Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-06-25

, Beau Hickman, according to his state.
: ments atterward, got all the endowment
: life affords out of these few years, and
: for the rest of the time intervening until
death came, was to him but an existence
to be borne with as little annoyance as
possible. He was sturdy, athletic
young chap, full of the fire and life and
had the courtly graces of Virginia
gentleman. Unlike Beau Brummel, he
did not faint at the odor of work OF
shudder over a badly cooked dish as
though it coffined his grandfather. In
stead, he could take a ix-barred gate
on one of his Virginia thorouehbreds as
gracefully as he could tread the mea-
sures Of popular dance. Women adj
nired him, of course, and his conuuests
were many and Romantic. Knowing as
he did, however, that his fortunes were
OF the weakest, he made no effort that
we know of to make an advantageous
alliance.
Beau was in the fashionable swim
three weeks after his arrival for the first
time in Washington. He never quilted
it until forced to by the sudden break
ing down of his fortunes. Routs and
balls, select social gatherings and all the
fashionable dissipation of the day were
his constant occupations. Over this pc
Rod Of his life hangs the glamour of
riches and luxury. The odor of roses,
the glitter of wealth, the butterfly colors
of life intermingled in this almost ideal
existence, showing forth in sharp and
bitter contrast to the life that followed.
HIS LIFE AS A DEADBEAr BEGINS.
On awakening one morning after
ha ho1 Jal
himself TO the task of looking over his
mails. Sweet-scented missives quantity
folded in divers shapes and fastened by
seals of colored wax, impressed with
monograms well-known in the fashion
able world, Uttered his desk. Among
these was a formal, austere pack.
age, with large splotch of red wax
dlsl1guring its surface. A notice
it was from the bank where Beau had
placed his funds on first coming to
Washington, and the cold, hard-truth
was forced home to him in the midst of
his luxury that he was beggared. cover
drawn" For the man with many re-
sources and huge business interests this
word means little. For Beau it meant
the end of the delightful life he was
leading and many other things that he
didn't care to think of. He opened the
rest of his mail mechanically and went |
out to take up his gay life where he had |
left off the night before.
From this time dates the beginning of |
the beat, and the end of the life of the |
moneyed gentleman.
For many years after the breaking
down of his fortune, Beau managed to |
live by a sort of Bohemian vagabond- |
age. He became sort of good -natured
highwayman, calling on all he met in
LIES pathway to stand and deliver on
the presentation of good story, or on
the working of some clever scheme for
extortng the needful. lie really lived
by his wits, for he possessed such com
modify. He did not confine his sphere
of action to Washington, but often ex-
tended his visits to Baltimore, Philadel-
phia and New York, and during the
racing season followed the horses about
to the various tracks.
In the winter, however, Beau always
returned to Washington. Here he met
the prominent public men of the day,
all OF whom were on his list of patrons,
being regularly mulcted of set sam
called by the incorrigible Beau his "as-
'essments. These ranged from quarter
% dollar, and it is not on record that
my man that Beau classed among his
PATRONS ever refused TO pay his assess
nents. Had he done SO, Beau would
iave cut him dead, and the next day IL
would have been known from one end
VI the avenue to the other that statesman
o-and-so had been stricken from Beau
iickman's list, and, as things went in
hose days, the statesman would have
uttered more in popular estimation than ,
'eau in pocket. J
Often Beau would be introduced to
listing strangers by his friends for the
urpose of observing the inimitable q
tanner in which he would accomplish n
is object of inducing the stranger to h
art with his ready cash to the i'm n
Beau. The latter never q
irectly asked for money, but would +
OF hesitate, after telling good story, n
intimate that the story was worth D,
aging for.
HIS WAY OF TAKING A DRINK. hi
He was never hard drinker, and NJ
ten, when his financial condition was ia
its lowest ebb, he would, when asked b.
drink with acquaintance, accept the CT
Offered favor, STIMULATING that he was ST
receive the change instead of the ar
ink. Often he would on these occa- ST
ons select a good, high priced cigar,
hich he would subsequently dispose tn
to cigar merchant with whom he Sc
d entered into arrangements to dis in
Sc of his stock of cigars thus accumu- St
ted. an
Although Beau lived well for the first a
v years succeeding his financial of
'eckage he eventually became very ais
edy. In the first few years of his CO.
gabond life he beat the hotels and
Tors with magnificent assumption of tiff
prudence. Slowly, however, he de- ap
nded into the most absolute degrade Mi
n. Tailors refused him credit, and he me
5 desperately embarrassed to find ma
thes to cover himself. After his sta
thes had become shabby there was the
little opportunity to work the hotels is {
boarding and so he drifted on to
until he became shabby I'm
disreputable beat Corns and rim
lions afflicted him sorely, and gave poi
miserable, hobbling gait. He bore me