Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-06-16
HUMORS OF THE CENSUS.

II = VI OhD Of III n JE . Us.
/; A reporter of the Philadelphia Time
took a iaunt with several Enumerator
the other day in that city, and taliet
the following information for the read
ers OF that journal;
ROW IN CROSS ALLEY.
The aristocracy Of ST. Mary street
Cross alley and Cullen street wer
found in state of excitement yester
day morBing when the Census Emu
merator and q Times reporter arrived
upon the scene. The visitors were ne
sooner espied than they were sur
rounded by motley crowd of black
and whites, cursing them.
" Hello here's the blokes what put
our names in the paper today" sale
a white woman with black eye anC
discolored face, which looked as if she
had recently suffered a severe beating
"Oh, but you're going to catch it,"
&" If my man was here he'd rip you
open" shouted another hag, with an
oath. "You'd better look out for your
selves, | can tell you"
"Dere's big culled woman round
on st, Mary's street huntin' for you
wild club" said burly ,ulatto
elbowing his way through the crowd
She swears she's goin' to break your
neck for insultin' her in de paper"
"Don't you dare to come in my
house unless you want to spend s2,i
SAID colored man standing at the en-.
trance to an alley on Cullen street 81
don't want no white trash around here. "
"Young fellers, said an old colored
man, waving his stick in the air, ''il
you take my advice you'll clar out. De
neighbors round here is mad at you,
and dey may hurt you"
There was no danger OF anything
more than talk from these persons,
however, as policeman was posted on
the corner OF Cross alley and Cullen
street, and they confined all their war.
fare to threats. The Enumerator pro.
cceded with his work without molosta.
tion, although he was annoyed and
hampercd by a crowd of men and wo.
men following him wherever he went
and commenting with much freedom
upon both strangers personal appear.
ance.
Say here's Aunt Chloe, said iel.
low, seizing an old colored woman, who
was passing along with a pitcher in her
hand "don't you want TO put some.
thing in your paper about her? Look
var, she's got beard" holding her
chin up for inspection.
You done put anything in de paper
about me Iii break your jaw" said the
old woman, brandishlng her pitcher
and glowering at the reporter.
"-~srrs oo,roArrrrra
AT one house q woman told her little
boy, who was evidently in disgrace for
some mischief, that the man with a big
book had come to take him away for
being bad boy, A colored man in.
quired very anxiously if the enumera-
tor didn't want to put down his six
dogs, and assured him that they were
half mastiif and half st. Bernard. GAN
sons OF General Mcclellan" he said,
and inquiry revealed that their father
was a mastiff who bore that title.
"Does your wife work 2" was asked
German in one of the houses.
"Nien, she goes to school, " was the
reply.
al mean your wife" said the emu.
merator
"Oh, mine olt woman yah, she
works" replied the Teuton.
"Do you suffer from any sickness ?"
was asked very fat colored woman,
on st, Mary street.
"I'm conflicted with a smothering
of the heart" she replied, but was un.
able to tell anything more about it.
"Wo're all black round here" said
an old woman, when asked the color
Of the inmates of her house. 81 don't
mix with no white folks and don't
want to-
In one house on ST. Mary street the
man was told that information was
wanted, and responded that he didn't
know anythingexccpt what his mother
had told him.
"He amt got no education" " said his
wife apologcticalIy, "but ! can read
and write"
When asked if he was married he
replied that he had piece Of paper up
stairs which the minister had given
him hanging up stairs, and that was
all he knew. One man stated that he
was suffering from "misery in the
back" Before little house in q court
an old colored woman sat knitting
when the visitors approached.
"Oh, Aunty Rose" said little
mulatto girl, playing on the pavement,
"here's two gentlemen come to tell
your fortune
"Dey'll be smarter men dan any I've
seen if dey can do dat said the old
woman, with chuckle.
"Say, Mister, do you vaccinate
babies p asked a woman with n baby
in her arms, approaching the enumcr-
ator.
When informed that he did not she
looked quite disappointed. No further
trouble was experienced, and before
night the enumerator had the satisfac-
ton Of knowing that he had completed
the worst portion Of his division
HAD SHE A HUsBAND2
William Bobb, one of the enumcra.
tors for the Ninth ward, has the divis
ion bounded by Market and Arch and
Tenth and Eleventh streets. In his
peregrinations yesterday morning he
came upon tumble down old dwelling
off Market street, near Eleventh, occu.
pied by a stout lrishwoman and three
children. The enumorator explained
what he bad come around for, and
after the expenditure Of good deal OF
breath convinced the woman that his
visit was perfectly legitimate and that
whatever objections she might have to
the census system he was not to be
blamed for it. She told him her name,
but when he came to ask her age she
became changed woman.
"Indade," she said, "its nobody's
business what my age is, an shan't
tell 1t TO anybody"
The puzzled enumerator looked
around until his eye rested on the three
chubby children, who stood staring
with all their eyes.
"Have you a husband, madam p he
asked in persuasive and gentle tone,
expecting by change Of the subject
TO mollify the indignant woman.
"Shurc, and do You think these chill