The daily critic., 1890-09-01

gentleman raise, and raise him back
again there appeared in letters bold
round and open the simple legend
HERE
LIE TIE REMAINS
OF
OLIVER TOWLES.
Born June 20, 1909, died March s, 1856.
Aged 50 yrs. S m. and Il dys.
The addition of another line. They
called him Chunky for luck, " was only
needed 10 complete this history: for no
man was better known in his day. from
Pittsburg TO New Orleans, from Ciuciu.
natl to Mobile, than Chunky Towlesl
Descended from line Of cavaliers.
who had settled at an early period in
Virginia, albeit, undistiuguished by
alliance with the house of Powhattan
(the Towleses being, as matter Of fact.
mostly blondesD Chunky Towles was
not what would be considered in the
modern sense an educated man. He
disdained the
SMALL ARTS AND AIRS OF CULTURE,
and in his very bovhood there arose n
dissonance between him and the school.
master, which he could never quite
overcome; though he developed a great
talent and passion for d,Ciphering hci.
roglyphics, particularly upon the backs
Of knayes, and even of kings and
queens, and was well vcrsed 10 tue
ancient Egyptian lore Of Faro. Indeed.
the whole literature OF the pictori n
pasicloards be held athis filger's en- l.,
and
COULD FLIP A JACK
from the bottom oi the pack, or the
middle. MS The case might require. as
dcfty as Mr. Speaker Reed can snatch
q Democrat out Of his seat, to make
room for a Republican.
Not too tall, like his brother Arthur,
and always prone TO sm50Hp1iHt. he
possessed q person of admirable pro-
portions before his close application
and sedentary habits had augmented
his adipose from the left 10 right In
disregard Of the perpendicular lines;
ard TO the date Of dire tragedy, which
darkened the latter years of his life.
mis- temper was Of the gayest.
There was nothing Of the John Oak.
hurst about him. He got great deal
Of fun out Of bis work and when Il had
TO be done he, like Ariel, did his spirit,
ing so sweetly and so neatly that It's
victims commonly exclaimed: LET him
90 II again" He became both
A WONDER AND TERROR
10 bis professional colleagues, for he
was constantly performing acts OF mui-
tiplied kindness and charity 10 the un-
seasoned and ineXpert among his
patrons IL was his rule 20 ruin no
man. He often, as the saying was in
those DAYS. went broke" himself
rather than drive a customer TO the
wall, and as often he interpOsed TO
rescue very young players from the
tolls Of the wayWard Goddess. There
Is many a graybeaTd hereabOut, who,
In moments of
COSFIDEECE AND EFFUsIONs
recalls, with a greatful heart, the genial
admOnitiOns Of Chunky TOWles, az, lead
ing him outside the door, he observed, =,
Now this amt no place for siCh as you
I've knOw'd your father an mother
senoe We used TO 90 TO camp meeting to-
getheT, an | amt agwlne to let you bet
your money, OF lose a cent, here. It's
only matter o. time in game like this,
an yOu'Y got no more show 10 win nor
a grass hOpperl" Robin Hood himself,
Was hardly more courageous, beneficent
and ciTeumspect, as 10 the objects Of his
attention. more intrepid with the rich
and strong; more generous With the
weak and poor.
THE ORAL HISTORIAN
Of those times, 10 whom l am indebted
Tor many "reminiscences of this hero Of
a thousand laps aud slams, though Ire
member him very well myself, tells me
an excellent story illustrative at once
Of his goodness Of heart and his genius
for his vocation. AT fashionable water
ing place he observed some Of the
young gentlemen Of his own yicinage
playing Tecklessly, and losing heavily
against q gambler from a distant eoun-
Try. Immediately he stocked a pack
Of cards, or, as the current phrase
put H.
"HE RUNG IN A COLD DECK,
which he artfuIly deposited on the lap
Of one OF his youthful disciples, But
the novice was clumsy In the higher
aud more finished evqlutiOns Of the
game and having made three unsuc-
Cessful Efforts 10 effect the necessary
exchange, Chunky began 10 fear that
failure would crown bis Well inteutiOued
effort. Whereupon. going behind the
gambler, be suddenly brushed an i'm
aginaTy spider of the lapel of the lat
ter coat in the mOmentaTy diversion
the substitution was accomplished the
hands were dealt from the false deck.
and
THE BETTING BEGAN
The game was. Of course, draw poker
After "a great deal Of raising, and back
raising, aud the accumulation Of a
great heap of symhOHCal coin upon the
table, the transaction came 10 what was
then and may still be technically known
as q Showdown when the pr0fes
si0ual displayed four kings and the
amateur fJuT aces. winning the stakes
HE gambler betrayed not tbe smallest
emotion or surprise. His voice was
perfectly steady and tranquil. as gently
pushing
TIE IVORY COUNTERS
toward his antagonist. with a courteous
that's good sir be observed with
the faiutest suspicion of q draWl Ar
ICHles the ue1t lime sou See q spider
biting me, please let him Bite 90
Chunky loBles Was never politician
of he class Wilh which Tie public has
been made more or less familiar bF tle
career 0f the late john MoulsseY aui
the person Of the C0ntemporaneoQs ME
Michael McDouald. He did not a any