The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-05-09

AN ODD CHARACTE
CAREER o.=3wAsH,N oToN's MOST &c.
/ CENTRIC CITIZEN. y, @ sy
Francis Dunlop. Born In the Lap Of Lux.
ury and splendidly Educatsd, Suddenly
Became Crotohsty and Remslned So On.
Z I'll His Demise. , ass|&-
The most eccentric character that Wash.
lngton has ever known passed from the
public stage when Francis Dunlop died.
For 40 years he had been an object Of re.
mark on account Of the extravaganza Of
bis dress and tho popularity Of bis expires.
sion and his movements, and for as long a
time he was the inspiration Of the jeers OF
the heartless and ignorant and the pity OF
the charitable. ~
4. Born in the lap of luxury and the son
Of proud and influential parents; reared az
the youth of the old regime were reared,
people bestowed upon their children;
trained by tutors until q mind already fer
tile became rich in its resources and gradu.
ated from Princeton with the high honor
to be expected from one who had possessed
such advantages, young Dunlop entered
manhood with every promise of success.
full career Suddenly bis mind became
crochety. No one has ever been able to de.
termine exactly the cause Of his men tai
failure, or, rather, the sudden exaggera-
ton of it, whimsical tendencies. 1t Is
said that he was struck violently in the
head when he was q boy, and that hard
study, followed by lively journey through
Europe, brought on the malady that never
From polished, elegant, social man,
with an aristooratio regard for the niceties
Of life, SO far as appearances went, Dunlop
changed into q seoretiVe misanthrope,
with apparently but one idea in the world,
and that was to outrival Beau Brummei
in his apparel and the Count d Orsay In
his walk and actions.
His manner was equally singular.
Piercing eyes stared coldly from large eye
glasses beneath heavy black eyebrows,
heightened with the aid of black pigment.
His head was carried very slightly to one
side, his arms being immovably down
straight from the immense padded shout
ders, and he walked minoingly on his toes.
For 40 years or thereabouts his figure
was as familiar to Washingtonians as the
dome of the capitol, yet he walked 5hrougl
the crowded streets staring like an image
at the people who passed and to all ap-
peararces utterly oblivious of everybody.
Sometimes when the street gamins would
jeer him too noisily he would seem to be
about to pause and give them lesson,
but such lapses were only momentary.
Store windows had a fascination fol
him, and he would pick his way down the
business streets, stopping now and then
before an attractive display, apparently
unconscious of the display he was making
of himself. In the better establishments
he was regarded as good customer, espe-
cially few years ago, when he came Into
possession of considerable means. He was
a remarkably good connoisseur of pictures
and gems, for it must be understood that
Dunlop's eccentricities did not eradicate
the finer qualities of his intellect. The
few who were permitted to sustain some
thing like intimacy with him can abun.
dainty testify to this, and he has no more
sincere mourners than those who over
looked his grotesque fancies% and enjoyed
the friendship and the pleasure it meant.
He was an omnivorOus reader Of books,
but was quick to discern the good from
the bad, and when the subject of literature
was preached his share in it's treatment
was always sure to be instruoting and
gratifying to his companions Sometimes
his views were extravaganza, and he grew
imprisoned in pointing out the failures
Of authors who,' in his opinion, had missed
chances for greatness.
OF late years Mr.. Dunlop's clrcum-
stances became altered, and he could no
longer indulge his extravagant tastes and
fancies as had been his wont, but he con-
tinued to dress in his own singular style
and to whet his passion for books.
Hundreds of stories will be told Of him,
many of which are apocryphal and most
of them untrue. On account of the mass
i've appearance Of his shoulders he was
gifted by the imagin alive with gigantic
physical powers, and tales are told Of the
prizefghters he whipped for doubling the
genuineness of his physique. But he was
quiet, inofensive man in everything
save his personal appearance, and. even
charity must admit that he was appalling
to the weak nerved. He cared nothing, as
mas peen INDICATED, lOr Gne general run O1
humanity, but he had friends whom he
cherished, and no prince was more prodi-
gal in his hospitality than he was to such.
One incident illustrating this trait of
his character occurred several years ago,
when he occupied rooms in the National
theater building. His windows looked
out on the avenue, and when President
Harrison's inauguration was drawing near
two of Mr.: Dunlop's friends requested his
permission to bring their wives and view
the parade from his apartments He was
eager to grant this request, and accord
ingly the gentlemen and ladies made their
way to his rooms when the March morn
Ing arrived. -%'
There was a sideboard in the room load
ed down with every conceivable substan-
tial and delicacy to make long parade
vigil bearable. Mr.. Dunlop greeted his
visitors cordially and then left the prem
Uses. The others waited for him patient
ly, the parade. passed and was dispersed,
and night came on. Nothing on the side
board had been touched, the guests believ-
ing that their host would return. At last,
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