Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-09-03
TEAL ENTERTAINs wANDERER.
Former Dallasite Hurls Coin at Judge
as Pet Lecture is Delivered.

"A ragged ana uncleanlV uefllect
shuffled into the city on Monday from
the direction of Yamhill county with
the dust of many miles of wandering
clinging to his unkempt person. If
the dust could have been analyzed it
would probably have been found, as the
owner said, to have came from many
roads and many climes; from eastern,
western and central Oregon. He puff
ed right heartily at an ancient and
unpwitanic corn cob, and enjoyed a
perfectly good rib-steak at county ex
pense Meanwhile he told his story.
The old fellow is homeless and prac-
tically friendless traveller. He goes
anywhere that he can sponge little
food, taking from the people to whom
he has never given. He was never
married, he said, and Judge Teal i'm
mediately got down his favorite lee
ture for such fellows. Going through
life in selfshness; giving to society
nothing, and taking from it the best
that is in it, does not appeal to Judge
Teal, and he tells the fellows who
wind up at life's last gate in poverty
and uselessness, just what the matter
is. In this case the judge had given
the charge so cents to pay for din
ner that cost 25 cents. When the
ancient one heard the judges pet lee
ture he had already eaten the meal
and was as carefree and independent
as the birds that soar in the air. He
almost threw the change at the judge,
saying that he. didn't need money
from anyone who would talk like
that. But the judge kept going un-
til the audience was ready to put its
tail between its legs and sleuch off
into the corner Judge Teal refused
to send the man, who was only 81,
and apparently in very good physical
condition, to the Polk county farm.
He bought ticket and put the old
boy on the train for Corvallis last
evening. He is supposed to have
friends there, but the judge has an
idea that the friends are of the same
kind that most old codgers have who
don't take the trouble in early life
to figure on the best friends of old
age-a family.
Judge Teal elected the life story of
the wanderer, but it is a story not
unlike the rest. 1t is sad in spots, re-
veals the eternal conceit of mortal
man in others, and the selfshness Of
single life sticks out all over it. Rube
Whitlow is the ancient ones name.
He was of Dallas until the road to
became his home. In 1864,
according to his own narrative, he
was a pretty fair student at Dallas
college, which was turning out many
men about that time. But
Rube Whitlow didn't find college to
his selfish liking, and he started out
for himself. The poor old customer
almost completed his sorrowful trav-
els yesterday when he requested
berth with others of his ilk at the
Polk county poor farm. Polk county
was no more his friend than many in
1ividuals, so he is perhaps now look
ing for those who might retain a
spark of interest in his
welfare at Corvallis. He will never
regain his youth; he will never have
another chance to follow life's more
highway, but if such a mir
,cle could come to man Rube Whit
ow is one who would very likely heed
Judge Teal's advice to steer into a
ife of social usefulness and unselfish
love of fellow man IF he could moor
louse doors would not yawn for him
1t the end of his journey as they now
10.