The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-09

soul together. don't have care of any
kind, and may live long time yet, Pleas
ant days l wander around the business
part of the city and sit around this little
park, which have known a great many
years. in Battery park. which has
changed a good deal since first knew 1t.
1 have heard all about the improvements
that have been made above Fourteenth
street, and perhaps some day will go
up that way to see them"
With no suspicion apparently that he
was one of the oldest bits of humanity
to be found in the great metropolis, the
quaint relic dwelt with pleasing detail on
his monotonous life, and, concluding, de-
clined a proffered quarter.
Ministerial outcast.
With timidty hardly in keeping with
his forlorn appearance an understood
man, with worn clothing and an unkempt
white beard, hesitated for some time be-
fore he would talk frankly, and then he
insisted on keeping his name and address
secret. He was a minister's son who
eloped at the age of 49, succeeded his
father IN his pulpit, became involved in
scandals with members of his congrega-
ton, and finally, in disgrace had to flee
from his native town, which was in Mas
sachusetts.
You cannot exactly say that I am
tramp said he, prinklng himself in
feminine way. II don't amount to
great DEAL 1 must admit. but l have
never stolen and never drink. 1 was rated
good preacher and was not quite so
bad as I was held up to be, although l was
by no means a model clergyman. | went
to a number of places after my unpleasant
experience, but was always discovered
in the course of year or two and had
to get out again. At last l grew tired of
looking suspiciously at every person L
met and living in constant fear that
would be found out and l came to New
York. No matter how we'll you may be
known elsewhere you can live a thousand
years in New York and never see soil
tary soul you know and never have a
single worry. l live in quite way. I told
my story to a we'll known man who Is in
terested In church work, and every week
I get s. from his office. That is enough
for me. I lodge in ten cent place and
spend every day either here, in Madison
Square park or In one of the libraries.
| meet and talk with a great many per-
sons who. like myself, came to New York
to hide their personalities, and out of it
all we get some enjoyment. Yes, have
two children, and / might run across them
some day"
Beside this strange character lay much
thumbed copy of Racine. and from his
coat pocket there bulged huge crust of
bread.
More sodden in appearance than any
of the other vagabonds, dishevelled man
of no more than forty years resented the
intrusion upon his secrecy, but at the
sight of a glittering coin changed his
manner and talked confidingly.
Whisky His Ruin.
Whisky, whisky. whisky-leave it
alone" he exclaimed. with a despairing
urox Of hiu ost xx1,a,
me. For six years I've been going to
quit. but when the time came I had to
give in. If l could only feel that 1 was
myself / used to be 1t would be easy,
but that feeling is gone for good. guess.
See that bridge? (pointing to the Brook
lyn BRIDGE. Cross that. take car and
in fifteen minutes you'll be at the home
of Mr. so-and-so, my father. He thinks
I'm In Chicago, chief clerk in a hotel. I'm
supposed to have been there about four
months, but pretty soon I'll have to
move because he'll go out to see me. I
was newspaper man in New York for
four or five years and then went to work
as advertising man for big real estate
concerning Brooklyn. | made a good deal
of money, but worked hard. worried, and
then one time. to brace up. took few
drinks of whisky. You can see the rest of
the story. Last night l slept in the park
here Tonight I'll probably do the same
thing.
Dressed with show of neatness and
having a face like one Washington Irving
misunderstanding like an apple that dried
with the bloom on it-an elderly man,
who sat between a vagrant of the lowest
type and woman whose dissolute life
was wildly told by her appearance. ex-
pressed interest in the inquiry being
made. He said he liver far uptown, with
married daughter; that he ~ nothing
h,,f ri q hon .naa Cify. anld that of ALL
lounging places be likes most to lolter in