The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-01-06

Cbolmondelay, Baron Walter Roths-
child, Professor Esmark, OF the Uni
yersity Of Christiania; August Belmont
and DR.. Baehr, George Washington
Dunn finds himself in the ninety-hrst
year OF his life an inmate OF the aims
house of San Francisco, Cal.
On the morning OF august % last, n
telephone bell rang IN one OF the emer-
gency hospitals OF the city, and in re-
sponse TO the call the ambulance drew
up in front OF a queer residence. This
dwelling place Was an old converted
ark set up on stills, out On the sand
dunes Of North Beach, just below Fish
erman's Wharf. When the doctor and
his attendants entered this queer abode
they found q dazzling collection or
beautiful butterflies, hundreds OF
strangely winged beetles. and a great
number OF brilliant-Lued insects Of
other species. Guarding these price
less specimens was q silvery haired
old man, for the first time IN his long
life bowed down by illness. This was
George Washington Dunn and bis
home.
He was removed and finally comfort
ably established in the almshouse,
where he afterwarG told the story of
his life.
Yes, I'm old now be said, "but ]
never looked at il that way until a
fortnight ago. Why, when i was
eighty-fve years old climbed mp TO
the top Of Mount Lowe, in Southern
California, with a party of young uni
yersity students, and wasn't the last
one to reach the summit, either added
the old man, with Il smile.
Perhaps the remarkable health ! so
long enjoyed was due 20 my habits. l
never used tobacco or liquor and lived
the greater part OF the time in the open
air. Often / would start out in the
morning with q half of a loaf OF gra-
ham bread and flask Of water Other
than my net, l seldom carried more.
Il love the flowers, but insects have
always interested me most. / have
talked with and listened to many we'll
known scientists, but IL most instances
/ found that these men might better
have been called 'bookenists,' because
most of what they knew they got from
someone else. You must really live
your life with nature if you would
know her.
when | was q boy l could not let
insects alone, and my father used TO
get OUt Of patience with me. Why do
you wish 10 learn the names Of those
nasty thingsT he would say 10 me-
and the old man laughed at the recol-
lection.
But il was impossible fer me TO be-
come interested in anything else. /
got a teachers certificate when ! was
only fourteen years old, back in Wayne
County, New -VJrk, and was teaching
in Seneca County was l was fifteen.
But l could not let plants and animals
alone, and wherever / went l carried
net TO catch specimens.
II came 10 California in 1S40, and
turned up in Sonora. l never cared
for money, l always looked upon il
as an incumbrance. Ny wants were
very few, and gold did not in the slight
est attract me. In those early days in
the land of El Dorado money was
plentiful and. would you believe ii,
] made $4,000 q year for two years
and never once fOrsOok my beloved
occupation Of collecting bugs and
plants. ! did il simply by carrying n
rife along with my net In this virgin
country it was 4 simple matter to kill
deer end bear, and the MIXERS paid me
$40 apiece for the former and 81 a
pound for the meat Of the latter. In
n little cleared spot on the boTderland
Of what was then considered ciyiliza-
ton / had n cabin and paid man
S125 a month for raising a small patch
of potatoes for me. ] was making a
collection Of plants at that time which
in later years l donated TO the Califor-
MIA Academy Of Sciences. They still
possess the collection, one Of the com
pletest in the West.
Most of my work has been done in
California or the tropics ! have made
dozens of trips 10 Central and South
America, on two Of them being ac'
companied by Lord Cholmondeley, and
on one by Professor Esma:k. On many
OF these trips my sole purpose was &c
gather rare specimens of butterflies
was acting for Baron Walter Roths
child, who was anxious to add 10 his
great collection AT Tring, England. III
was kind enough TO write 10 me, telling
me that be considered me one OF the
greatest living authorities on lepi
dopter. ] shipped specimens TO hin
through his agent in New York, Au
gust Belmont The baron's collection
at that time was valued at $2JO,0o0
Since that time ! have donated e
various museums throughout the codn
try collections which | am now tolt
are worth more than So, 900.
II never did adopt the safeguardi
thought so necessary by most college
men. The snake Is not mans wors
enemy by far. The trouble is so few
people know reptiles and their habits
II one bit me because ] had uncere
moniously disturbed him. simply pu
my lips 70 the wound and withdrew th'
poison. Several times l have don,
this and / have never experienced AM
evil effects from the stings.
"As FOR guides, generally foun'
them useless. They generally left M
when I got In a tight place. But e
their desertlons in two instances / owe
my life. might add also that m!
insect net played an important part II
these adventures. IL sounds ratbe
.sra~oo o. of rafrlfucs war