The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-05-23

- iOOIb ~ hhb bO raw,
30 penetrating, that the constant effort
to keep up articulation to fight against
the weakening influence of the cold,
absorbed every energy and left little
over for thought, for plans, for busi-
ness or pleasure. Inside, rooms were
heated to a suffocating, baking close
ness, and men were languid. They
stood at windows and looked at the
icy streets, or held hands to aching
heads over ledgers.
In the big insurance office two men
were talking in private room. A card
was brought in, and an old man fol-
lowed it rapidly. He was little
bent, which shortened his fig.
ure, and he held his head al
peculiar sidewise angle. He
shuffled little as he walked, but the
very loose and heavy Arctic overshoes
upon his feet may have had something
to do with that. His brown overcoat,
n good deal worn at the elbows, was
long and of comfortable, old-fash-
ioned pattern. A gray knitted WOODEN
scarf was wound around and around
his neck, and wooden gloves were upon
his hands: He put one of these hands
up to his ear, and cupped his
palm to catch every sound when he
was spoken to, and then you saw why
he carried his head so oddly. He was
deaf.
He had come in, he explained, tc
have his life insured. He had often
thought of doing so, but had never
been in position where he felt that
he could regularly pay the premium
before. He was kindly faced man,
who seemed to state facts because they
were such, without understanding any
reason why they should be concealed.
His eyes were clear and apparently
good, although not very wide open.
"We shall require you to fill out @
blank before we can consider your ap.
plication," the manager said. ''WC
seldom take men of your age"
al am not so old as 1 look" the ap,
plicant replied. 81 know that the
premium will be large, but have q
regular income, which ceases at my
death, and l have lately found dear
young friend to whom / should like tc
leave something. l might take fancy
to go walking on the railroad tracl
some day." and he smiled whimsically
''We win have that put in your pol
icy" " said the manager, gravely.
When he had filed out his applica
tion blank, We discovered that his name
was Louis A. Cattermole, that he was
forty-four years of age, and came o
perfectly healthy parents. He said thai
he was born in central Missouri, that hi
father had been killed in the war, anC
his mother had been blown up on {
Mississippi steamboat. He had no neal
relatives whom he knew. He hat
been wanderer upon the face of the
earth. Three years before, he ha(
met John Mackley, a young New
Yorker, on a journey through thu
South, and he had come to New York
Tery recently to live.
He seemed to be a sociable sort o
lellow, although looking ten years oil
Ter than he said he was. He had al
Ingenious way of talking, whicl
might have come from central Mis-
Iouri. McCary, the insurance mana
ger, came from Kentucky, and h
rather enjoyed verbosity when he could
,onscientiously listen 10 it, withou
ceiling that he was establishing a pre-
,edent
81 am afraid" he said to Cetter
mole, THAT you will never pass tn,
doctors"
But he did. They were astonishe,
10 find so vigorous frame
Sound as a nut. In remark
able state of preservation. Tn
teeth arn't good, but leay
ing out that and the deafness, that
AS fine a specimen as 1 ever saw a
Iorty-four," the doctor reported. So
after all the preliminaries were gon
through, Louis A. Cattermole receive
Gpoliey upon his life, made out in ia
Eor of John Maekley, the young stool
broker on New street.
We made a great many inquiries, c
! course, Mackley, who was q bic