The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-25

When he came up everybody agreed with
Dan. Everybody had to. The stranger
hadn't met with any accident TO his face,
but he was simply homeiy. He had cock
eyes, n hair lip, a nose with a ball on the
end Of it, and his teeth ell hung out to the
weather. Nature wasn't satisfied with
that, but he was bowlegged and drawn up,
and the color OF his hair and whiskers was
that Of a faded u strawberry. Neforgot
the rules Of hospitality in staring at him,
and he very properly resented our conduct
by saying:
zone would think you fcllers hadn't seen
a stranger for six months betorel What's
the matter with you, TO stand with your
mouths open that wayl"
Stranger" replied Dan, who was both
blunt and truthful, you must excuse u.s.
but Pm telling you that you are the home
lest man ! ever SAW in all my born days.
You are welcome, however. Just stake
out your claim and put up your shanty
and become one Of u.s."
"Homely, homelyP' repeated the man.
"You don't 60 fur to call Inc homely, do
your"
81 do. never saw as homely a critter
in all my lie"
"Waal, that's news to me, and | don't be-
lieve IL! I've bin married twice, and |
married on my good looks both times. I've
actually had folks call me Handsome
He staked out a claim, got up a shanty
and proved TO he a good fellow, though he
appeared 70 grow more homely every day.
What Dan had said seemed TO worry him,
and be was frequently seen consulting his
pocket looking glass. He had been with
us a month when he went up on the noun
tain side one Sunday afternoon alone.
About 3 O'Clock we saw him from camp as
be walked slowly along an old trail lead
ing TO an abandoned mine. We were gaz-
ing at him when a big cinnamon bear
came out Of n rift, turned up the trali anu
In about a minute the judge, and the bear
were face 10 face and only ten feet OF trail
between them. They were a mile away
but we could see them as plain as Day
They stood in their tracks staring at each
other for a couple of minutes, and then
the bear wheeled to the left and rolled OIL
the trail and descended 500 feet before he
brought M among some powders. The
Judge stood and looked into vacancy for
awhile and then turned about and headed
for camp. He came in with his head down
and his mind preoccupied, but on reaching
the little public square which was our gen-
eral Iounging place he looked around, hxe'
his eyes on Dan Taylor and asked:
did this crowd see me up thar"
"Yes."
"See me meet the BARI"
ayes"
"See the burned critter get up an hump
himself as If scarf to deathi"
ayes"
what made him do iti What's the
opinion Of the crowd1"
"Your looks" replied Dan, nothing but
your looks. He'd never seen a real homely
man before, and it took the sand out OF
him In a jify. You wouldn't believe me
when | told you SO. but this ought to be
evidence"
ut orter belt orter be-" unused the
fudge as he looked uptbe mountain. Yes,
/ scarf that bar, and | guess you've bin
right all along. Mighty queer to me,
though-mi2hty queer"
He went of 20 his shanty, and we saw DO
more OF him till next morning. Then his
body was hanging to the limb OF . tree
above campo case Of suicide. In bis
shanty he had LIFT . sorawl reading,
~ lopt plane nebody I'm Arkaan =