In Wild West Costume. 



A man who proiiiisos to be one of 

 the most picaurosiiue members of the 

 summer colony at Nantucket this sea- 

 son arrived in the city last evening, 

 en route for the island, clad in wide 

 sombrero, corduroy coat and trousers, 

 heavy riding boots, clanging spurs, a 

 roll of thousands of dollars in "yel- 

 low backs," a cartridge belt with 

 several rounds of ammunition, a heavy 

 Colt revolver that was the wonder of 

 all who saw it, and lastly, but of by 

 far the greatest importance to hini, 

 his companions for the summer 

 months — three beautiful western po- 

 nies. The saddles svhich he had to 

 throw over their backs were also of 

 wonderful make, each of them being 

 ponderous affairs, loaded down with 

 si Iver trappings. £ . J^c j^-*^'! 



The man's name is H-. 'f^. 

 Thombson and he hails 'from some- 

 where in the wilds of Wyoming — a 

 ranchman by occupation, and one who 

 has been very successful, too — and a 

 very quiet and interesting person. As 

 he rode through the streets in his 

 make-up of the western plains, he was 

 the cynosure of eyes from every direc- 

 tion, and more than one observer won- 

 dered what his business here could be. 

 It was thought by those who had seen 

 him leading his ponies that he was a 

 horse trader, and this opinion became 

 quite general. Inquiry at the stable 

 of William D. Richards, where he put 

 up his horses for the night, brought 

 forth the information that the horses 

 were for his own use while at Nan- 

 tucket, and Mr. ThomJ^son himself 

 felt quite aggrieved when informed of 

 the impression that had gotten abroad 

 concerning him. 



He was far from a hoise-trader, he 

 maintained, and while there might be 

 money enough in New Bedford to 

 make him part with his horses, he 

 said that he had not seen it as yet. 

 One of his poiiies, "-Bess," he says 

 he Will never part with, and he tells 

 with a great deal of pride of the speed 

 and endurance of the little pony, and 

 of the wagers that he has won in va- 

 rious tests. 



Mr, Thomljson visited Nan^ucket 

 a couple of years ago, making a brief 

 stop at that time, and he was so much 

 attracted by the island that this year 

 he has hired a cottage there for the 

 summer, and has had a barn erected 

 in rear of it in which to quarter his 

 ponies. He has no family, and comes 

 here alone, but he cares for little other 

 company than his horses, s^nd says that 

 he anticipates a mighty pleasant time 

 at the island. Failing health is the 

 cause of his trip to a spot on the 

 ocean, and he is of the opinion that 

 the change of atmosphere is what is 

 needed to brace him up. 



To see him on the back of one of 

 his ponies, cartridge belt at his waist, 

 and his wide sombrero pulled down 

 over his eyes, one would think him a 

 genuine cow-puncher from way back 

 yonder in the bad lands. Talk with 

 him, however, and the illa.sion is 

 quickly dispelled. He is a ranchman, 

 but he owns the ranch and 'n his man- 

 ner is quiet and unassuming. The 

 fact that he has come clcai' across the 

 continent arrayed in his cnsturae of 

 the plains, he explains by the fact 

 that shortly after he started east, his 

 hostler was taken sick and Mr. 

 Thompson did not want to entrust the 

 care of his saddle-horses to any one 

 else. So he played the role of hostler 

 all the way across, and accordingly he 

 wore a costume fitted for the work. 

 And then, again, he is of the positive 

 opinion that he will wear any costume 

 that he likes, and he kind cf prefers 

 his present get-up, because it is the 

 one to which he has been acsustomed 

 all his life. 



While standing in Richard's stable 

 this morning, he saw a bird dog that 

 caught his fancy, so he bought it. 

 Howard Ames owned it, and when Mr. 

 Thompson offered him a $20 bill for 

 it, he handed over the dog. 



Mr. Thomjuson arrived in the city 

 last evening and left on the afternoon 

 boat for Nantucket, together with his 

 ponies and his newly acquired dog. — 

 N. B. Standard, 4th. 



Dr. Thomi^son is to occupy the cot- 

 tage of Byron E. Pease, at Quidnet, 



