The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-09-14

he isn't ut all sensitive. Ifyou should
call him by any other name than thas
of the Bum" he would probably be off
Tended; certainly he would res"n'
you calling him by his right na'He'
for fifteen years ago he was proHper-
GUS and happy, surrounded by his fan'
ily-a beautiful wife and three young
childrcn--and enjoying the confidence
of all his acquaintance.
Then he ran mp against old King AL
cohol and since that time he has
known no home ether than the big
coal-box back of the shipmews Office,
or the drear and empty store-room un-
der the Marine hospital Poor old
bum Enjoying the affectloa OF only
the kittens, spiders and rats he trains,
and caring for nothing but rum and
| idleness, unless, perchance, some one
gives him an old magazine or Hovcl,
and then he shuts himself up IL the
storeroom and pores over his lite AIRY
treasures, emerging only long enough
to sing for and secure drink His VITO
occupies pretty home Of her own on
Staten island, but the "Bum" never
sees her and it is better for them both
that this is so.
Every body around the Nargc Office
knows him. He is as much II a land.
mark as the big liberty pole near the
battery wall. He never goes far her
away from the battery than the saloons
of South or Whitehall streets. ind his
pets All the affection Of his wrecked
nature he lavishes on tho horrid creef~
ing things he feeds and caresses Per-
haps some day if You viii steal up to
the storeroom near the rcvenue-cutter
slip and peer into the room through
the window you will see the Bum
stretched ont on pile of rubbish,
feeding Il white-whiskered RAJ from tho
palm of his hand. You may see u
dozen of the ugly, agile things clustered
about him, crawling up his arms on
his neck, over his breast You may see
him take big rat in his hand and
touch his lips to the pointed nozzle OF
, the eerie, long-taied thing. You may
see over in the corner u halt-dozcn kit
tens-maltese, tiger, pure white
quietly sleeping, but if the bum"
, should whistle softly tney will quickly
9 scamper over to him and at some mys-
FERROUS signal form circle about him,
!, and, sitting upright, listen 20 his low
8 singing. Z
p Then the storeroom spiders come to
i him for crumbs and he makes no pro-
\ test if they crawl over his hands and
4 face. But he loves his kittens best,
a and one can more thoroughly sympa-
6 thize with this affection. 1t is matter
a of speculation how many kittens he
T has raised in the last fifteen years. Ma
!, mother cat will he allow to assist him,
&c but poor stray llittens-sOcial outcasts
~ like himself--he takes to ms heart and
"a nurses them, bringing them to health
n and strength by feeding them milk
~ from spoon, and they will follow him
Is about like dogs.
, Poor old bum! With tender hear,
=. somewhere beneath that ragged, dirty
exterior, sleeping in a coalsboX witt
,s old newspapers for blankets, while the
"a wind from the ocean is blowing with
ts frightful force about your shelter; hun
n CRY, thirsty, miserable; with vain re-
N greet end saddened retrospect; will
# trembling and hating steps; you are d
~ sad example of what liquor will dc
:, with sturdy frame and bright intel
49, lect-N. Y. Recorder.