The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-17
INCIDENTS
AzaOBsERvATIoNs.
BY II. l.. GRAY.

BY II. l.. GRAY.
Almost every pubic Office mas its
archaeologist, either in the person OF
the head of the department or some
clerk of inquring mind. The drift
wood which they pull in from the
Hood of routine work is sometimes
humorous, sometimes pathetic, almost
always interesting. Be it said to the
credit of these gentlemen that the
mistakes which arise from a lack of
opportunity on the part of the humble
are never paraded in the public print;
but when there comes a note of Grass
Ignorance from people who, as we
say now in North Carolina. are "high-
er up" the obligation to suppress
names no longer exists.
Here Is some old correspondence
fished UP the other day. the first let
ter of which. mailed in 1892 to Judge
Castor, Esq, Rawley, N. Co. was as
follows:
I'm order to illustrate an article
about to be published in the Cosmo-
politan Magazine upon the Convent
of the Visitation at Georgetown, Wash
ington, we desire to be permitted to
use a portrait of your daughter. Any
original which you may forward will
be carefully preserved and returned
~ YOU, ana the FAVOR conferred Will De
highly appreciated.
VERY truly yours.
''T. H. SEAY,
''Art Editor.
June 9. 1892.
s'Judge CASTOR, Rawley, N. c.
The reply Of the official to whose
hands this communication came was
almost brutally enlightening:
Dear Sir he wrote. your letter
IF ho OrI 70 It'd trn nCfn 1,nc
received at this office and opened by
me. l would forward it to him if /
knew his address. He has not re-
sided here that / know of. since his
death in 1874. Probably his daugh-
ter, whose portrait you desire to use,
or some of her relatives are alive. This
/ could ascertain and will do SO if you
desire it,
Such, then. is fame. Judge Gas
ton, who wrote from the Supreme
Bench of the State some of the most
able legal opinions that this country
has ever known, doubtless thought
that his work would mean something
more than the hollow echo of name,
at least in supposedly intellectual cir
cleS So we of North Carolina have
also thought. But, except as some case
lawyer strikes an occasional opinion in
his old reports or digests, how many,
even in the South, know aught more
of a man whose head lowered high
above the throng of an age which
was prolific of a large and brainy
breed?
When the Associated Charities"
took charge of the work of caring for
the destitute in Raleigh and the edict
went forth which has practically clear
ed the streets of public beggarS, there
was one INDECENT who was accepted
by all sides to the reform as the prop
er exception to illustrate the rule.
He so distinguished was blind AL
fred, who used to operate at the post
office corner until he fell heir to the
seat of the lamented Morning Gem
men" at the south gate of Capitol
Square.
Morning Gemmen''-old and rheu-
matte, clothed in characterization rags.
his feet bound about with strips of
cotton alphabetically chirped his
way into the affections of a whole
people by the fascinating quality of an
honest and light-hearted rascality.
There was nothing of the hypocrit
about "Gemmen." He was at his
post for certain hours rain or shine
working for his living. He took his
profession seriously and with proper
pride. He did not scorn the pennies,
but he never asked for a smaller
sah!' AT stated and regular intervals
he would pick UP his stick, adjust
his rags and stroll down town to ask
for little sugar an watah.' in just
the proper ante-bellum style. morn
ing Gemmen' was "gemmen" him.
self; and. when he died, it was long
before the people became used to the
lack of his bright eyes twinkling
from the wrinkled folds of his black
skin, his blood-red smiling lips and
the cheerful impudence of his solicit
tationS.
Alfred, the heir. reaps no such har-
vest as did Gemmen the Great. He
is too hopelessly worthy-his misfor-
tune is too glaringly evident. No one
likes the sight of suffering-and AL
freds face is a study in the stolid
melancholy of the blind. Whereas we
used to watch for Gemmen to hold us
UP, we are inclined to tread softly
with head averted that Alfred's ears
may not detect our passage. That
they always do adds not to the way
farer's comfort and when one gives it
is aims to conscience rather than to
Alfred-a base concession to the in
dictment of those terrible dead white
eyes.
But the other day Alfred made a
raise. l saw the man as he came
limping out of the capitol, as he stop
ped in front of the Washington statue
and, fumbling in his pocket, brought
out black purse with a nickle clasp
in which he hunted with an industry
which told the story of it's meagre
contents. The man was old and there
was a high hump in his back between
the bent and narrow shoulders, both
legs were twisted SO that the. knees
knocked together and he leaned heav-
lily over cane. AS he passed, saw
that his face was pinched and drawn
with the peculiar marks of pain. This
man did not avoid Alfred. He made
straight for him. The quick ears of
the> beggar caught the sound of the
shuffiing limp and he failed to make
his customary appeal. The stranger
approached, dropped a coin in the tin
cup and fastened away, his sense of
guilt evident in the quick tapping of
his cane on the pavement.
Alfred made no sound of acknowl-
edgment. 1t was evident that he was
daZed. AS l approached, he was still
holding the coin in his hand, while
his inexpensive face had in it a look
of blank and worried wonder. The
ell II