The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-19
COOLERS IS HIS RUIN
Passion for Peanuts Made Edwin
Hollis an Outcast.
ALWAYS SMELLING THEM
He Was Driven From the Clubs ard
From His Church - Loss of His
Bride Capped the Climax Of -
His Affections.

Trenton Letter to Philadelphia Record.
An uncontrollable ever-present passion
for Smelling peanuts has robbed Edwin
Levine Hollis of bride, drove him from
several swell clubs and ostracized him
from society. He is only permitted to en-
ter the theaters conditionally, is invited
to leave the trolley cars, is told that he
is not again wanted at church, and is or
dered out OF the Salvation Army bar
racks. AT several Places of amusement
he is fatty refused admission under any
circumstances, and the park guards have
orders to keep him away from the mon-
key cages in the zoo, and his queer PEN
chant is compelling him to close his
cracker factory. But the urchins love
him for his peanuts, ready shelled," and
the newsbows follow him for squares
when they see the lstt-hand pocket of his
overcoat bullying out. for they know that
a peanut feast is in store for them.
What makes his friends marvel still
the more al his strange passion is the
fact that Mr.. Hollis declares that he has
never eaten a peanut in hts life and could
not tell what they taste like Mr.. Hollis
frankly admits that he has tried innu-
merable schemes and contrivances sug-
gested by his friends in vain endeavor
to find a less conspicuous substitute for
his unexplainablc passion. But he loves
cracking and the dull thud of the peanut
shell between his thumb and fingers, and
confesses that he can find nothing to take
its place. Mr.. Hollis estimates that he
shells and gives away full peck of pea
nuts every day of his life.
How He Acquired the Passion.
Mr.. Hollis is AZ years of age and pos
sesses considerable wealth. Consequently
he is not, in measure. disturbed by the
criticisms heaped upon him because of his
passion. Stranger than the passion is the
strange manner of acquiring it. Some
years ago Mr.. Hollis conducted a cracker
bakery in Philadelphia. His factory pro-
duced the little hard, brown crackers so
frequently found on the table of the
tirst-class oyster houses and cafes. A
Yankee economist from down East hap
pened along one day and suggested that
the crackers of a batch that was SO bad
ly burned that it became mere waste,
because its sale was impossible, might be
turned into profit by grinding it into
cracker dust Packed in prettily labeled
boxes, 1t will sell readily, said the shrewd
Yankee. And so from this suggestion
cracker dust became a household staple
Mr. Hollis stood by and watched the YAM
kee develop his suggestion to utilize the
waste. and all day long the crunching
of the stone-hard cracker would ring in
his ears. Go where he would and try as
he would at night, he says. the sound of
the crunching of the little brown cracker
followed him. Money poured in upon him
from the sale of cracker dust, and soon
improved machinery took the place of
the wooden hand roller. But not a sound
would 1t produce He had found diff
Guilty in contenting himself when away
from the music of the wooden roller at
night, but now that even this was gone
Mr.. Hollis craved that sound.
Iar I'll Al,
suggested that the party attend the opera
from the peanut gallery" and the crack
er baker Joined the party. They took
seats amid group of urchins who wero
crunching peanuts between yells. Mr.
Hollis at first started, and When his
friends inquired the cause the nervous
cracker baker explained that the noise of
the crunching of the peanuts was music
to his ears. because it reminded him of
the sound of the crunching of the little
brown crackers by the old wooden rolleN.
For several successive nights following
Mr.. Hollis was found in the peanut gall
lery' distributing peanuts to the urchns
simply that he might hear them crunch
ed His actions became noticeable and
he was obliged to abandon the peanut
gallery and take to the peanuts himself.
And this he did with a vengeance.
Made Himself Popular.
Have some peanuts?" was his query to
everyone he met, whether at the club. in
the church, on the street, at the hotel or
in the cracker bakery. At first the CLUB
members did not decline the offer b.,
cause Mr.. Hollis was exceedingly popI-
lar. the church folks took the peanuts be-
cause they liked to cat them and ac-
quafntances met on the streets and else
where took the proffered peanuts because
they were ready shelled and toothSoma
But 1t finally reached the point that to
meet Mr.. Hollis was equivalent to eatin.
pint or so of peanuts, and as a steady
diet some folks object to peanuts. White
the crunching and cracking and dull
thud were as music to the ears of Mr.
Hollis tho fncessant crunchlrg of the
peanut shell became great annoyance to
the members of the club.
Mr. Hollis was regular nightly visitor
to the club. So were his peanuts. At
each visit he found his way into the
whist room, but not since the first visit
to the peanut gallery at the opera had
he taken Il hand of cards. Instead he
would place himself behind a players
chalf and there would be a constant
crunchins and cracking of the peanut,
much TO the annoyance Of the members.
The steward would also be obliged to
keep by his side, broom in hand, to gath
er up, the shells. MI. Hollis and his pea
nut-shelling became a nuisance. AT length
the Capital City club adopted resolutions
fixing fine of % cents upon any one
VINO crunched peanuts in the club. Mr.
Hollis paid it eagerly and crunched on
The offense was then made punishable by
dismissal Mr. Hollis fell under the ban
and was dismissed from the club. Other
organizations followed suit.
Spoiled His Marriage.
Upon his social calls Mr.. Hollis was
always accompanied by his pocket of pea
nuts and while in the parlor his fingers
would nervously crunch them. His friends
would demonstrate, saying the lady OF
the house objected to the Shells on the
carpet, and he would promise not to Of
fend again, only to break his promise at
the next call. Consequently his invitations
grew fewer and fewer and not even his
bachelor friends returned his calls. In
Vitations were out for his marriage last
Christmas. but the wedding did not take
place, because Mr.. Hollis was unable
to shake off his desire for crunching pea
nut shells, which was made a condition
Every other person refusing the peanuts