereby provoked deal OF merrl-
ment wherever he went. Now | know
folks In general did not mean any disre-
spect by looking twice at the little old
man or smiling good humoredly at his
satin stock so fashionable In those good
honest old days, which was so very close
hitting and so high and stiff. that of a
necessity his chm resting thereon was
carried straight forward In fact. IL
that other never-to- be neglected and
very important member. his aquiline
nose, which, for some obscure reason,
nature had formed fully two sizes too
large for the good old mans thin and
weazeny face. The general effect OF this
elevating process was in no way calcu-
lated to repress the susceptibilities of the
general public. Then, too, his close stock
and t'ght-titting stiff collar, the latter
reaching up TO his temples. served as
perpetual injunction to any rapid twist
ing OF his little neck. and we bows use to
shout to him purposely to see him en-
deavOr TO turn his head, which, when ac-
complished, not only brought around his
little rigidly poised head, but hls little
slim legs, bOyish body. small head. big
cap and akimbo elbows as well. this sup
plemented by a querulous and expectant
look from the victim. always seemed to
make some Of the boys nearly die a a-laugh-
ing. He. however, did nothing but what
he most cOnsclenti0usly believed 10 be
eminently correct and proper, whether IL
was in dress, bearing or habit. His form
and size were not perhaps TO his liking.
but he possessed them and made the most
of them. and with an intellect and con-
sciOusness OF kindred mould he endeay-
ored To conform one with the other as he
believed was right, and as we have
seen evidently independent of what the
giddy and profane world about him cared
or said. lie was entitled to his saw and
way. and we should be willing 10 give
him credit for his Independence of char
acter and action. Yet the world would
not do fit then, nor Is this mundane
sphere any better In this direction. in
this, the wear Of grace, 1880.
His nature was devout beyond all ques-
tioning, and the Sabbath was To him a
day OF marked and especial interest, and
Eanf in thu efriafogt : aassfklo
III upon secular days he walked upon the
streets and turned the corners thereof
after the manner Of men and conven- :
tional methods, on the Sabbath
he walked them with mechanical
exactitude OF bearing and manner,
and when his feet were churchward
queer shape and queerer manners. I
honestly believe that everyone gave him
credit for absolute sincerity OF motive
and bearing. But he was so very oddly
constituted, awkwardly put together
and walked so terribly stiff aud straight.
and possessed so pronounced sQuint.
that folks could not for the life of them
act toward him otherwise than they did.
lie was so very peculiar that | have
known mothers. rghteously indignant.
attempting 10 chide their boys for smil-
ing at him and winkIng TO each other as
the slim little fellow appeared. TO utterly
tail. for when they would themselves see
the victim Of the youthful ebullitions.
they would be forced to retire at once
within doors to prevent their laughing
straight IA the faces of their mirthful
progeny.
His quaint manner of dress was also a
potent cause Of comment and every whit
AS much an object of criticism and
as were his many other idio-
On all days but the sabbath.
all the year he wore exactly the
alsaaaa H. L..
those far away days termed coats such as
he wore ''rOundabOutS:' now "a days his
outer garment would be named sack
coat. but his was 50 awfully short that ID
scarcely covered his suspender buttons.
and when he had his attenuated hands
In the wide-ilapped pockets and lie gem
orally carried them tbere-his little sharp
pointed elbows would be- almost as high
as his narrow shoulders. In fact his coat
was no longer than his ''weskit," as he
fondly called his vest And a. he walked
away with his little pipe-stem legs COW
cred by almost skin-tight pantalOons. he
did indeed present an aspect truly ludi-
crous aud very unusual.
His head gear, which ON ordinary days
was long vIsored sailor crown cloth cap,
very broad OF top and conseq quently out OI
visor, MS height or his size; nut nUtwlth-
all this, and In spite of all
things about him and on MIN being very
peculiar aud lar IRON the oruinary
human action and establishment, he
seemed to be wholly oblivious 10 all COM
ment criticism or knowledge that he was
otherwise than those about him. being
a tailor he made all Of his own clothing;
he even fashioned his own wonderfully
high pointed standing collars. which after
the manner OF the times were fastened
at the back, and also the black
bent, he would turn the corners at per-
lect right angles with the precision Of
trained soldier ON parade, and he followed
this similitude with the same strict eN-
actness when within the portals of MS
favOrite church, even 10 climbing tine
stairs to the auditorium aud walking
down the aisle W his seat In the corner
winch he had faithfully occupied without
intermlsslun for 80 many years. ana wncn !
he was once settled therein MS weak Uut
willing eyes would turn toward the min
lister with AN attention aud nNedness tlIat
never winked nor wavered until tnr very |
enu. Then Mr. BunsOn would quickly
arise. take up his little 0lg-headed cane.
don his stovepIpe hat, generations oId /
aud religiously devoted tO TINS uay Of
days and with AN appalling rlgIdlty and
angnlarlty Of step and movement pass cut
INTO the great world IN wnicn he liyed 80
singular. YET after all, NOT wholly useless