Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-05
KING M'ALLISTER.
How lie Looks, Ills Peculiar Voice and His
inquisitive Conversation.

Take man the size and build of
Adjt.-Gen. Dalton, give him curly, nut
brown hUir. a short, thick grayish mus
tache with Il long gray Napoleon III.
Imperial hanging under il, dress him
up in a big, hat-topped brown hat Of
English make, No. Is rundown col
lar with dark tie; put on black dag
Onal, three-buttOn cutaway coat, blue
and whted spotted white vest, pair
of dark heliOtrOpe trousers with wide
''Skirts" for them, and pair of broad
tOed, neatly polished button shoes and
that man is Ward McAlliSter, as he
might be- seen In Newport any fair day
last season.
There is nothing Of the .Show-On'' or
the swell about him. He is, perhaps,
fifty years Old-perhapS mOrc-but if SO,
well preserved. a drop-G-nickel-in-the-
slot weighing machine will place the
finger mp 70 $50 pounds When he gets
on; still he is rather short and not at all
pussy" but very wide and square and
solid.
In looks he is a cosmopolitan. That
neck and head say lac is Irish; his short
legs tell OF Old knickerbOcker Dutch de-
scent, and his big hairy hands aud wide,
duck-like feet make him out 10 be.oithcr
Yankee or Scotch.
No one would look at him twice in a
crowd. Bat listen 20 that voice of his;
Boston sports 20 wild over the tones Of
"Calliopc" Miller, the Sweet-noted base
ball captain. But McAllister'S Out-cal-
Hopes "Calliope." IL can coo like a
dove and roar like a lion, and is musical
at both. In youth he was called 4 good
singer and had many tempting offers,
but he preferred to lead the 400 TO be-
ing SoloiSt in church choir. So Socie-
" has won what the church was sad TO
lsSc.
Every morning about 10 o'clock,
when Mr.. McAlliSter is in Newport, Il
low, open one-horSe phaetOn, drawn by
q "pluggiSh" looking nag, rolls out from
his place on Bellevue ave, and takes
the Ocean drive at market-wagon gait.
McAlliSter, with rubber-rimmed "noSe-
pincher" glasses, fills three-fourthS OF
the seat. The rest of the cushion is
occupied by a little weakened, Shriy-
elled ScOtchman, who looks As if he
could transform himself into ghost
without changing his clothes. They
ride along together, chatting like broth
erS. and looking At the sky, the sea, and
the green fields as If they enjoyed life.
On gala days, like big yacht races and
visits of SquadronS. Mr.. McAlliSter goes
clear down on the point in front Of Mr..
Davis cottage, and there he keeps up
flow Of melody, like big church
organ.
This is a fad of his, never to know
ANYTHING. All he does is simply TO ask
questions. and if Queen Victoria were
present and wanted information of him
ne would be likely TO turn TO the nearest
bystandcr and repeat her question.
This is not done because he does not
know; he simply wants to show his
cautious way of getting at the Clover
ten'-and 90 display that wonderful
voice. The man or woman who can
keep him on the witness stand for
TWO minutes i'm succession may
be- considered To have won
a great triumph. Lady Pauucefotc, the
accomplished wife Of the British minis
ter. tried 10 Il score Of times one after
noon, and after asking one or two
questions yielded to his way and de-
voted the rest Of her time 10 making re-
plies. It is believed by the best of New
York society that the cross-eXaminiug
angel will have trouble with McAlliSter
when he reaches the hereafter.
A. his talk is largely in the form of
catechism. there is little chance for
humor or pathos. IL is doubtful ii he
has much Of either. sympathy and a
desire To- become member of ones own
family, as IL were. are the ruling traits
Of his mind OF brief, not oycr-p0nted
anecdotes he is full.
This is the man who drops in for an
afternoon chat with the Nandorbilts,
aud whom the Mrs. AStorS' both con-
suit when they purchase a new dress.