Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1891 — REMARKABLE CRONIES. [ARTICLE]

REMARKABLE CRONIES.

Six Old Men of Mobile* Ala.* and Tlieir Peculiar Habits. Yery curious people inhabit this corner of the civilized world, and perha’ps among the most curious were the six peculiar old men of Mobile, says an Alabama writer. Two of these old men ■were great cronies. They loved to be in company the one with the other, and theymQßr failed to meet once each dafr during the later years of their lives y but their daily meetings were curious. Uncle John sat each evening by Mis fireside reading book or paper, andlabout 7 o’clock Uncle William came intolthe room, gave a glance at John, and pen, picking up a book or paper from the table, sat gravely down in his chair opposite John, and began reading. No word was said. The two old men read silently for two or more hours, sometimes as late as 11 o’clock, when William folded his paper or laid down his book, aud in silence as before, took his hat and departed. These old *nen were never known to exchange a word during their meetings. There were two other old cronies in Mobile. These had the habit of walking out together every afternoon at 5 o’clock. They lived in the same street. Their promenade took them to the'river front, the wharves of which were then, as now, a famous place whereon Mobilians “took the air.” Departing they were in the best of humor, chatting pleasantly of the topics of the day; but returning they were invariably in the worst temper imaginable, abusing each other for every fault possible, and calling each other every name short of pickpocket and horsethief. Stopping at thfeir several front doors, they would shake their fists at each other and solemnly declare that never, so long as they should live would they condescend to notice each other. The anger was genuine, and the language very warm. By the next afternoon, however, the sky had cleared and the old gentlemen appeared promptly at the 5 o’clock hour, and, saluting, would begin their walk and their talk, which always ended in the quarrel above described. There were yet two other men of Mobile. They would be old if they were now alive, but by the time they came into view they were hardly beyond the middle age. As chums they had early in life taken a room together down on St. Francis street; but, unfortunately- during the first month of

their occupancy of their rooms thev quarreled over some trivial matter and resolved to cease speaking. Neither of them would consent to vacate the premises. They had taken the room together, and each one thought he had as good a right to possession as the other; therefore, out of pure obstinacy, neither would budge. So they lived together, and whenever the one had any instructions to impart or request to make of the other, the instruction or request was “reduced to writing” and the written sheet placed on the center table in the room, where later the person addressed found it and left a wrritten reply in its place. This peculiar association lasted thirty-four years, when Anally one of the silent men found a partner in life and went to housekeeping. The other man vacated the room the very next day.