A Noted Dead Beat

T'mm the Detic.il Pust and Tribune. Mosf pcople w bo livfil in or rlated asii ington ten years aro ill reinember Beau iluminan. Be iiu-ii in 1 !S7;{, and, BOtwtthstanduig nis man; peeullarttiea, hisdcath was geiierally regretted. Beau was Üiegen ilciiian beggar oi' the United States, and Jortng a long lil'iiinr muiutained his po sition, whicli ha nul heen Ulied by any omsílice hN death. His anecdotei of dead -lalc-men ui ui the ui' iminy (il the livIngooei wciv cxtreinely nlercsLing, and few nirii couiil luik beltar taan old Beau. Alter a good dinuer, M-alcd in au easj chair, he' i in ld teil you of llcnton.W eheter, Haynes, lay, ('alhoiin and inany olher, wlm :i[ his bidding trom ihelr graven and stood before yon ai they were ui the ilayg of their glory and whlle in the fleth. Aa a rale lic m verv tmthful and lor hours ronld sit and teil ol tlic Washington lift of .nrcüt man, raaklug it a ]oim nerer to spcak ill oí the deadIn iWi tim.. both Wehdter and l'lav had ulinillcd Ilirkinan IntO theii society, and ff m aa to lic believed made a sorl of ¦ oom;iuiion of liim. 'l'licn hewag aot the pooi, ¦ ld. decrepit, ül-looking man people kne n li Í ui during and af ter the war, lint tall. siraiht. wcil t'ormed, well -iliv.v-ed, liaiulsome, dashing, itli inoni-y la hi pocket nul a bank account to draw upon. He liad f40,000 left him, but lost it by Mtting on lorse races. So polite was he and socourt'ciii-, in his. mannen, that lora long time iltci lie lo.st liïs money tlic turfmen recciv¦d liim and sometimes permittad liim to make sinall bets without puttin.i; up the nioncy. Wlienhe lost he prnmlflCHi tfi pay, and when he won lic colltctcd the Iakcs with as HtÜe delay n poMbl. He was of au old Virginia taniily, and a geDtleman ijoth liy t-diication and marnier. Hisnlaut hiffi as a dead beat on their bounty, and pei'liups no brothcr a ever -o nn welcome M üe was when he visited " the family," as he called his brother. He wal jcncrally lUppüed wlthsoine read OMh and ihoved liaek to Wushiiiirton a( mioii a pos sible. Indeed, with ïnonev in hi pocket, he aever retnaiiied long awar trom WashIngton, for when in funda "to rvin hiinselt with," aa Beau expremd It, ' the nation al capital was the proper place for a gentleman. '" One d.n ¦ .i.ili oOIei i of llie ariliy fbund Beau at the National hotel greatl; lepreaged la pirii, and atked him whai a u the matter. "Sir," politely replied liean, "I have had lollmiji for Cour daj'8. 1 ani nnablc to raise i single (.-opper, and ani even no -nlleiinj; witb huneer." Kiiowing what i beat he was, the otScer thoiiifht that he was trying to créate syinlathj and gei a dollar out ofhim, and siid, arlly : '¦ Peau, I :mi ashained of' you, and you jught to be iihawtrt of yourelf. Sou tnow 1 alwaya gfve wlren I hare a mlnd to, and 1 Bare paid you inv monthly dues Olie moiith in adranee aiready, so yon rtlghi nol to niake sueh all appcal, at this time. by ].nlending yon are out of fundl and even bunjm ." "Alas," said he, "it is only tX) true, and [ kuow bot here to go, or what todo," and the old niati's ec and inanner conv inccd the offleer he was telling the truth. "Why don't you viit your relativc-'r" BUfrgetted the offleer. "That WOB1! do." he replied. "I don't want to ft down to Virginia, and besides it B noi long since thev gave me 9100 tO "Then they must keep you away ; and if you are in the strait you say you 'are, why nut wrlteto them tbe f acts and .-ay you wiil coinc do ii and viMt theui il they don't send you inoney to stay here f" An excellent idea," aaid Beau. 'TH do it. and you will give me ïnoney to live on tiiit.il 1 can get an anawer from my [rienda?" The offleer waa falrly caught and lianded Beau a dollar, telling him to cali on him every ïnoriiiiiij for live days for a like sinn On the sixth day he carne as usual, and aiamrently with great grief aaked for another dollar, saying he surely would gel an aiiswer to his lettei.that day. On the ne.l and the next he aid the MOM thlng. and wheu on the tent li day he was llatly rel he went away and caine back in a little while joyfully exhibiting a letter which statcd a check for $."u wat incloaed On ix amlnlng the date of the letter the offleer found that it was several days old, and knew tlieu that Hean had the letter in his -sion for at least toni' dat, during which time he had honowed from the ollicor. Once when Ueau was down on the bed rock of' poretty and really ven haid up I gave him a doliar, añil a nioiuenl atteiwards eeiug me about to buy a cigar he ttepped up to DM and .-uid, "Allo DM, mi. a tarft you," and taking up two twenly -live oenl cigars paid lor them half a dollar. Beau," 1 reinonstialcd, "yoii are extravagant. 1 cannotaft'ord to moka twenly-tive cent aiflai ¦ " Nevcr mind," he replied, "one must live like a gentleman," aud lightiug oue of the dnn hamled me the othcr. N i :ii 1 evervbody jierhaps has heard the car story credilcd to him, but I will teil it again. Beau wisiied togo from HarrUburgto 1'hiladeljihia, and gOÍ on the train without a ticket. When he tm thaooBductorooing he -tuek his head out of the window and kc]it it tla-rc, as I he w ere looking at the oountry, uuUltba oouduetoroamealong and tapped him on shoulder when, with a start, he drew In hls head, knocklng his lmt otl', whicli feil ontatde the car. lie was of cours' tenihly indignant, and charged the conductor with causing him to leoee hiö hal "Hou clare you, 8r, be so rude t ntTn Mn and startle tlicni in that marnier"" cried Beau. The conductor proteste! he lia. I not heen rude, but. onlj tapped hlm ou the shoulder to attract hls attentlon. "But ou -tiurk ni.-, sii-, and knocki-il íiiy hal off - niy fine beaver lia) ii roñe ckU of the wlodow and mr ticket with it, and wlmt .lili I tO do DOW '"" oonduotor, who took him ter Mme nerum oíd gentleman, apologlzed, aad said: 'Well, never niind ; I will pafl you." " Muí bal am 1 to do ior a nal -" inqalred Beau. "I ilon't know do without one," replied the eoiidjie1'""But I shan't," cried Beau; "the orneen of load are friends of mine. President T shall know all abont it, and 1 shall COinplaill O( yon tO tile superintendent, S., .un! i will Me it sncli rude fel lo wi ai you ale lo lie kept. iu tlieir einplov. And the piililic ëliall know of it. 1 will wrile Ihis verv night to my friend Col. F.,j editor of tlie P , and be shall pctbliah both you and your employers.1' Tottophta row the conductor laid ba woukl buy Beau a new liat, and he did so, paying for it out oi his own poeket. So Beau gol I new four dollar hat and a free i ide tor liú oíd tile, which was ntver " a beaver" and never liad a ticket Iticking in the band." Un auother oeeaatoo Beau being on a train, (ook a seal in the can, and alter the train, was in inoiion a few LUomeoU stepped intotlie nei car and cali out "Tickets ." Every one, thinking him the conductor, held oiii thelr tickets but Beau without uoIjcuig thein walked through' the car until apoorold (érn,án"i.1'fU'l!',wl,l!V,',:"!V:H!!r Beau took his ticket and ent luto the nest car. u hele he took a -cat, putting the Dutchniao tiokel conapicnouaty In hls hat band. In a lew the real conductor made liis appearanee m it li the oaual cali at ¦Tickets." lien he carne to .i iii-i lic aKf(T : ¦¦wiiere your ticket -" i gtfed him to dot Dilder contut'tor." "( 'ome, come, tliat w on't do; let us have uur ticket; tlicreis no otlier conductor." " 1 haf not got liiin," protesled the farm er. "Verv well," aid the conductor, "vou II have to gel a ticket or pay your tare or I -hall stop the train and put you öff." "Mien Gk)l in himmel, vot Mtull 1 dóf" exclaliued the Dutchman. A gentleman who had teen rJickman take the old nian's tii kei here interlci cd and e plaii. cd the natter; other paawngen alM c.iinc lo his relief and said one conductor had already Ifone througtl the eai and cali ed for tickets. The conductor, who had leareed to know Bickman ince the allair ol the hat. thought lor a inonicni and Uien said, "ril bet Beau Ilickmaii s on this train," and MIN enOUffk hen he went into the next car tilde sal üeaii M large lile, looklna quite innocent, and his ticket ex jiosed in I uil view. "Wllcl ( tllll J-..M h-C ll,io liL..V ,ki',l the conductor, puiling it out of the hat ba nd. Beau lookud upin aMoaishmeut, bul Meing by tbc concluctor's tace sometliinjí as up, replied trankly. "It was given to me by a gentleman in tllU Uu Vt " "You oughl to be ashamed of youraell to roba pooi' old .ennan farmer in that way." "Polltest and clereresl people in the world ride ou your road," said Beau. with his inimitable sniile and little bOW. "Why, WOUld you believe it, slr, I only ïieeded one; but every man in the cal, hen they knew irliu I icu.v, telulered me the ir ticket; and the - God blc.-! Ihein ! at li at half a dozen otl'ered me theiis. and" - The conductor pas.-ed hiiu. Once l'.eau went over to New Vork and stopped at a well-known hotel on Broadwaj Cnowlngthe rulea, Beau went early on nonday naornlng and, as wai ctwtomary, on Saturday reoelved his bill. WrttchIllg until a ratiier innocent looking clerk was n the OÍñce and no one else about, (eau went up to him and, with the most overpowcrinji dignity, asked if itwascustoiuaiy at that house to insult thelr gi The astonished yoUDg man said certainly not. "Well, sir. I have been insulted." "By whom. and in w hal : ';" a-ked clerk. "By you, sir." "By BC ' I liever - " "Stop one moment," said Hickman. "Did v..u i. .1 mi win tli ii) V" n.i I iiet'ore the clerk. "1 did, but - " "You prounied totbink that I w ould not pay my bill before 1 lelt the house, -ir." " Ñothlng of the kind, I assure you ; "ii mistake altogetber;" and then the young man poUtely explaiued in detail tbc mies ot the house. Qlancing at th bill agata and secinu; the name of Hickiuan, he inistook Beau for a tornier OOngreMUian trom Penusylvania ot the sanie name, and thinking his aclion olie of the niaiiy eccentricitics ol genius and i;realiie-, he made baste to say : "Never mimi, Mr. Hickman, we -end the as a matter of TOglÜaUon. but we do not expecl our gueata to pay them ti i it il it is thelr pleasure to do o." Beau siniled, and said perhaps he was hasly. llianked the y 00 na man, coinplimented bini on bis personal appearanoe, bis ftne business qualiflcatioiM, uiook bandtoordlally, and he and the clerk paried the best of fríen dl Before the m-Mt week waaool Beau borrowed a r.00 bill from an old frlend, '¦¦. BaUy, for an hour, aml buyiDg tWO tiltycent Cigan went to the otlice and called lor his bill. In paynicni bc tendered the Joo .,,,i,. whlrh of course the clerk (pulid it nconvenient tociianyejustthen. liemaricing that it made no ditlerence, as he sliould probably rtay mot her weck or perhape io, and he eould pay the bill wlien he left, llcaii with bis lilaudcst -mile drew torlh a cigar. lighted it with a match obtaineil from the cli'ik, and tbeii iucidentally observilla that the clerk had no clgar, In him lo acoepl one ol bis and pre-.s.'.l upon him the othcr ."ill-center. I Irawing in the rieli aroma of the fraL'rant eed which he M by no mcans able to Imy himscll, the clerk thougbt Beau om ot t he most courtly and princely gentlemen he had ever niet, and aetermfned to cultiyate him. Qazing dreaniily thrOUghthe snioke and watcliing the ot a lly on the ceiliug he feil to conjecturiiifr how lunch a man WM worth who oarried nothlng but fi.jOO bilis and HDOked 60 cent cigmi, and iucidentally thought how nlceit wouid if tbto gentleman shoulil take a tan.'y to a cerlain poor hotel clerk, buy a big hotel and make him the landlord with a halt interest or a salary of HUKK) a year. Such had happened betore, and why ihould they not happen ágata f The clerk sent no mor. billa to Mr. Hickman, and henou OWed tor four weeks, when the proprietor of the hotel looking over the book mw the large arreáis, and called on the clerk for an explanation. The clerk poke ot Beiu al the Hou. Mr. Hickman. the uealthy iron maiiufaciurer of Pennaylvania, bui the proprietor on exanining the refiater aa not tbc name ot "John," bul 1.'. L. Hickman. and instantly i'ecoirnized t tbatol tbc lanioii-ilejid b'eal llecur-.d the clerk for his stupidity, bui curalng would nol iqnarethe ledger, and aendlng for Beau, I,,. made him followLng propoaition: Ilickman, it you II ZO OTM the -Me, t and beat the propi idor ot I hal Other hotel out ol a nionth'8 board, yon can come hack heli' and we will dead hea.l ou lor amt her inonlh at Wi one.' Heaii accepted the ..lier. and w heli bis monih waa out took his bagyagw. hired a line carriage at the expense of the hotel and drove around to the othei hotel tered. and, taking a paiíor on the seoond Boor, With bedroom and bath altached, made hinkelt "cucrally comfoltable. l,u d u uould walk Oimt to tbc oihrr hotel totell tiic proprietet luns at wa fretting aloiig and smoke a cifrar at liis expense. Be worried tlirough a niontli witliout paying any board, and tlien there was a luw and Beau was put out. Knowing the hostilily betwcen the pfoptMon M the two hotela, Beau BUKgeated to his last land lord. il it would be any gratificaron to l.im h mU go ovor and beat the üther fellow out of a month't board The delighted landlord Jumped at the oflèr and hm, il you do oomt back bareaad I wil] you ¦ nl's board." "Make i ¦ month," Mld Beau, "and I will do it" "Qo ahcad," crled tlie landlord, "it's a banr&in." "" m"ri' :' carriage was called and Beau drove over theatreet where hestayed ¦ month au,! tken ihlfted back tbr another month. The landlords thought the tokt WU too good to keep and so told it on om another to thk manda, .u thei bota told the Mme ttor thcir frienda Inqnired into the matter and fcnnd Beau had beaten eaofa onc out of wo month1 board and Itayed Jurt four months in New Vork for nothlng, Uring on the fat of the land all the time. W li. n I ratBHMtered out of the volunteer serrtee in Arkantat at the close oi tlic ar I had several otticers with me who had terrecí on my stafl'and had never been to Washington. As these gentlemen wlahed to sce the nalional capital I afreed to go OD with thcm. We liad hardly arrivcd in the city and put up at the 'National liotel whcn Beau Hickman paid ns a visit, and 1 Introdneed him to the gentlemen who had lately oompowd the sta IV of the tirst división Kentuókjr. For a wonder Hi-au rat in tumis, ana he matad at ntagnlflranas. The stalf thought him a tplendid felloW, and 1 said DOtbfalg. Om da r obterred Hickman and ol. B in a corner of the hotel engaged lacloaaeonrersatioii, and preeeatly 1 MK tbc Colonel, w QO was 1 liijf-hearted, genulne Michigan ¦¦. go Jown h u pocket and produce hta well-nlled vallei and hand Beau Bome thing. In u ilay or two I founii o„t ü. „,, had borrowed trom nearly all of my ottiCeri sinall suins, and (heling I was in a measnre respousible, as 1 had introduced llickuian to them, 1 took hiintotask about it and remonstrated with liim for his con duet. Beau was very humble and penitent, bul said : " What can a man do situated as I am? must live like a gentleman, and it reimvs nioney to ilo it." Whcn the otticers found out the real character of Hickman they had a good laugh, at eaob other and hcartily forgave Beau, lor they had just been mustered out and paid oti' and had come to Washington to have a good time and apend their three months' extra pay allowcd them by the government tor continuous service durinj; the war, and they hv 00 mems regretted the liltle Beau had got. Hickman was fond of picking up new aoqaatntanoea. OneeTening, while at the Metropolitan hotel talkiiif; to Gen. 1Í i' Uiniiukv. Beau cante up and askad tlie general to point oui io mm .-.,.m uuj Kciituckians. Gen. B pointed to Col. 0 , a grave, dignitied, bot rather licrcc looking man, and said, " He is a good flIiivv ft ui-.ijiiui niuJ jtl })iiu Deau and he will lielpyou." Hickman soou managed, in his adroit way, to engage Col. O in a convciMition, and of course ended bv intioducing liimself and asking for a dollar. The colonel. as might have been 8Xpeeted, reboffed Beau sharply and scolded liim for begginff in sueh a mean nianner. Beau gol away as speedily as possible, and coming back to Oen. B saiil, " he is not a good fellow ; he is no gentlenmii , hc bas insulted me f" ¦ Who has ';" inqulred cm. B . ' The man wilh tlie big black Ward there," replied Beau. poiuting to Col. o . " My üoil !" cried Oen. B , "you are a daad man, Beau; that is not the man I sent you to; that is Col. S , the deiper rado, and if you have ofteuded him he will kill you, and there will ba no saving yon. " Beau, who was a great coward, turned deadlv pale and spccdily got out of the hotel. (Jen. B roomcd with Col. S , who, notwithstandiiifr his piratical beard and flerce looks, was one of the most amia and fientle men in tbc wortd. líen. B told Col. S the trick he had played on Beau, and the colonel entcred into the zest of the joke and said he WOOld llave soine fun with Beau. Next d" .'" general met Beuu on the Street and said: r,..., - is afti-r you. It was very amusing to the initiated to sec Beau come nlgnl aller niffht and peek in at the door to sec if Col. S was about. He would advance step by step and reconnoiter every chair and corner for for the enemy, and if he but cauglit a glimpscol tbc black beard iu the distancc out he would sail and be suen about the Metropolitan no more that night. One of Beau'a (aTorlte tricks was to get introduced to new senators and meaban of conure-s and charge for the introduc tion. Il wa-al tirst $10 for a senator and S lor a congressinan; but in hiü latter reara, at Beau jol older and barder op, be lou.red the pnce to $5 for a senator and $.!..-(i for a eoBgreaaman. Sorue rebuked him sharply, but nearly all paid thcir score and considcred it good joke. Au old member delighted to putit on a new member of elther house. " Have you met Hickman yetf' an old member would tnquire of a new one. 'Hicknian'' What, John Hickman " "No.no; a mncli g rea ter man than ,lohn ('ome. you must have au ntroduction " And then would follow a formal presentation tO the laniuiis Beau. The bcwildcred member who was trom California or Om. gwu, aud lm.! in-ver nearii ot Meau, would wonder what it all meant, when a fewdayi attci uards, he would be taped from be hind and reininded he owed $." or fllO for an iutrodiiction he had received lome days bel ore, but if it was not convenient to pay it. then, no matter, any time would do. The amazed puber would pay, and as soon as he Bould put the joke on aome other member. Tbc soutbern men wcre Bc:iu's best pati'ii, and up to tlie begin n ing of the rebellion hethroveand prospered anaaingtj 00 their generosity. He said one day after the war. " 1 w as loval, but iny best friends were rebels. The carpet-bagMCi are a mean set and won't pay their due-. They are coutcinptible, altogethcr too oontemtible, and I uontlder tbcm a regular set ol dead-beats." Tbis he said grarely, at thougli he hlmaaU was the most honorable gentleman in tlie world. In the last years of bis lile Beau had a hard time to get along and sometimes nearly starved He bad a regular set of contribulors over tlie country, whoin he called his "old friends." II ihein everv inontli W cents and was very .u. lul .iii.l prompt aboat his ooUectloo. [f any one faiicd toaend on uladueafor tour luonllis, Beau would cali it $1 and write a very pathetic letter. He wasalways borrowing po-lafc st-unps and writing letten to delinquenta. I was told he had as maiiy as 400 persons on his list ot regalar oontrfbuton It is said Hickinan was the onlv real gentleman beggar America ever had. and sueh wal peculiar. Hisinanners were c.iurtly, his language chaste and reflnod, and at beaudfuL Hc never lost his temper, and bis urlmuity and potitMMat, even lul lic se H ho insulled and lebiitl'cd him. neo to aften make them aakaaaad and regrel thcir roughneaa to the poor otd man. Hc mut have received an ezoellent KrQcation in his youth for bc -pok. w role well and seemed to be Wcll intormed about neaily everytbing His roiei ¦mootband soft and wordi always came at his eoinmand toexpress his ideas clearly and ofte elegantly. In perso M VM tall, spare and indltted to be raw-boned. ld ! ilhcr handsome nor ugly, bul liffhted up with a pleasant smile and foriglit wlien lic apokfl t :ui one. bow was inimitable, aad no one who knew liim will ever forget it or the race with whicli lic OOaM IÜI aii.l oianipulate liis liule OMM.