The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-07

stories, his vivid Imagination, his help
lessness. all combine TO nuke him per-
son OF interest. His cry when ! was
ut Antletam, over thirty years ago
ne he starts some strange story or
the war, causes n laugh. but II must
be remembered that these old men
renlly were at Antlctam, and Mt Gottys-
burg. and at Shiloh. and at Nicksburg.
and at Atlanta. and ut AppomattoN,
and that every one was hero. Theao
old men who sit around the stoves In
these 6at-of-way FetFeatS on Missouri
avenue and First street, are not the
worthless characters that some M
aglne. There are lawyers and profess
sional men, worn out from disease.
and helpless from the trials OF life and
the adveraitles of fate.
One ofthe Victims.
It was only last night that one of
these men was telling story In n SOL
dlcrs lodging house as q reporter
entered. This ponsIoncr was n lawyer.
and has been In Washington for years.
He is known simply MS Old Man Emer-
son. No one here ever heard his hrst
name. and the barkeeper who cashes his
check regularly, has never accommo-
dated the curious by telling II. II "a.
simply Old Man Emerson, and II he
should die tonight, "old Man Emer-
son" would probably be written on his
tombstone. His check Is his lIfe.- II is
anticipation, realization, and oblivion
with him from one quarters pay DAY
TO another.
They say that Old Man Emerson ono.
taught school out In Lebanon, Ill, but
that Is all past now. and Emerson has
almost forgotten himself He spends
much OF his time In the workhouse.
Other veterans have wondered at the
old man, so last night when he tilted his
chair against the wall, and held u
match TO his stubby pipe, and started u
story about opportunity and fortune,
the others listened.
1T is said that fortune raps once at
each mans door," the old man COM
menced. ut has Numbered at mine
three times, and did not know how TO
entertain the tickle dame. Yes, COM
rades. though you may not believe II,
was rich three times in one year. After
the war / settled down in Illinois, not
far from Cairo. and kept u store. had
intended to be a lawyer, but four years
OF fighting knocked all OF the law out OF
me. SO. kept store. and married. and
did fairly well. The strange part OF M
career commenced when my wife ran
awny-took the baby, and went 10 st,
Louis with another man. ] followed
them, and would shoot the man, the
woman, and the baby, too, guess. II
I'd ever came up with them. SO twas
lucky, guess, that l never found them.
Well. went back to my little country
store, and was Just about the most dis
consulate man you ever laid eyes on.
Didn't feel like Iivlng, and didn't care
for nothing, or nobody.
stIJndn't haan hnCk moron two weeks
when / received n letter telling me that
an uncle OF mine In Montreal had died
and left me a rood share OF his money!
5000 and some real estate. That fixed
me pretty well, and I'd been rich 10 this
day, II I'd Just stayed where was, But
wasn't contented, SO ! sold not the
property and everything. put all the
money in roll. and with $4,000 started
TO Colorado. on the way out, stopped
in Kansas City, and banked $4,000. In
Colorado I fell to 'bucking the tiger.
and played nearly oil OF my roll at
faro. When was down to grub
stake, engaged in mining. and located
one OF the richest mines in the territory.
/ didn't know, it's value. though, and
sold II for a trife. $4,000. ! put this
money In Leadville bank, and was in
tending to draw Il out, start east. set
tie down somewhere. and go into the
law again. in n swell way. and get into
politics. maybe, and goodness knows
what ALL But along came the panic,
and my bank went under. and away
went all OF my money.
The Last OF His Fortunes.
81 made my way back to Kansas City,
where still had 10000 safe and sound.
drew 1t out. for was mighty afraid of
banks after the Leadvilfe experience.
Well, when / got $4,000. / didn't
know what to do, and having become
crazy on the speculation idea, put the
money in real estate. Honestly, didn't
know anything about town lots, and Il
looked like my property would never be
worth plate OF soup. tried 10 keep II
going, but couldn't. and finally gave It
away almost. Then the Kansas City
boom came on, and the very next year
saw what had been my lots sell for a
cool quarter OF a million. ] took to
small gambling, and made living, but
my stake kept getting smaller and
smaller, and my health poorer and
poorer. and finally had to ask Uncle
Sam for a pension. ] came here to
Washington to see about Il. and I've
been here ever since. did more drink
ing right here. waiting for nv pension.
than during my widest days In Kansas
City and Leadville. But got the PEN
sion, though. and when did felt rs
good as when any OF my other three
fortunes struck me. Three fortunes,
and living on 4 pension. But I'm hap
pier when cash my check right here at
the bar than | was with any one OF my
fortunes"