The Portland daily press., 1892-08-16

know what sort OF career he had
marked out for himself in life. He
assured me then that he had no pazticu-
Tar inclination for business. He thought
that he would like to be a newspaper
man, but he admitted that his predilec-
ton was for tho theater. He said, with
youthful enthusiasm: II would rather
he the manager of theater in New
York city than anything know of in
the world. eft would seem that he is
about to have an opportunity to crafty
his tastes. He has already developed as
a shrewd and capable business man, and
L doubt not he will make success in
his new venture.
PAIR OF PISTOLS.
I saw Col John G. Babcocls, who was
chief of the secret service of the
Potomac during the war, on the piazza
of the Manhattan Beach hotel an even
ing or two ago. He is slender, ath-
letic-looking man, apparently about
fifty years of age, with dark, burn
ing eye. Col. Babcock was, / be-
lieve, one of the founders of the
New York Athletic club, and in the
late maturity of his life is pursuing
calm and uneventful existence, which
curiously contrasts with the rugged ad-
venture of his career of the war of the
rebellion. He is now, understand, at
work on the private memoranda and
official papers which came into his pos
session between 1861 and 1865, with a
view to the publication of his memoirs.
If he tells one-half of what he knows
about the adventure and intrigue of the
civil war, his book will need no COM
mendation to the public. saw, few
days since, in the collection of friend,
whose fad is curious arms and armor,
1 the pair Of Derringer pistols which Col
BabcoclS captured after the fall of Rich
mond in the hands of the fugitive COM
mandant of Libby prison. If my memo
ry serves me Alright, the arrest of
Capt. Turner think that was his
name-was ordered after the taking of
Richmond by federal troops, because so
many charges of cruelty were made
against him by union prisoners, in Lib
by. Whatever the reason for the order,
it's execution was intrusted to Col Bah
cock, who was then on duty with the
Army of the Potomac there. Capt.
Turner, as the story goes, was then fugi-
tive, but was supposed to be hiding
somewhere in the vicinity of Richmond.
By some pretty sharp detective work
Col. Babcock succeeded in locating him
in a little cottage completely elnbow-
cred in trees and shrubs in a sequestered
suburb. The grounds were, according
ly, occupied by some of Babcock's men,
and he himself, with trusted lieuten-
ant, knocked at the cottage door. It
was opened by very beautiful lady,
who was Capt. Turner's wife, who
'courteously invited her visitors in and
asked their business. They said they
had come to look for Capt. Dick Turner,
and had been informed that he was in
the house. 'See, gentlemen" said
she, with magnificent sweep of
her magnificent arm, "the premises
are at your disposal Search anywhere
you choose, except that I beg of
you to respect the privacy of a lady who
is lying ill in that upper ROOM Cour-
.tesy demanded that Col. Babcock
should search everywhere first, and he
did so, but that did not prevent him
from proceeding to the room of ''the
sick lady" Upon forcing an entrance
here he was not surprised to find Capt.
Turner, in bed, with This pair Of Der
ringers under his pillow. Before he
could use them he was overpowered af
ter desperate struggle. But that they
would have been very effective weap-
ons at such close quarters a glance at
them gives ample assurance.
TEE HOUSE OF POE.
I have seen somewhere the statement
that the Edgar Allen Poe residence up
in Westchester county, adjoining the
city, has been sold again to a gentleman
who proposes to restore it and take care
of it, 1t seems to me that the sale of
the Poe residence has been going on
with regularity at least once year ever
since first heard of it. Every time
sale takes place the pathetic story of
Poe's career is hashed over for the
benefit of sentimentalists. The old
Poe home is very shabby affair, and
it would hardly be worth consideration
were it not for the fact that people gen
orally believe that it was in this tene-
ment that Poe wrote his dolorous poem,
tsThe Raven Poor Poe had stormy
and sad existence, but he lived and
wrote in a period when it was neces-
sary, according to the ethics of the
times, for poet to wear long hair and
get drunk.
He practically threw himself away, |
think, because it was the fashion for
the American bohemian to do that sort |
of thing at that time. We're he here
now he would find very little incentive |
to drunkenness and very few people Of |
his class to encourage him. He would |
have better surroundings, for a literary |
man is no longer child Of the street.
the cellar and the attic He is a practi- |
cal, intelligent, self-respecting fellow !
nowadays Living in Baltimore some |
years ago, used to occasion
ally pass the little dingy churchyard in
corner of which poor Poe sleeps under
trivial monument erected to his mem
ory by few appreciative friends |
Standing contemplating this memento
one evening, an old citizen passing by |