COLUMBIAN FOUNTAIN.

From volume of Sketches.
JOHN RANDOLPH.
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| remember some years since to have
seen John Randolph in Baltimore. had
frequently read and heard description ol
him, and one day, as was standing in
market, now Baltimore street, | remarked
a tall, thin, unique looking being hurrying
towards me with quick impatient step,
evidently much annoyed by crowd of boys
who were following on his heels, not in the
obstreperous mirth with which they would
have followed crazy or drunken man, or
organ grinder and his monkey, but in the ST.
lent, curious wonder with which theywould
have haunted Chinese decked in full cos
tune. instantly knew the individual to
be John Randolph, from the descriptions.
| therefore advanced towards him to make
a full observation of his person without
violating the rules Of courtesy in stopping
to gaze at him. As he approached, he oc-
casionaly turned toward the boys with an
angry glance, but without saying anything,
and then hurrying on as if to oustrip them,
but it would not do. They followed close
on behind the orator., each one observing
him so intenlly that each one said nothing
40 his companions. Just before ! met him
he stopped Mr.. D., a Cashier of one of
the Banks, and said to be as odd a fish as
John himself. -l~lotered in store close
by, and, unnoticed, remarked the Roanoke
orator for a considerable time, and really,
he was the strangest looking being | ever
beheld. .#t .-


His long thin legs, about as thick as a
strong walking cane, and OF much such a
shape, were encased in pair Of light small
clothes, so tight that they seemed part and
parcel of the limbs Of the wearer. Hand
some white stockings were fastened with
great idiness at the knees, by small gold
buckle, and over them, coming about half
way up the calf, were pair of what, be-
/ lieve, are called hose, coarse and country
knit. He wore short-they were old fash
ioned, and fastened only with buckles
huge ones. He trod like an Indian, without
turning his toes out, planking them down
straight ahead. twas the fashion in those
days to wear fan tailed coat, with small
collar and buttons far apart behind, and a
few on the breast Mr.. R's were the re
verse of all this, and instead of his coat be-
| ing fan tailed, it is what, we believe the
knights of the needle call swallow tailed


The buttons behind were in kissing prox-
unity, and they sat together as close on the
breast of the garment as the feasters at q
crowded public festival. His waist was re-
markably slender; so slender that, as he
stood with arms akimbo, he could easily,
as thought, with his long and bony fin


gers, have spanned it,


Around him, his coat, which was very
tight, was held together by one button, agc


in consequence, an inch or more OF tape


to which it was attached, was perceptibl


where il was pulled through the cloth. H


wore large white cravat, in which hi
chin was occasionally buried, as he move
his head in conversation; no shirt cola
was percept.ble; every other person SCENE


to pride himself on the size Of his, as the