The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-12
OSTRACISED BY PEANUTS.
Queer Propensity OF a New Jersey
Baker.

Trenton Special in Philadelphia Record.
An uncomfortable, ever-present passion
for Smelling peanuts has robbed Edwin Le-
vine Hollis of bride. drove him from sew
eral swell clubs and ostracised him from
society. He is only permitted to enter the
theaters conditionally, is invited to leave
the trolley cars, is told that he is not again
wanted at a church, and is ordered out
of the Salvation Army barracks. At sew
eral places of amusement he is fatty re-
fused admission under any circumstances,
and the park guards have orders to keep
him away from the monkey cages at the
zoo. and his queer penchant is compelling
him to close his cracker factory. But the
urchins love him for his peanuts, ready
shelled,' and the newsboys follow him for
squares when they see the left-hand pocket
Of his overcoat bullying out. for they know
that peanut feast is in store for them.
What makes his friends marvel still the
more at his strange passion is the fact that
Mr.. Hollis declares that he has never eat
en- a peanut in his life and could not tell
admits that he has tried innumerable
schemes and contrivances suggested by his
friends in vain endeavor to find a less
able passion. But he loves the music pro-
duced by the crunching, cracking and the
dull thud of the peanut shell between his
thumb and fingers, and confesses that he
can IND nothing to take its place. Mr..
Hollis estimates that he shells and gives
away full peck Of peanuts every day Of
Mr.. Hollis Il forty-two years of age and
possesses considerable wealth. Consequently
he is not, In a measure, disturbed by the
Id
passion Stranger than the passion is the
strange manner of acquiring 1t. Some years
ago Mr.. Hollis conducted a cracker bakery
little hard, brown crackers so frequently
found ON the table Of the first-class oyster
houses and cafes. A. Yankee economist from
gested that the crackers of the batch that
was so badly burned that it became mere
waste because its sale was impossible. might
cracker dust. Packed in pretniy labeled e,eS
boxes, it will sell readily, said the shrewd
YANKEE. And 50 from this suggestion
Hollis stood by and watched the Yankee de-
velop 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.
of cracker dust, and soon improved ma
chinery took the place of the wooden hand
T TO- r. BUT not 2 sound would it produce.
self when away from the music of the wood
en- roller at night, but now that even this
was gone Mr.. Hollis crayed the sound
sn As ARK someone at the club: one night
from the peanut gallery" and the cracker
baker joined the party. They took seats
amid group of urchins who were crunch
ing peanuts between yells. Mr.. Hollis at
first started, and when his friend ino1Iired
tne cause, the nervous cracker baker ex-
the peanuts was music to his ears because
II reminded him of the sound of the crunch
ing or the little brown cracker by the old
following Mr.. Hollis was found in the pea
nut gallery" and distributing peanuts to the
c creHlnS Smf I'M that he might hear them
he. was obliged to abandon the peanut
gallery and take to the peanuts himself
ana TINS he did with a vengeance.
Have some peanuts" was his query to
every one he met, whether at the club. in
the church. on the street, at the hotel or in
the cracker bakery. At first the club mem
Hollis was exceedingly popular the church
iolks look the peanuts because they liked
to eat them and the friends and acquain-
TOOK the. proffered peanuts because they
Were ready sneiied and and toothsome. But
II hnaliy reached the point that to meet
MT Hollis was equivalent to eating a pint
or SO or peanuts, and as steady diet some
folks object to peanuts. While the crunch
ing ana cracking and dull thud was as mu-
sic to the ears of Mr.. Hollis, the incessant
crunchfng OF the peanut shell became a
great annoyance 10 the members of the
club. Mr.. Hollis was regular nightly WIS.,
itor at the club. SO We're his peanuts At
each visit he found his way :nto the whist
room, but not since the first visit to the
peanut gallery at the opera had he taken a
hand at cards. Instead he would place him
self behind the players chair and there
would be constant crunching 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 gather the shells. Mr.. Hollis and his
peanut-shellins became a nuisance AT
length the Capital City Club adopted resp
buttons liking fine of twenty-five cents
upon anyone who crunched peanuts in the
club. Mr.. Hollis paid II eagerly and crunched
On. The onense was then made punisha bic
by dismissal. Mr.. Hollis fell under the han
and was dismissed by the club Other or
CARNATIONS followed suit
Upon his social calls Mr.. Hollis was al
ways accompanied by his pocket of peanuts
ana while In the parlor his fingers would
nervously crunch them. His friends would
demonstrate, saying the lady OF the house
objected 10 the shells on the carpet and he
would promise not TO offend again only TO
quently his invitations grew fewer and few
er, and not even his bachelor friends re-
turned his calls Invitations were out for
his marriage last Christmas. but the we'd
ding did not take place because Mr. Hollis
was unable 10 shake off his desire for
crunching peanut shells. which was made a
condition.
Every other person refusing the peanuts
he would shell In the course OF the day, Mr.
I0I1t tnl er.t L.. H.. AZ