The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-07
Flashes OF Wit That Characterize
tho Conversation of Mr..
R. 6. lngersoll.
Hid Radical Views Are Still "a
Strong as Ever In His
Life. "
Story OF His Eventful Life Retold-His
Opinion Of the rkhur system
OF Reform.

Written for The HELENA INDEpENDENr.l
1OLONEL ROBERT G. INdERsOlL
IX, is one Of the most striking and indi-
- vidnal men among the prominent
people OF the United States. He has now
lived in New York nearly ten years. and is
oftener heard of in the courts than in the
lecture room or in the field of politics, where
he used TO be 30 conspicuous n figure. The
colonel has gone through u wide range Of ex.
>periencs and has come to the conclusion that
there Is more to interest him in the ptac-
tice OF his profession than there is to be
found in the field of politics. Politics he
has almost dropped. He occasionally APP
pears AZ a lecturer and continues Of old to
occupy his position of = bold and advanced
free thinker.
! asked him, during a recent call, If he
had modified in any way his viows concern
ing religion. Was he, with ripening years,
as earnest an opponent of orthodoxy as
when he first began2 His reply to this was
emphatic, although I shall not pretend to
quote his language. He said that he was
more of an enemy to-day to every form OF
80 called orthodox religion than when he
first began his career as a critic. He de-
scribes from his point of view the spirit OF
orthodox religion as a combination OF
"meekness and malignancy.'
saw the colonel in his office in Nassau
street. He was a perfect picture of radiant
health, and he does not look so old as when
he left Washington, some ten years ago.
His round full head ia now nearly bald.
Tn hair that remains is snow white and
close cropped. His round, full face was
smooth shaven and with scarcely a line or a
Wrinkle. His forehead Was broad and full.
His eyes are q keen blue gray. with a twin
kle in their depths of the latent humor al
ways underlying nearly everything the COLO
mel says. His nose is prominent and straight.
His mouth is fine in its lines and small.
HIS chin IS round, pronounced and We
strong in it's contour. He is as smooth
shaven and as fresh colored as All English
country squire. He has the high color of n
man of health, and the unmistakable air
of success which always goes with men who
accomplish something in this I'D. When
] saw him the other morning he was
dressed in a dark frock suit with a great
bunch of pink and white sweet peas in his
b~uttonhole. He was debating to his sec1e-
tary, Mr.. Baker, a man with a French type
of face, sallow in color, aquiline features, |
with the lower half covered by a dark
moustache and short, square trimmed
beard. Mr.. Baker is tho colonel's right
hand, his shadow. He is a perfect private |
secretary. He was formerly very ogtho- |
dox, but in the atmosphere of
the colonel's life be has become az radical |
a free thinker as his employer. He has |
been with the colonel for many years, and |
will always be with him. There is a COM |
paesbetween the colonel and Mr.. Baker |
that the latter shall be with him ALWAYS. |
Mr.. Baker preserves relieiously the record
of the colonels life. Everything that be
says of any Importance upon current
thinRs-speeches, lectures. his w~ritines-
ara all a part of a complete record kept bv I
Mr.. Baker. He is more than a private Soc
rotary, in that he is a devoted friend. and
has as much of an interest in preserving
an honest record Of the coloneIs
life as has the colonel himself. once
heard the colonel say that Mr.. Baker
had Instructions to register truthfullv his
opinions. beliefs and disbeliefs for future
record. He has special instructions con
corning the oolonel's death. The latter has
often discussed the subject of his own
taking off. He has a perfect horror OF any
Instrumentation concerning that time.
His life has been a peaceful, happy and
contented one, and he believes his closing
hours will be equally happy and contented,