The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-25
Big Men in Spaia,

There is no place where mans size
will increase his importance in the eyes
Of the people more than in Spain, SAID
William H Graham to Boston iran
script reporter. "The Spaniards as a race
being an understood people, large man
well develoDei physically is looked upon
as being some important, extraordinary
being. SO, while / was travelling in Eu-
rope with Colonel Stone, We passed
through England with but little notice
being taken of US. When we got TO Spain.
however, our party, thanks to the stal-
wart phySique of the Colonel, was the
down the street crowd would follow us
pointing at the Colonel in wOnderment ana
admiration, until the gallant Congressman
thought his proper place was on the
boards of a Spanish dime museum One
day while on a fatiguing journey we
stopped at a way station. Like travellers
will do, we left our compartment to
stretch our legs in a little walk up and
down the platform of the station. There
was quite a crowd gathered, evidently to
see the departure of a bride and a groom
who were in the centre of an admiring
circle of friends. As we walked up and
down we noticed that the attention of the
crowd was gradually diverted from the
loving couple in the centre, and the people
began TO whisper one 10 the other and
point at the Colonel taking his constitu-
tiOnal. / could see and hear that they
were astonished at his immense stature,
and were wondering who this notable
must be For TO the Spaniard man
could not be Of such stature and not be
great,
lust before the train was ready to pull
out ] thought / would play a little joke on
the people, taking the cue from the re
MARKS | heard on all sides. SO, leaving
my friend. | went to the door of the rail
way carriage and called I'm as loud a tone
as possible: flames G.. Blaine come ont
the train is about to move away" It was
just about the time OF the excitement
over Blaine and Harrison, so ! thought
that the supposed presence of a celebrity
such as the Plumed knight would arouse
their enthusiasm But they took no no.
tice OF my cry. Thinking they could not
have heard. | called the same thing ont
again. But still no response came from
the crowd. Then / remembered an Incl
dent which occurred to the Colonel in
Pittsburg, when he interfered in a street
fight there. He pulled a burly rufIian off
an understood fellow who was being
beaten terribly, and when the bully asked
him who he was that dared interfere with
him. the Colonel remembered having seen
some bill-boards stating that John J.. Sui
Ivan WAS in town, so he replied boldly:
I'm John l.. Sullivan Immediately the
crowd cheered and the bully sneaked
away Remembering this incident and
the success of impersonating the prize
tighter in city where he was well known,
] thought | would try il in Spain. doubt
ing, however that community who did
not know Blaine would be able to recOg
nlZe a celebrity at the other end of the
line. But yelled out: John H. Sulli-
van. you had better hurry. / had scarce
ly uttered the name when the whole
crowd began to put up their fists and
made rush for the Innocent ColCoel
They would have torn his clothes off in
their enthusiasm and admiration Of what
they evidently thought a master man, had
the ringing OF the bell not given us warn
ing that the train was ready, and with
difficulty we pushed our way through the
yelling. boisterous crowd TO our carriage
~ ne bridal party and the purposes of
the crowds visit were lost in the excite
hear the cheering OF the excited Meople far
behind us So ii can, in truth, be said
that Colonel Stone has appeared with
great success as John l.. Sullivan on both
continents"