The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-20

order to make friends with the tops OF
his boots they had sacrificed the valGed
friendship that had existed between
themselves and the waistcoat, sit were.
In the midst Of all this the master Of
ceremonies suddenly decided tbs Mr..
Baldwin's pail bearers esFght properly TO
consist OF judges and political digritaries
of the state, rather thar OF his old and
tried friends, Who nfigkt be barren Of
titles. This was contrary 10 the Bald
win style, however, and highly offensive
to his friends, especially Mr. Goodman,
who had eaten and slept with Sandy for
many moons, ana had even taken him
out shooting On Saturdays, when col
Iectors were In the habit Of breaking IN
on Baldwin's tranquility of spirit.
So Joseph z Goodman arose from his
seat down stairs when theEaaster OF cere-
monies said that the procession was now
ready to move, and he invaded the room
where thecasIzet stood. surrounded by its
naughty double rankof tiLed pall bearers.
In all the grandeur of John McCullough's
clothes, with his arms extending grandly
beyond the sleeves Of the great TRACE
dams coat, his legs wandering away be-
low the meager longitude Of trousers,
and his gimmering head proruding
nobly above his erstwhle hair, he came
with cleaning eve among them, and,
ranging himself fearlessly by the coffin
of his friend, he wilted the weeping COM
pany with the grandeur of his own grief
and Indignation.
Gentlemen" said he, 81 am here to
act as the pail bearer Of Sandy Baldwin.
shall do it, and those Of you who know
me know that l viii do it. He cared lit
tie for the empty titles which the errors
of humanity bestOw upon unworthy men.
He knew his friends while living. He
knows them still. l was his friend. I
am nothing more than that now. If he
were he would indorse that sentiment
At that moment Mr.. Goodman stopped
and, taking hold of the casket, he gently
iolted it to test its weight. After he had
hefted it he said:
''Now gentlemen and he looked like
a Numidian lion whose tail had been shut
into the door of the Coliseum by mistake,
or Royal Bengal tiger, whose own pri-
vate martyr had been ruthlessly jerked
away from him by means of a string;
pride, pomp and circumstance can no
longer reach Sandy Baldwin in that
mysterious country to which he has
gone, Empty titles and the false gla-
mour and glitter of hollow honors cannot
gladden. his dead heart now. Your hon
orable this and your judge that cannot
bring the flash of pride 10 his palhd clay.
"But friendly hands shall be the last
to touch his bier. No stranger shall bear
my friend away to his grave, for, by,
will carry him myself"
Then he reached down and put his
strong arms about the casket of Sandy
Baldwin to shoulder it. But better judg-
ment moved the man who had charge of
the services and the original programme
was carried out.
Lawrence Barrett said it was at once
the grandest and the most Iudicrous
sight he ever saw. There in the midst
of mourning, on the most solemn and
impressive of occasions, stood a brave
and defiant man, in a Prince Albert coat
that tried 10 be dignified but lacked the
necessary scope, anu Will tACOSeio " iIi-4l
shr%ldered at the idea of touching the
earth by a foot or so. With flashing eye
and distended nostril he delied the entire
programme, and threatening to bear
away the body of his friend, Ike true
gladiator, he won his case, and Sandy
Baldwin went to his grave surrounded
by little band of plain American cit
liens, followed by the titled but over
awed pail bearers, whose names were re
spectively Messrs. Mud, Dennis and
others.
1t was beautiful.
Had [ been Sandy Baldwin at that mo-
ment, should have made superhuman
effort to make a few desultOry remarks
at the grave.
Fresno Is also noted latterly for haV-
ing amongits citizensa gentleman named
Whisk, who has done well for a number
Of years by attaching the baggage Of
various theatrical companies. l do not
mention this because / have any personal
grudge against Dir. Whisk, for am not
a theatrical company, nyether did ne at