Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-07-05


N ed. With the exception OF
the slight stoop already noted
and the rapidly thinning snow white
hair, his step was as light and elastic
and his brain as vigorous and alert as
In a man of forty. OF old English
stock, his physical makeup presented
all those strongly marked character
istics of our race which sprung from
Anglo-Saxon ancestry, but modified by
nearly 800 years of different climate
and customs has gradually produced
the distinct and true American type.
as easily recognizable among the fam
lily Of nations as any other of the
earth's children.
Tall aAd distinguished looking. Ryder
would have attracted attention any
where. Men who have accomplished
much in life usually bear pla inly upon
their persons the indefinable stamp of
achievement, whether Of good or evfl,
which renders them conspicuous
among their fellows. We turn after
man In the street and ask, Who Is he?
And nine times out of ten the object of
orr curiosity Is man who has made
his mark--a successful soldier, ia
nous sailor, celebrated author, a dis
tinguished lawyer, or even a notorious
crook.
There was certainly nothing in John
Ryder's outward appearance to justify
Lombroso's sensational description of
him; "a social and physiological freak,
3 degenerate and prodigy of turpi-
| tude who, In the pursuit of money,
brushes with the insensibility of a
steel machine every one who stands
In his way" On the contrary, Ryder,
ourwardly at least, was progresses
Ing looking man. His head was well
shaped, and he had an intellectual
brow, while power was expressed in
every gesture of his hands and body.
Every iuch of him suggested strength
and resodrcefulness His face. when
In good humor, frequently expanded
In a pleasant sn8fle, and he had even
been known to faugh boisterously,
usually at his own stories, which he
rightly considered very dfoH, and of
which he possessed goodiy stock.
But in repose his face grew stern ana
forbidding. and when his prognathous
Jaw. Indicative of Will power and bull
dog tenacity. snapped to with click
like sound, those who heard 1t knew
that squaks were coming.
But 1t was John Ryder's eyes that
were regarded as the most Feiiable
barometer of his mental condition.
Wonderful eyes they were, strangely
eloquent and expressive, and their most
singular feature was that they pos
sessed the uncanny power Of changing
color like a cats. When their owner
was at peace with the world, and had
temporarily shaken of the cares of
besiness, h@s eyes were of the most
restful. beautiful blue, like the sky
after sunrise on spring morning, and
looking into their serene depths 1t
seemeH absurd to think tAat this man
could ever harm fiy. His face. while
under the spell 4 this kindly mood,
was SO benevolent and gentle, so frank
and honest that you felt there was
nothing In the world-purse, honor,
wife, child-that. II needs be, you
would not intrust to his keeping.
When the period Of truce was ended,
when the plutocrat was once more alb
sorbed In controlling the political as
we'll as the commercial machinery of
the nation. then his eyes took on
snakish, greenish hue, and one could
plainly read In them the cunning, the
avariciousness, the meanness, the In
satiable thirst for gain that had made
this man the most INSCRIPTIONS mon
ey getter of his time, but his eyes had
still another color, and when this last
transformation took place those de-
pendent upon him and even his friends
quaked with fear, for they were his
eyes of anger. On these dreaded occa-
slons his eyes grew black as darkest
night and flashed fire as lightning
rends the thundercloud. Almost ungov-
ernable fury was indeed the weakest
spot In John Ryder's armor. for In
these moments OF appalling wrath he
rls.a.rr - 4.