The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-01
Stories of Mr.. Rouss.

Some good stories are related anent the
peculiarities Of Charles Broadway Rouss,
the bind millionaire, who started the
project Of the Souths Battle Abbey by Of
fering to give one-half of the sum neces-
sary to erect such an institution provided
the ex-Confederates could raise the other
half, says the Philadelphia Times.
A young lady tells one of them. and by
the way,she IS a musician of no mean abh-
ity.
Il was up in New York last summer"
she said, and boarding in the same house
with me was a young vocal student. Going
to her room one day 1 found her struggling
over the accompaniment to song she was
trying to learn.
Better let me play that for you,
said, and the next day, which was Sunday,
she asked me to go with her to Mr..
Rouss', where she was 10 sing, and wanted
me 20 play her accompaniment 1t was
about O'Clock when we got there, and we
found Mr.. Rouss in the parlor surrounded
by as queer conglomeration of people a
you ever saw. Some no doubt, had gone
as l did, unsuspectingly, others out of Gu
riosity, but most of them were musicians
of,some kind, with a fair sprinkling of elo-
cutlonists. There was a pianist, violin
ist 'cellist and 1 remember a young fel-
low who would have made
hrst-class contortionist, judging from
'ilS way he WItBSleQ out ms tunes on a
french harp. Well, each and every per
former performed after his kind. I accom-
panied my friend, and afterwards Mr..
Rouss asked me to play alone. [ did so,
and he called for Dixie My Maryland
Old Kentucky Home etc BY and by
somebody took us in to dinner. There
were so many that we had to so in de
tachments, but the table was reflled after
each relay and everybody was served.
There was roast turkey and roast beef
and boiled ham, all sorts of vegetables
and icecream and cake to burn. Well, as
each detachment was fed it was ushered
through the hall and out of the house A
young lady, Mr.. Rouss' niece, think,
stood in the doorway and shook hands
with everybody IS they passed. When she
took her hand from mine / looked down
and found she had left a five dollar bill
in it.
Why, what is this for?' I asked.
Tt is the custom, she said.
" But I don't want it, 1 demonstrated.
" 1t is Mr. Rouss' way she said and
the crowd behind edged me out. ] learned
from my friend that 1t was indeed Mr..
Rouss way
Why she said, I should like to know
what l should do for gloves and ties if it
were not for an occasional tip from Mr.
Rouss I've a thrifty spirit, 1 have
Il told her | hoped she'd choke for not
telling me beforehand, and I pasted that
five dollar bill in my memory. book Who
says l can't earn my own living in case of
fire?'
The other story IS about of the same
| tenor, and eXemDlifies the generous ma
ture of the man who has offered a million
dollars to any one who will restore his eye
sight A certain Southern lady of most
| imposing appearance and dignifed bear
ing, who tlnds herself connected with a
New FORK school for young ladies', went
to see Mr.. Rouss thinking to interest him
in the matter of providing for some poor
Southern girls education. She found him
in his office in his big Broadway store At
ter the interview, which proved unsuccess-
full as to the point at issue, Mr.. Rouss
said:
But you must have a souvenir of the
store before you co.
And wily-nilly whisked the dignifed
matron off with a clerk. who presented
her with a box of handkerchiefs and box
of stockings
The dIgnltied matron wouldn't tell this
| story on herself for a year, and I'm
afraid she'd cut my Acquaintance if she
knew I'd told 1t. Still, handkerchiefs and
stockings are handy to have in the
| house.
l nope these yarns won't have the effect
| of Increasing Mr.. Rouss' visitors.