The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-25
OLD BEAU HICKMAN
WHEN HE AND SAM HOUSTON
 REACHED WASHIN0TON.
Hickman Soon the Mould of Fashion and the Glass of Form-other Characters Who Fitted Across
 the Early Capital Stage.
Washington Star.

General Sam Houston of Texas and the Beau Hickman of Virginia made their first appearance in Washington city about the same time-somewhere between 1s7 and 1850. have seen them together many a time on the portico of Browns Hotel. on Pennsyl- vania Avenue. Beau discoursin, srirn- acing and gesticulating, while the old General sat listening silently under his huge sofnbrero, winch Htted his giant figure most picturesquely. Old Sam was everlastingly whittling shingles, etc. of fine wood and deftly and art fully shaping them into various sem blances of utility or fancy, which he handed around. when completed, to the children principally. or anybody who wanted them. I have since regretted omitted getting possession of one of these souvenirs of that royal old Gov srnor of Texas. What Houston's opin- ion of Beau Hickman was I cannot tell. He listened to his more or less sporty stories and received the narra- tive with the stolidity of The Last of the Mohicans." His great, big, gene-- ous heart no doubt led him to fre- Quently dispense the coin of the realm to the impecunious Beau. The latter, however. in those. his palmy days. was not so destitute as he was afterward.
 
 on Pennsylvania Avenue he was attir- cd as a Virginia Colonel from head to foot. Like Edward VII he set the fash ion. was then in my salad days and aspired to be a dandy The whole lot of us in "our set' bought and wore and bowed to ladies with talf narrow ing crown, very narrow trimmed silk hats. made by Todd-old William B. and James Y. Davis. his successor. It was quite the ticket, all the rage then. to pattern after poor old Beau flick man. All sorts of rumors were circu- lated concerning him, and one most generally accepted was that he was a degenerate scion of an ancient and no- ole family. which expatriated him, on . sufficient allowance, provided he would cut off all relations with the rest and utterly eliminate himself. Teis he did. to the hour of his death mo.t faithfully. Beau was a horsy man-a sport. I don't think he was a gambler, but perhaps he was a steerer, a stool pigeon for such. What produced the ex- hibit I cannot now call to mind, but on one occasion he suddenly fished out from one of his pockets and flashed upon my sight an enormous roll of bank bills. not one of a denomination less than $20. You see,' he said, I'm not always so hard up as you think. " and he returned them to his receptacle.
 Beau's costume when first he step- ped upon the scene was. first of all. the Hickman hat: a blue cloth. broad tailed. wide lapeled. high -collared dress coat. giittering with brass buttons, be- fore and behind; plaid pantaloons: a snowy white. ruined shirt. standing col lar, and the daintiest patent leather boots. fitting as immediately as the kid gloves upon his hands. which held a slight switch cane. He used gold eyeglass. and his walk was a combina- ton of the Grecian bend and the Ro- roar wiggle. Such was Raau at his zenith. What. became of him afterward andshappened to his remains is shock ingly remembered by all old citizens. Beau never drank-not drop. He al- ways responded to an invitation by sa--: "I never drink. I'm easy tn, (thrown) down. VII take a good siggar." And. to do. him justice, he usuaf1y coIlared two. three. five or more. Beau told this, among many things, to me as one of his exploits which amused him greatly.
 'I went through the Center Market yesterday, and the sight of so many nice things to eat sort Q made i"e 'hongry,' as they say down in Virgin yah. There was an old black mammy. fat as 8 possunh. keeping the flies oil a big pile of pies. of every size and e shape, with a brush of asparagus. didn't happen to have cent. and my appetite was enormous. I stepped up and quickly selected a fine pie. my favorite.
 'Aunty.' said I. how do you sell your pies?'
 'Marsa.' she answered. 'dev'E ten. twenty and twenty-five cents piece.
 "'What's the price of that damaged feIlow?' I asked, thrusting my finger through the pie in question. She gasp ed. she grabbed hold of the side of the stall she almost swooned away as she observed my action. She was a picture of horror ana then of wrath. At last she broke forth:
 "'You onery. low-down. poor white trash. you take it along wid you fuI nothin'. and clar out O here abore bust yer head in
 An older brother and myself used tc make many little trips all around :ht city, and often we wandered through the woods and over the hills of ArlinE- ton Heights A favorite spot to stop drink and rest was the famous Airing ton Spring. One day we met-in hi: customary attitude. smoking his hriar- wood pipe-the owner and proprietor of the historic grounds. George Wash ington Parke Custie Himself. Your old Orator" as he was in the habit of des