The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-30
TOWN CRIER's BIRTHDAY
Nantucket's Character Who Keeps Up
Ancient Custom.

William ID. Clark, IOWn Crler, Nan
tucket, Mass. Birthday Anniversary,
/ November =, 1902 -
This mod 1t announcement will be read
with int st by native Manufactures
who have eft their native heath and by
thousands If summer residents. It viii
call to m I'D many pictures Of Nantucket
life. in Y hich BILLY" will be a central
figure. But If the words town crier''
had been omitted It Is doubtful if many
would 1--we recognized the gentleman
under his voting name.
Nantucket is a place of laws and Gus
toms unto itself There is no other like
it. It's habits and customs are as un-
changaDle as those Of the Modes and
Persians Among its cherished institu-
lions IS that of the town crier. Probobly
it is the only one town in the state
which kept such an officer. His duties
are varied.
He RINGS the old Spanish bell in the
South Church tower TO rouse the lazy
ard set the business Of the town in mo-
tion at seven O'Clock i'm the morning at
noon to ten them it is dinner time and
the curfew at nine o'clock Ia the ev'-aing
80 tell them that it is time to selh re-
pose. He also ushers in the se1ai-sn-
nUal sithngs of the Superior Court by
ringing this bell. In fact, without its
crier and bell the business Of Nantucket
would be in danger of coming to a stand
still.
And Nantucket without Billy Clark
would not be Nantucket: one IN zht as
well play Hamlet without tn hero.
For over forty years in sunshine and
storm. fair weather and foul. armed with
Trumpet or bell. ho has been the as.1iliar
figure in the street. OF late Yeas he
has had an associate in the office who
rings the church bell, bat when the town
crier is spoken of the mi7d naturally
brings up Mr.. Clark as the person meant
Some years since several public-apiritod
citizens presented him with tin trumpet
many times the ordinary size which he
used with a nice distinction in connec-
iion with his bell It is easy to determine
whether it is the announcement Of a
meat auction. another Nantucket insti-
tuition. or the dance something lost or
found. or The daily news. which he is
proclaiminr. by noting which instrument
re is performing on. If he is swinging
his bell and proclaiming in stentorian
tones. it is some local happening. but If
the trumpet is doing duty it's for some
thing "o1 island"
1t is his daily custom in the fall and
winter to climb to the lookout in the
church tower 10 watch for the corning
boat. and when she heaves in sight 10
proclaim the act by long and repeated
blasts from his horn to the four quarters
Of the island. After che IS I'm the loot
of his horn proclaims his coming with
the island papers
Some Iocal poet long ago embalmed
Bnly and his trumpet ia the FLOWING
rhyme:
Hank, Hark, IT'S Billy Clark!
Hes footing from the tower.
He sees the boat
She is afoat.
She vii be in I'm an hour.
Some say he was horn in the early
fcr-es while others declare that il WAS
many years before that time 1t Is
known that at the time Of tie c.vil war
burning with a desire to serve his
country. he enlisted and went into camp
al Rc3dvnle. but. failing to pass the
c1amInins surgeons. he came home ana
has never expressed any further desire
to wander away from his own fTeside
Space is too limited 20 recount even a
2art of the sayings and doings CT this
celebrated town crier, known far and
wide wherever the rowing Manchester
has found an abiding place from the
forests of Maine 20 the junsles Of India.
Whatever the number 81 his years. he is
only that number young His vigorous
frame ana black hair seem TO have turn
ed back the years and al united yester-
day in wishing him many happy returns
Elnst,r, In.,-,al