One Of The Old School

Karl Harritnan in Detroit Journal: He was one of those persons you very ofton hear about, but vei-y seliloiu see - a gentlenrin of the olij school. H6e was tal] aud his feature were as cleax etft as a carneo. You would nevcr have spoken of his pure white beard as "splnaeh;" never in the world. It would have ibeen sacrllege. His skin and ïis hands were as pale aud rrtiuul as are those of Mr. Sol Smith Russell in the play, '■Mr. VaLentine's Chris im.-i--." In fact, Mie old gentleman lowked iike Mr. Valcotine, as kind, uid gentle. He was tall, and walked with a stntely, (lignified bearing, perfeetly sore of hmtself, that was beautiful. After the style of his aneestors he wore tlie biaick dress suit of 18:30; the coat tliat now -cali of Ihe genus "dinner," anti about the high flowicg white oolla.r was twisted negligently but artistically and in exquisite taste a black silk stock-kerclnef. The old gentleman stood befo re the tickot wiiulow wLere the seller of the pssto boards was bu&ily eagaged eouuting the special tickets for this r.torniing's exeiirsiou. "I beg your pardon." said the old man in a voice as sweet as a woman's; "but would yoii sell me a ticket to Tashnioo park?" The man in the window looked up aiL-iized. He had neysr been spoken to s courteously bef ore. He han-ded out the card. and in retura received froin the old geutieinaa a $2 bilí. The cüange was iMfeeted in a secoiMl, and the ]ureltaser Iooked it over in the palm of his hand. "Pardon me," he said. -but I thi.ik you have made a mista ke. You have giyan me íive cents too ímuh. See?" Thereupon he showed tire amazed ticketseller the coins in liis hand aml Mirust llie nickel throngh tlie screen. Tben he took his way to the boftt. At the gang-plank he turned to the cierfc aud said: "Woi'ld ymi miinl telling me wh.it time this baat lcivcs?"' "Very shortly, sir,"' was ilie answer. "Do you think I wou'.d have time to go up to the corner of Woodwar.l and .Tefferson avenues? I left my umbrella there." "No, we go in a minute," replied the dei-k. "You have had experience," continncd the old man, "teil me, in your opinión is it going to rain?" "Well, that I couldn"t say, sir." was tl: e reply. .Tust then tlie great drops began to f all and in a secón, 1 alniost they were coming down in ton-ents. The old man did not hurry. He simply pulled !'.is dress coat floser about hlm, and with a deep hemmed silk ha-ndkerchief bi-iTShed the water from lus white shirt bosom. As he pr.ssed tho clerK he said: "You -will p.uüon me for an'itrying you with my questions coneerning the probabilities of rain. I seen now, mj'self, that it lntends to." With that, slowly and majestically he paesed aboard the Greyhound and was lost to sight among the crowdl arcund the rail.