Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-24
HERO OF TWENTY WEDDINGS
How Lieutenant Hobson Was Trained
for His PerilOus Mission.
STOOD BY FRIENDS AT THE ALTAR
Neither Quniied Nor Cracked n Smile
when the Brides Were Given
Away-A Handy Man for
tie business.

A man who has at twenty weddings been
best man. can be pretty fairly Judged to
have a social side" At the present stage
OF his career, with due respect to the other
men present at these functions, one may be
pardoned for adding also that Lieutenant
Richmond Pearson Hobson was in more re-
spects than one the best man. there.
When one year ago this last December
l was hidden to the marriage Of a typical
Brooklyn maid (she needs no further praise)
and was told to keep my eye on the best
man" who had served in that capacity upon
twenty different occasions, l will admit that
a large part Of my interest went out to
lin, for l have a curious inquisitiveness
toward the kind of "a man that that other
man, the groom. selects upon such an occa-
sion to stand with him-perhaps should
say by HMM the searching glare OF
Hymen's torch. One frequently hears long
before the bride is chosen when L get mar
ried l want Jack to stand up with me-" and
Jack nine times out of ten is a man for
whose popularity in that direction he himself
cannot account. A best man. like a
genius, is born, not made, and Lieutenant
Hobson was born to this as we'll as other
honors.
AS l stood waiting at the top of the aisle
upon that now more than memorable occa-
S'Oh iShib III tudl l. IulHul Slt
near the front, for l thought | must study
that best man. The gallant officer usher
who fell to my lot asked if 1 minded the
length OF the aisle-it was st. Luke's-and
upon my assuring him / did not, he there
upon placed me three seats from the front
This much for the gallantry of the nava
corps.
Midst the soft, hush, hush Of silken gowns
and the patter, patter of dainty clad fee
up the marble aisle, and the occasional
"clank" of the swords of the ushers, all oil
which was accompanied by the low voice
of the organ as its notes rose and fell, we
waited; waited for the pretty bride and he,
attendant maids, for the groom and, (thougl
we knew it not them, for the immortal
Hobson.
Why Women Admire Hobson.
Tall and soldierly he stood, his manner
at once dignifed and gracious, his heat
erect and well carried, revealing pride il
its noblest sense, and self-respect. Hi!
deep-set blue-gray eyes, perhaps better de.
scribed as iron gray wore a kindly, smil
ing look which helped largely to dispel tn,
stern aspect of mouth and chin. There is
however, a slight cleft in the chin, no
visible in all lights, which also subdues thi
tendency. His moustache, like his hair, is o
a light-brown and, as the picture indicates
worthy of admiration. His hair was an,
Is parted in the center, in the prevailing
fashion, which touch of interest in up-to
dateishness will probably appeal to Richar
Harding Davis and Gibson & Company.
He walked with ease and dignity, and a
he Joined the maid of honor at the end o
the ceremony one saw at once that Lieu
tenant Hobson was at home and in his plac
by the side of a woman, for when does
man of whatsoever renown so really revea
himself-if there is anything to reveal-a
in the society Of a woman. By the natura
law of contrast this is so. All that is mani
is at once more manly in the presence o
the eternal feminine which surrounds tn