The herald., 1896-03-16

4
| falls and habit of blowing his own horn
in a very sniffiing, mock modest and per-
| sistent manner. He gave out that his
name was Hiram W, Cummings, that he
was poor lad without education or special
| opportunities. that in spite of his extreme
| youth he proposed to work his way through
college, and that he had chosen the Uni
versity of Southern California as the one
to be honored by future generations as his
alma mater.
Now. the people of that vicinity are
among the most charitable on record.
They were touched at the pitiable condi-
tion of the cunning Cummings youth. Be-
sides, he was known to be studying Tor the
ministry; ergo, he should have free tick
ct to everything.
Dozens of odd jobs were offered, accep-
ted and completed. 1t was soon discov-
cred that the lad had a voice of very great
believing power, that he had taken few
lessons in elocution somewhere in his wan.
derings, and that he would give blossoms
for reasonable consideration.
IN the elocutionary work the youth Sue
ceeded to the queens taste. He was soon
able to decline odd jobs at cutting wood
and trimming hedges, and was so success
full that he could choose his Evolutionary
pupils-eligible single ladies preferred.
to young Cummings in November were
panied TO have to beg to be admitted to the
select "Cummings classes i'll December.
The Sunday school pupils who were
touched to the extent of buying him
pair of spec tacles soon observed that the
rising man could see them but indiiferently
we'll. The remarkable tales of adventure
that he lispad out between lessons won
him many attentive listeners. Within
few months of his arrival in rags and inn
pecuniosity the hopeful fellow was EN-.
ployed as one of the faculty of the Univer-
sity of Southern California; professor of
elOcution.
In spite of his remarkable clock-stop-
ping mouth professor" Cumming was
great favorite with the young ladies', and his
Munchausen-like ''adventures' advanced
his credit in q remarkable degree. In
short time he had wooed and won beau
liful and cultured young lady OF good
family.
About this time a number of college stu
dents who were studying for the ministry
were examined as candidates to be licensed
as ministers or exhorters. Several very
worthy young men who had nearly COM
pleted the college course were rejected,
but the academic and ignorant Cummings
was licensed as capable and worthy
preacher, and was soon in charge OF a con-
gregation at Redondo.
The public is now familiar with the later
incidents in the life of the Infamous Cum
mings-F Ferguson. His cowardly desertion
of his young wife at Winfield, Kan, taking
with him the money she had earned by
washing for the neighbors to pay the ex-
penses of her approaching confinement,
his brazen conduct when he was exposed
and his flight TO Mexico have stamped him
as villain of the deepest dye.
The innocent young woman whose life
has been SO cruelty wrecked has the SYM
pathy of all good people.
If she had brother with good pistol
she would be partially avenged. and some
other innocent girls would be spared simi-
lar treatment at the hands of Cummings
Ferguson. would not object to acting as
such brotherly executioner, but for the
fact that idiotic juries demand that justice
shall be done only by the sufferer or the
sufferers family, on the principle that
''every fellow for himself and the devil for
the weakest"
as a peace-offering by some of the good
people of University who were SO much
angered four or five years ago when
pointed out the patent fact that the said
Cummings bore all the ear-marks of a
genuine fraud.
i IluSt dlsO IuVite dtteutlOu " tilo ldCt
that all the culprits who claimed to be
"abused" in this column have had the
condemnation of the public within a few
months of such merted "abuse."
For such a villainous rascal as Cum
mings-F Ferguson, hanging is too mild pun
ishment, and those who condone his rascal
ity should be exterminated.
Besides, I think it necessary to build
school houses and use them.
Yours truly, EEwARD L. HUTCHINSON.