Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-11-15
A VIRGINIA BEAU ;.RUMMEL

Over on the Virginia si'ie If the Pc
tomac, net msby miles from Washing.
ton, is wvrrnu; FERN ca which lived
for many years man, who, in some re-
spects, recalled Beau Brummel. The
Virginia guide who pointed out the
place to Sun reporter, said, after the
OLD farm was passed:
"He was known as W. Broadus
Thompson. He was man you would
never forget. II he passed you, you
would turn and look at him, and if you
didn't know who he was you would
ask. He was lawyer, and 1 have
heard people say be was as great an
orator as Senator Daniel. He was
elected TO the Safe Senate two or three
lines, sud then he was in the militia,
and got tc be colonel. He Was ffom
an old family. He married beautilul
Virgioia wonan, who became the
mother OF tao boys AID girl. They
we're all born in Virginia. Colonel
Thompson got the western fever and
went TO Missouri. He settled in st.
Joseph and began the practice of his
profession. He became the lion of the
bar. He was the Fourth of July ora
tor, and the speaker on ell big coca
sions. When the Hannibal and 81
Joseph Rsil@ay celebrated its comple
ion, Col THOMPSON was the ora,or ol
the day. OId Joe Rnb doux founder oi
The towr, ws ltsia - ne time A plat
form was ouiIl N il .ao Missouri river,
and the people sat; cred on the shore &c
witness The ewptyiug of Na!er from the
Great Lakes apd the Atlanlic into the
Missouri. Enough of the water was
saved for baplismal purposes, and Col.
Thompson, in the presence of the pop
ulace, poured it on Robidoux's head,
and then the Colonel delivered his ora
ton.
"His family were great social favor
ties. His home was the resort of young
and old. The mother and daughter
were conspicuous in CHURCH circles, aud
| the ooys were regarded as the brightest
| in the town. To be in with the Thomp-
sons meant that you were all right Sc
cislly. At the tournaments the daugh-
ter was always queen.
"Ouicker than l c,n tell you there
| was separation. Mrs. Thompson and
her family remained in the home. The
| Colonel stayed 10 the town but lived
elsewhere. He came down like stick.
He lost his practice. He became gouty
| and fnally be reached the common
level of tramp in spp.ara, CO. Rag.
sed as he was, bloated in the face, un'
shaved and with hair uncut, he contn-
ued to walk about the town where be
had been shining light. But be Was
always suave. No one ever heard him
speak profanely, nor was he ever heard
to utter a disrespectful word about
women. He got to that level where be
stopped people and begged them for the
price of a dram. But bis request was
courteous, and no matter whether he
got it or rot he never failed to
Give the military salute. One OF
the sons graduated from the UNI
versi.y of this State. Both went
into the Confederate army. know one
is dead, aud think the other is, and L
am sure the mother and daughter are.
There was no divorce. The secret of
the separation remained in the family.
IF it was ever told I Dever heard OF 1t,
and / have tried to find out.
"The Colonel, he was always called
that. went to Colorado during the
Pixies Peak fever. Somebody paid bis
way out. He made the journey in
wagon hauled by oxen. After he got
| there he was still beggar, princely in
his manners, and always tramp.
"Ooce he met an old acquaintance In
the street and invited him with so much
courtesy to become his guest that the
ouondam acquaintance, notwithstand-lI I
ino the appearance of the man, and bls
history. accepted. The Colonel led thd
wav to a den in which an Indian would
not have lived. The pallet was on tnd
floor. Il consisted of shavlI s.. But III
one corner was an old trunk, and oved
il hung a broken mirror. When thi
ouest was shown in the Colonel opened
the trunk, took out bottle, held 1t upI
and said in a gracious apology, AN
some rascal has been at my decanterl
How unfortunate. Just lend me bal
until get it filled, and then weIl driDR
to AulG Lang Syne.' =,
..The man vino told me the story said
he could not refuse, because the man
was still the embodiment, in manner,
of stateliness. He did not wait for the
Colonel to return. Soon after the Old
| man was found dead on his bed of shaw
ines He was brother of Gen. M.
JED Thompson, of Confederate lame,
once mayor of ST. Joseph, who issnsd
famous proclamation for recruits
while he was in the swamps of Mis-
| o,x; DIN V Sun.