Evening star., 1907-08-03
BIG AS A TAW MARBLE

Blu Az A law MARBLE
Mike Scanlon-not the Nestor of Wash
ington base ball fans. but the hotel clerk
and raconteur-was telling a bit of a story
the other evening to illustrate that favor
lite topic among driftcrs, viz, the tininess
OF the world. Scanlon, who has been every
thing except a barber and a policeman. was
once, as a sort of side issue to his other
and multifarious activities. a real sure
enough, honest-Injun actor person. Among
the shows that he made many seasons with
was Charlie Hoyts "A Contented Wom-
an"
I'VE gave the show twice running down
in Hampton, Va said Mr.. Scanlon, "and
that's where the thing happened that went
to show that the earth is after all, only
about as big as taw marble or a marrow
fat pea. great crowd OF the old SOL
diers living at the Hampton Soldiers Home
attended the performance. At the wind-up
of the show Matt Snyder, the manager Of
the outht, and l went over to the old SOL
diers canteen-had to go there, because
there was local option arrangement or
something on down around there at that
t1me and so We had to go there or perish
from the face Of the earth before morning.
Matt Snyder our manager, was q middle
aged man at that time. and, though he's
and extremely we'll known In the show busi-
ness.
We got seat at little table away
back in corner Of the canteen, and were
with curiously kindly face and a pair of
quick. twinkling eyes passed by where we
were sitting. He had long gray beard
and was sort of bent and huddled together
out or shape. and was rigged out in the
loose old service clothes that the good old
boys at the home wear around. But.
through the disguise of the beard and all
and through the mist of the long flown
years. too. Snyder recognized the old chap.
Party, said Snyder to the old boy as
he passed by, come on and sit in and tell
us all about 1t. What'n you have? All
the beer on earth? Sit down alongside and
be socia ble'
The old boy took a chair and Matt be-
gan to pump old war stuff out of him as
tine glass hagons Of the malt stuff came
around In rapid succession. The old chap
recognized us as a couple Of the troopers
Matt played one of the parts himself-in the
show he'd seen that evening. but he had
never the dream on earth that Of the
troopers had known him away back in the
gone time.
'The old boy had been in both the army
and navy during the civil war. and, while
in the navy, had participated in the engage
ment between the Monitor and the Merri-
mac down in Hampton roads. Snyder led
him around to talk about that famous
naval engagement. and the old chap gave
affair than any ever heard or read of any
where. Finally. Snyder gave me kick on
the leg under the table, and then he asked.
as if looking for information. the old chap
to name over q few of the enlisted men
who served on board the Monitor at the
time of the fight with the Merrimac. Per-
haps a bit miffed over what he thought
might have been doubt on our part that
he really had been on board the Monitor,
the old soldier-sailor began to rattle off a
lot Of the names of the crew for'ard. And
as he ratified them off the light of reminis-
cence grew in Snyders eyes. and he kept
up a Veritable rataplan OF kicks on my leg
under the table.
Weren't there some others?' Snyder
would say when the old boy would pause
for breathing spell, and. after he had
kept the pump at 1t for some time. the old
man said:
eyes, I am overlooking one of the old
Monitor crew-queer that should have for
gotten him. too. for he was the greatest
daredevil that ever lived in the world.
Most reckless hound that ever drew the
breath of life. That fellow has probably
been hung by this time. though. He was
born desperate and wouldn't stop at any
the James gang after the war. or some
thing like that. He was built for just the
kind of work the James gang pulled off.
His name was Matt Snyder
AT your service to command said sny-
der then, not with any theatrical flourish.
but with such a back-harking sincerity that
the tears stood glistening in his eyes. and
in something less than fifteen seconds the
old boy had recneniZed him. and the two
old ex-fat-feet of the war navy were doing
the best they knew how to shake each
others arms from their shoulders.
IT grieve to say that Matt promptly pro-
ceeded to get his oil shipmate so hopeless
ly soused that the old boy was pinched on
his way into the home that night-or tha t
morning rather-and put in the clnk.
Matt heard about it when he got up and
he went to the governor of the home and
interceded for his old navy pal In return
for this very natural bit of kindness. when
Mike made his entrance-he played the bum
politician-that night, he found that the
whole three front rows of his old ship
mates friends were there with greeting
for him. AS soon as Mike stepped on the
stage those whole three front rows OF an
cient swaddes and f1at-deet were on their
feet as If at l word of command. and their
hands went to their foreheads. and, all
together and with the old-time sweep they
staked Matt to the big number four sa-
lutte of the passed time, and then howled
him three cheers and a tiger.