The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-11-21

BEAU BRUMMEL, OF VIRGINIA

BEAU BRyMMEL, OF VIRGINIA
Senator. orator Social Lion Tramp Beg
gar But Always Prince I'm Manners.
The New York Sun gives the fol
lowing ketch Of = NrgInlan
Over on the Virginia SIDE of the
Potomac. not many miles from
Washington. Is a WORKOUT farm on
which lived for many years a man,
who, IN some respects, recalled Beau
Bummel The Virginia guide who
pointed out the place to n sun re
porter, said after the old farm wss
passed
" He wss known as ". Broadus
Thompson. He was man you would
never forget. Ii he passed you, you
would turn aud look at him, and If
YOU didn't know who he WAS you
would ask. He was lawyer, and !
have beard people say he was as great
an orator ss Senator Daniel He
WAS elected to the State Senate two
or three times. aud then be Was iu the
milltia, and got to be colonel He
was from an old family. He msrrled
beautiful Virginia woman, who
became the mother Of two boys and
girl They were all born IN Nir'
ginia. Col Thompson got the West
eru fever and went TO Missouri. H.
settled in ST. Joseph and began the
practice of his profession. He be-
came the Ion OF the bar. lie WAS the
Fourth of July orator, and ihe speak.
er on all big occasions. When the
Hannibal aud st. Joseph Railroad
celebrated its- completion, Col.
Thompson WAS the orator Of the day
Old Joe R)bidoux, the founder OF the
town. WAS living at inst time. y
platform was built out in the Mis-
sourl river, and the people gathered
Oh the shore to witness the emptying
Of water from the Great Lakes and
the Atlantic in'o the Missouri.
Enough OF the water WAS saved for
baptis NAL purposes, aud Col Ihomp'
son in the presence OF the pOpulsce,
poured 1t on Robidoux's head, and
then the colonel delivered his oration.
" lis family were great social
favorlues. His home was the resort
of young aud old The mother and
daughter we're conspicuous in church
circles, and the boys were regarded
as the brightest in the town. To be
in with the Thompsons meant that
you we're all right socially. At the
tournaments the daughter was always
queen.
Quicker than can tell you there
was a separation. Mrs. Thompson
and her family remained in the home.
be colonel stayed in the town, but
lived elsewhere. He came down like
a stick. He lost his practice. He
became gouty, aud fnslly he reached
the common level Of tramp in
appearance. Ragged as he WAS,
bloated IN the face, unshaved, and
with hair uncut. be continued to
walk about the town whore he had
been shining light. But ne was
always suave No one ever heard
him speak profsnely, nor Was be ever
heard to utter disgraceful word
about women He got to that level
where be stopped people and begged
them for the price Of a dram But
his request was courteous, and no
matter whether be got it or not be
never failed to give the military
salute. One OF the sons graduated
from the university Of this State.
Both went into the Confederate
army. | know one is dead, and ]
think the other is, aud am sure the
mother and daughter are. There
was no divorce. The secret Of the
separation remained in the family.
II it was ever told never heard Of
it, and | have tried to fud out.
"The colonel, he was always called
that, went to Colorado during the
Pixies Peak fever. Somebody paid
his way out. He made the journey
in wagon hauled by oxen. After
be got there he was still beggar,
princely in his manner, and always
tramp.
"Once he met an old acquaintance
in the street and invited him with so
much courtesy to become his guest
that the quondsm acquaintance,
Notwithstanding the appearance OF
the man, and his history, accepted
The colonel led the way to den IN
which an Indian would not have
lived. The pallet was on the floor.
1t consisted of shavings. But IN one
corner was an old trunk, and over 1t
hung broken mirror. When the
guest was shown in the colonel open.
ed the trunk, took out bottle, held
it up, and said in gracious apology:
'Ah, some rascal has been at my
decanter. How unfortunate. Just
lend me half until get it filed,
and then We'll drink to Auld Lang
Syne.
"The man who told the story said
he could not refuse. because the man
was still the em bodiment, in manner,
of ststeiness. He did not wait for
the colonel to return. Soon after the
old man was found dead in his bed
of shsvipgs He was d brother to
Gen. NJ. jeff Thompson, of Conted
crate fame, once mayor of st Joseph,
who issued famous proclamation
for recruits while be was in the
swamps of Missouri. y
Miss Myrtle Fraser. formerly OF Gi.
rard. Kan bat now Of Honolulu writes