Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-28
ECCENTRIC CHARACTER
Who Has Scattered Many Laughs Through
out Hancock County.

AihNC eAA~ sO'is' Va q newspaper man, WHO
thus writes up Clients unique history.
Clem mas not been at liberty for some
time, Dut the excitement of the recent
election was too much for him and he
made his escape from Kelly's poor
farm in the town of fremont, where he
is passing the last days of his life in
sight of the house where he was born
over 60 years ago.
Glenn is without doubt one of the
most famous characters produced bv
Maine in this century, and he is known
| in every town in the State. which he
has travelled over on foot since he vvas
20 years old. He was always =. wei.
come visitor at every country store and
cross-road inn, and in WASHINGTON and
Hancock counties he was fund of in :
formation of the doings of the ont of
the way places. No stage coach ar
steamboat management ever refused
Glenn a ride and the latch string was
always out for him on the farm houses
along the highways. But now Clem's
WanderlngS are over and he is slowing.
travelling down the western hill of life
beneath the shadows of a poor farm.
Glen is a staunch Democrat and his
maddest periods have been caused bv
calling him n Republican. Consequent
ly he appeared on the scene election
day and was promptly taken in charge
of by the police. His liberty was short
lived, however, and Gem is now safely
behind the walls of kelly's poor farm
in fremont.
Clem's father followed the sea foi.
many years and lived in Goose Cove. q
.hn1 II ;.,l,
where many famous sea captains ended
their voyages He was remarkably
bright child and when ten years old
was kicked in the head by horse His
skull was injured and from that day
Glenn was half idiot.
Forty years after the accident which
deprived him of his full senses. physi-
clans became interested in restoring
Clients reason by releasing the pressure
supposed to remain upon that part of
Clients dome of thought When they
had operated and Glen returned to
consciousness. he is said to have eX-
claimed in boyish rapture, Have they
caught that ere boss yit" He clearly
remembered every boyish prank. but
the period intervening between the
date of the accident and the day of the
operation was total blank to him.
After that he relapsed into the state of
idiocy in which nearly his whole life
had been passed.
Immediately stories are told of
CLIENTS wanderings and sayings. One
day after the horse had kicked him he
set fire to his fathers barn and 1t
burned down. When charged with the
crime he simply said that he burned
the barn list to see the chickens rum
Glenn took great interest in Bar Har-
Dor and was around whenever there
was any public show. He was well
known to all summer visitors who piled
him With questions just to hear his
witty retorts. once when he was sur
rounded by crowd Of curious tourists.
one of the smart set said to him.
Glen did you know that there was a
school for fools?''
In his soft insinuating voice Glen
replied quick as flash: BE YOU goin'? 80
When Gen. kyd Douglass organized
the lists here some years ago when gal
liant knights contested for "ladyes;
faire' as the knights of old, Glen heard
of it and was on deck. At that time
knickerbockerS We're first introduced
into Bar Harbor society. and Glen
wanted a pair. Some ways dressed
him up to date and gave him clay
pipe with. instructions that he should
keep it bowl down while at the lists
When Glenn appeared on the grounds
he created the greatest curiosity and
some of the pretty girls thought him
some eccentric nobleman
They were at that time enforcing the
dog registration law and every dog
whose owner wanted to keep from the
dog catchers wore a registered collar
The boys got a huge collar for Glen
and he was properly registered. When
he was molested in other towns Glen
always warned them that the Bar
Harbor selectmen would make them
suffer as he was properly registered.
Glenn was in Machias one day the
center of grocery store senate. They
piled him with questions and one said
Glen, how do you manage to live
without wcrking?"
Glen simply replied. Act the fool
same as | do
During the mining craze here when
every man had gold or silver mine
in his back yard, Glen was interested. |
~ every SUN tiit HlpBiItloI ulSptdytu |
samples of quartz. In the midst of al |
assay discussion in one store, Glen en- |
tered and was handed a piece of quartz. |
and asked his opinion. He balanced !
the speciment n his hand and said !
softly, Lots of rock there
Glen appeared on schedule time in
most towns of ashington and Hancock |
counties and at one time his peregrina-
tons covered the whole State. For
half century he tramped up and
down and across Maine in all sorts OF
weather and sickness never overlook
him. He knew everybody and every
body knew him. His coming was
eagerly awaited in the long winter
days in country taverns, and he could
tell to a certainty how the crops of
half q dozen counties were to turn out.
Weather was a hobby of his and
what Glen said about the weather of
a future week was law. He was harm
less and was never arrested for cause
AT last Glenn turned up at Kelly's poor
farm and there he will see his last
sunset and make his last prediction on
the vagaries of the weather
During the existence of the British
Parliament it has passed about 10000