Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-09-25
VICTIM OF HIS OWN JOKE.

Chicago has known was blithe fellow
named Horn. They called him "Pink"
Horn. He boasted that he could not
keep money he declared that as he
was a horn ne mt.st needs elbow" him.
self. 1t was this joke that allured him
from his trade, that of sign painting.
After this he lived on his wits. He was
not known to be dishonest, but to the
man who lives by his wits there comes
but few twinges of conscience. Once
he made reputation in new direc-
ton. One cold day he took off new
overcoat and wrapped it about the
shoulders of thinlyclad negro wo-
man whom he met in the street. His
companions marveled at this, knowing
that he had but little money, and in re-
ply to their expressions of surprise, he
remarked:
"My father was slave owner before
the war, and an old black nanny
brought me up"
He always wore flower on his coat
and when the flower was wilted one
his acquaintances knew that ne was
hungry. He was man of courage.
Once, in q playful mood, he fought
BLACK jack the commander of the
bumboat, and defeated him, and this
was no easy matter.
His fad was to investigate every
thing, and in this respect he became
strangely curious toward the last. He
had mania for gazing into the eyes of
dying man, and often hung about the
hospitals. He used TO say that he
intended TO see himself die. Some of
his friends said he was losing his mind.
Well. hard luck came and he drifted
away. He went South and then into
the far West. But be found no place
to interest him. In Deadwood he did
all sorts OF jobs, striving to get back to
Chicago. lie said he had but short
while longer to live, and that it would
embarrass him to die away from home.
He came back and stood about the
corners looking for his old friends, but
found them not. No one knew him.
"Why, you must have heard of me,
he said to man. 81 am Pink Horn"
"Never heard of you sir"
"Why WAS here before the fire."
THAT may be, but never heard oi
YOU"
Didn't you hear of the sport who
took off his overcoat one blizzardy day
and gave i; to black woman"
"Oh, yes, believe did hear OF that
So you are the man. Well, see you
again. So long"
No one cared to talk to him. He
strove to joke, but his merriment was
ghastly.
One night last week they took him
up and carried him to the hospital. And
this is the story they tell. He had been
in bed two days when a physician told
him he had but few hours to live.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
II am certain. If you have any ar
rangements to make you'd better make
them.n
"My lungs are about gone, I sup
pose?"
"Ye-, practically"
"Will YOU do me favor?"
"Surely. What is it?"
"Well, | want 80 see myself die"
81 don't understand you."
81 simply want TO see how look
while dying. Prop me up and put a
mirror at the foot of the bed"
"Oh, that would be"
you said you would do me favor"
And / will"
The Doctor propped him up and
nurse brought mirror and placed it so
that he could gaze into it. And SO they
left him for a time. He said that be
desired to be alone. When they came
back he was dead his gaze was wide
and his CLASSY eyes mirrored the mirror.
Wanted to see himself die He was an
odd character Chicago Inter Ocean.