The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-25
4 QUEER MAN ABOUT TOWN.
lie Led Merry Life without Leaving
One New York Block.

Think how many persons there are in
New York who live lives az restricted and
insular as II they were shut up III some
small country town miles from any rail-
road and far removed from the din and
hurry burly OF the city. They have got
10 at the same hour, breakfasted at the
same time on the same food. cooked in the
game way: have read the same newspaper,
bought az the stand of the same man;
have seen the same people pass the house
on the same side Of the street at the same
hour every day; have laughed at the same
Jokes and cried at the same passages In the
same old books, and when the same old
finger Of death has bockOned them they
have passed into the same old beyond.
There should be and Is no necessity for
life Of dreary plodding in New York, so at
least thought lively but eccentric little
old gentleman who lived in West Twenty
fourth street, between Broadway and Sixth
avenue. He was bachelor, without kith
or kin, living in a single room, knowing
none except his landlord, whom he paid
regularly every Tuesday afternoon at $50
o'clock, speaking to none and receiving no
visitors. And yet tie spirit Of enjoyment
was uCllft III JuAS lbtiC SChOASAh't cNN
it seemed to take form OF publicity sin
gular in one Of his age.
He was a regular attendant at the the
alter, never by any possibility missing
first night. was always to be seen fussing
about among the book stores and picture
galleries. promenading up and down the
principal thoroughfares when they were
most crowded and dining modestly but
sufficiently at the most popular cafes. His
was familiar figure, but nobody took the
trouble to find out who he was or what his
name was.
One day his landlord noticed that In his
morning walks the little old gentleman
never passed beyond the boundaries OF
Sixth avenue on one side and Broadway
on the other. Then the landlord began TO
observe the habits of the little old gentle
man, and he observed that although he
continued to live in the open as 1t were,
he never by any chance went out of that
block in West Twenty fourth street. He
attended regularly the performances at the
Madison Square theater, was frequently TO
be seen ia the Eden Musee. lunched every
day at the Hoffman House, dined at II
small restaurant on the left hand side go
ing from Sixth avenue bought his clothes
Of q tailor en- the corner, his ties, shirts.
and underwear on the corner Of Broadway.
his books at Putnam's, which establish
ment he entered by the back door. His
boots he also-obtained in the same block,
and he was shaved every morning in a bar
Der shop Oh the right hand side of the
street going (. ON Broadway.
For Blk years this little old gentleman
never went out of that block, and yet he
managed to be continually in the world
and of the world about him, living life
Of change and excitement.
One day he was found dead In his bed.
He left absolutely no effects except an old
silver watcRand great many new clothes,
shirts, ties and boots. 1t was noticed, how
ever. that his hat was very old. There is
no halter in West Twenty fourth street be
tween Broadway and Sixth avenue.-New
York World.