The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-01-13
Remarkable:
@ Man g
By JamesWhtq:Qmlb:?. Riley

AVnA q AdlAcI lcuStHy SOJOuru III CQs
Buckeye state, where q Hoosier /:
scrutiniZed as critically as q splinter
In the thumb of a near-sighted man,
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, ]
would disembark, lift my voice and
shout for joy for being safely deliv-
cred out Of land of perpetual strang-
era
This opportunity was afforded me at
Union City-a fussy old-hen-of-a-town.
forever clucking over its little brood
OF railroads, as though worried to see
them running over the line, and brist-
ling with the Importance of its 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 il
were, on the very platform, as though
It's runners" were behind time, and 1t
mad 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-
rect" said he, and all lacking to COM
spiete the tableau was the red light.
And now, as my story has more to do
with more remarkable man than
either Smith or myself, shall hasten
to that notable-only introducing hum
Dier personages as necessity demands.
mat night was Dragging, buster
Ing, bullying sort of night The wind
was mad-stark, staring mad; running
over and around the town, bowling and
Wn0oping like maniac. 1t whirled
ana whizzed, and wheeled about and
Wnizzed again. 1t pelted the pedestri-
ans face with dust that stung like
sieet. 1t wrenched at the signs. and |
ratified the doors and windows till the
lights inside shivered as with af-
fright. The unfurled awnings fluttered
and Mapped over the deserted streets
IKE mOnstrous bats or birds of prev.
and, gritting their iron teeth, the shut
tiers lunged and snapped at their fas-
Jennings convulsively. Such a night
rs we like to hide away from, and with
good cigar, good friend and a good
lre, talk OF soothing things and dream.
Wy friend and were not SO isolated.
however, upon this occasion; for the
'uddenness Of the storm had driven
Is for shelter, into Bowers Empori-
Inn )" and, seated in the rear Of the
pacious and brightly Illuminated store.
We might almost dream we "dwelt In :
marble halls" were 1t not for the rath-
n profuse display Of merchandise and
voiuminous complement Of show
ards. reading Bargains In Over
oats" BEST and Cheapest Under
rear BUY Bowers Boots I" etc.
The clerks were all idle, and employ
ng their leisure in listening to ssfine- !
TT conversation, casually introduced :
y my friends remarkfng the extraor-
mary development of the bust and
mbs Of o danseuse on paper collar
or; and after deploring the prostitu- !
on to which real talent was subject !
q, and satirizing the general degen- :
racy OF modern art, he had drifted :
ack to the rare old days of Hans Hol- :,
sin, Albert Durer, and that guild. And q
nile dwelling enthusiastically upon 10
% genius of Angelo I became aware *
nat among the listeners was a re- r
arkable man. 1t was not his figure =
at impressed me, for that was of the =
binary mold, and rather STABILITY at !,
red In tattered and ill-ftting coat !.
blue, sadly faded and buttonless: a -
'ort-waisted vest of no particular pat :,
m. fastened together by means of a e.
osened loop Of binding pulled :
rough a buttonhole, and held to its :,
ace BY a stumpy leadpenciI with a
'eponderance of rubber at the end: .,
e pantaloons very baggy and fraying ~
the bottoms, as though in excessive ,
mpathy with pair of coarse, un-
lfniy army shoes that wore the ap- On,
'arance Of having been throu III Sher- -
ans march to the sea. r.
Not remarkable, say, In these par hi
sulars, for since ''tramping" has ar ri
red at the dignity of profession, al
Oh characteristics are by no means ly
lcommon; but when taken in con- dc
notion with q head and face that II,
,pld have served as model for either or
>raham, Isaac or Jacob, in patriarch as
cast OF feature and flow of beard, 1t L
no wonder that my fancy saw in the
,ure before me remarkable man. in
D stood uncovered, and in an eager -
tening attitude. as though drinking ii.
cry syllable to the very dregs. His ST
es were large and lustrous, and 70
tn that dreamy, far-off look peculiar az
that quality Of mind that sees what 81,
described, even though buried In ms
,mpeian ruins, or under the pyra- ii,
dis of Egypt. br
I thought read his character Alright Gu
fancying, Here is q man of more -
an ordinary culture and refinement"
a determined, Ii 1t were possible, pa
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