The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-04-12

parte'sretrcat from Moscow, which ia
tho most dismal thing in musical crea.
ton. lie was moro noticeable in the
afternoon than tho morping.
llo stood ut tho head OF tho outside
stairway OF the station with his fiddle
and hia bundle OF papers. lilo played
the doloful air and muttcrcd one word
as a monotonous accompaniment, spa.
pahs."
They called him "Rube." his name,
according 10 his own story, being Reu.
bon Mason. Seven years ago he was
s~ixty.iour years old. lilo lived then
with a Swede in 4 shanty that throw Its
shadow on the North branch OF the Chi.
cago river at the crossing OF Chicago
venue. They used to mako a pool OF
their earnings and get drunk with tho
same. and fight, and go to sleep OH the
floor OF their shanty. Ono morning q
policeman from the East Chicago
avenue station found them in a corner
asleep. The old negro had ont OF his
hands in the yellow beard Of the Swede,
while the Swede's grasp clutched the
throat OF tho darky. An empty beer
can. battered, lay neal by.
Suddenly the old darby disappeared
from the stand. The old Swede pre-
served a silence as to his whereabouts,
and the police OF tho East Chicago
avenue station thought for n while
that n mystery was on, and there were
limitations that the old Swede had
thrown the old negro into the sluggish
river.
Not many weeks ago Reuben up
peared in the motley crowd that is
seen daily in tho Harrison street police
station. He remained during the morn.
ing session OF tho court, his old eyes
looking brighter whenever a case was
called. lie carried his fiddle unde: his
right arm. When the last case was
called he went out with tho tat,ered
remnants and lost himself in the crowd.
The next day he came to court, and the
next. and tho next, and so on until the
days had huddled themselves into
weeks.
Tho last time he appeared he was
asked what it was that brought him to
the court so often, as no never appeared
with n complaint against him. lie rc.
tCluSttAklN ~ illklcN ktllk Ilc WIS lOOhs
ing for his boy. He had not seen him
since the war, but he had heard through
ONT sourc that the bov had gone to
tho bad that he was Il thief and va.
grant, and that no had worked his was
to Chicago.
"Jcs wntchin' for Sam. l knowed he
was no good, an l reckon do patrol
cotch him putty soon. | down spec:
TO to do muffin to him. He amt wutl
savin'. no how. l jcs want to rot my
eyes on him. an Of | git n chance Lies
want to whack him one on do head viii
dis hyer ole fiddle. Den Zee done wifi
him."
Reuben Mason was n slave before the
war. aud he claims that he was the pro.
perty OF the Confederate minister who
was captured with Slidell, which event
created an international stir. He also
claims that his old muster gave him his
freedom and a hundred bales OF cotton.
His story further relates that he was n
cook for n rebel cavalry company dur
ing the wal and that he witnessed the
engagement between the Merrimac and
Monitor.
He came west at the close OF tho war
and settled i'll Kansas. lie came to
| Chicago in 1875 and 1901 after he buried
his old wife, who was faithful to him
till her death. Her grave is unmarked
in the pottor's field. An employe OF the
| county hospital relates n rather i'm
| probable yarn about Reubcn's occasion.
nj visit to mis- wite's grave ut which he
sawed the few bars OF ~"Bonapar,e's
Retreat" which becomes go well known
to tho suburban traffic OF tho North.
western station.
lie has no particular stand now.
Sometimes he plays in n section.
sometimes in another. A policeman ut
the Harrison street station soys that
Reuben sleeps ell tho Lake Front in
snmmer, and that he spends Sundays,
the weather permitting, on the govern
ment pier.