The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-26
ALONE UITH MS Fiddle.
An Old Snowman in the san Francisco
Ain slouse.

An old man who had had varied ca
reer was admitted to the almshouse IN
San Francisco last week. The only pos
session that he carried with MN "ds
violin. HIS wife, a woman many years
younger than himself. had promised TO
accompany him. but at the door or the
almsnouse she slipped away and LETT MN
to enter alone. The san Francisco news
paper which printed an account OF tHe
affair said that the old man fell 10 play
Ing his violin cOntentediy, awaiting III
confidence his wifo's return. But she
never came back. and he was LETT alone
with the violin for company.
lie was Frederick Helms, and ne was
born in Hanover, Germany, in $50. When
no was a child he came TO this country
and as soon as no WAS old enough 10
become a soldier he enlisted in the United
states army. After ten years or army
M. he married I'm Washington, and, the
army pay Growing too little for him and
his wife TO live On, he resigned, anu
removing to Cincinnati, commenced 10
play the violin In theatre orchestra
there After a year OF this he went 10
Missouri, because his wife had expressed
a desire TO try farming. From Mlssouri
they moved TO oregon, and tn old man
gave this story Of his career thereafter 10
a reporter of the san Francisco Chroni-
Gle:
I'm 1858 we travelled overland from
Missouri to oregon. Ny wife had been
s,cgly. but she got well on the trip. In
Oregon we took VI land, and ! planted
the first big apple orchard In the state.
It's there yet. But trouble came. My
wife died. one Of my daughters ran away
and married, and my son-ln-law got most
or my property. She IS Emma Jane Lind
sey, and she doesn't care for me. My
house was burned. and 1 got kind or
foolish like-it upset my head 80. Then
[ went 10 Portland, but | never got rich
again.
My other daughter Marlette Swab.
lives In South Africa, but that's long
way ofr-Africa Island she hasn't much
call for letter-writing. She'll be sorry
when she hears that me and the nddle
has gone othc poor-house. My son. he s
a Snowman in Texas.
'Wnen left Portland I bought big
tent. and was a Snowman for thirty years.
1 went to Africa and South America,
and ! Invented Peppers Ghost which
wculd have made me lot OF money II
I'd had IL patented"
Peppers Ghost was an illlaion managed
by means OF mirrors and curtains. and
was the first OF the so-called Egyptian
mysteries" After his Snowman days
Helms married second time. That was
sixteen years ago, and during that period
the old man has been playing the violin.
while his wife worked at odd Jobs. Old
Helms wandered from saloon to saloon,
but his earnings diminished so that he
and his wife were unable 10 pay thu
yl.25 week which was the rent or their
room.
When the old man went with his violin
70 the almshouse he wore high. old
fashioned collar and black and white
stock. lie was never known 20 DO drunk.
and never In his life did he use tobacco
In any form. II was after they had
arrived at the almshouse that the Odd
mans wife made an excuse 10 turn back.
and left him TO enter alone.
Shell come back" he said. unwrapping
the violin from the bandanna handker-
chief, with which II was covered. and
beginning to play.-New York Sun.