The Tomahawk., 1916-12-28

from d Rather lGuSluy SoJouih LA IAS
Buckeye state, where Hoosier is
scrutinized as critically as splinter
In the thumb of a near-sghted man, l
mentally resolved that just as soon as
the lazy engine dragging me toward
home had poked it's smutty nose into
the selvage of my native state, l
would disembark, lift my voice and
shout for joy for being safely deliv-
cred out of land of perpetual strang-
ers.
This opportunity was afforded me at
Union City-a fussy old-hen-of-a-town,
forever clucking over it's little brood
of railroads, as though worried to see
them running over the line, and brist-
ling with the Importance of it's charge.
The place is not an attractive one,
as one steps from the train in the early
dusk Of December evening; In fact,
the immediate view of the town is al
most entirely concealed by a big
square-faced hotel, standing, as it
were, on the very platform, as though
Its runners were behind time, and it
had come down to solicit it's own GUS
tom. A walk of sixty steps, however,
gave me sweeping view of the main
business street Of the city; and here
1t was, by one of those rare freaks of
circumstance, that suddenly found
myself standing face to face with an
old friend. SMITH" said I. "COr-
eect!" said he, and all lacking to COM
plete, the tableau was the red light.
And now, as my story has more to d"
with a more remarkable man than
either Smith or myself, I shall hasten
to that nOtable-Only introducing hum
bier personages as necessity demands.
That night was Dragging. buster
Ing, bullying sort Of night. The wind
was mad-starll staring mad; running
over and around the town, bowling and
whOoping like a maniac. 1t whirled
and whizzed, and wheeled about and
whiZzed again. 1t peted the pedestri-
ans face with dust that stung like
sleet. It wrenched at the signs, and
rattled the doors and windows till the
tights inside Shivered as with af-
Fright. The unfurled awnings fluttered
and tapped over the deserted streets
like monstrous bats or birds of prey;
and, gritting their iron teeth the shut
ters lunged and snapped at their fas-
Jennings convulsively. Such night
rs we like to hide away from, and with
good cigar, a good friend and good
fire, talk of soothing things and dream.
My friend and I were not so isolated,
however. upon this occasion; for the
suddenness of the storm had driven
MS, for shelter, into Bowers Empori-
um;" and, seated in the rear of the
spacious and brightly illuminated store,
we might almost dream we "dwelt in
marble halls" were it not for the rath-
er profuse display Of merchandise and
voluminous complement of show
cards, reading Bargains in Over
coats" "Best and Cheapest Under
wear" "Buy Bowers BOots!" etc.
The clerks were all idle, and employ
ing their leisure in listening to a fine
art" conversation, casually introduced
by my friends remarking the extraor-
binary development Of the bust and
limbs of danseuse on a paper collar
box; and after deploring the prostitu-
ton to which real talent was subject
ed, and satirizing the general degen-
eracy of modern art, he had drifted
back to the rare old days of Hans Hol-
bein, Albert Durer, and that guild. And
while dwelling enthusiastically upon
the genius of Angelo, I became aware
that among the listeners was re-
markable man. 1t was not his figure
that impressed me, for that was of the
ordinary mold. and rather shabbily at
tired in n tattered and ill-fitting coat
of blue, sadly faded and buttonless a
short-waisted vest Of no particular pat
tern, fastened together by means of n
loosened loop of binding pulled
through buttonhole, and held to It's
place by a stumpy leadpencil with a
preponderance of rubber at the end !;
the pantaloons very baggy and fraying
at the bottoms, as though in excessive
sympathy with a pair Of coarse, I'M
calmly army shoes that wore the ap-
pearance of having been through Sher-
mans march to the sea.
Not remarkable, I say, in these par
ticulars, for since "tramping" has ar
rived ut the dignity of profession,
such characteristics are by no means
uncommon; but when taken in con-
junction with a head and face that
would have served as model for either
Abraham, Isaac or Jacob, in patriarch
al cast of feature and flow of beard, it
is no wonder that my fancy saw in the
figure before me a remarkable man.
He stood uncovered, and in an eager
listening attitude, as though drinking
every syllable to the very dregs. His
eyes were large and lustrous, and
with that dreamy, far-off look peculiar
to that quality of mind that sees what
is described, even though buried in
Pompeian ruins, or under the pyra-
mids of Egypt.
thought read his character Alright
in fancying, "Here is man Of more
than ordinary culture and refinement"