The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-03

summer time the streets are sprinkled, there.
by not only laying the dust but cooling the
atmosphere. But notwithstanding all these
advantages, the average citizen stops the
strtet-car in order TO ride q dozen squares TO
his business and then complains OF the ex-
cessive heat or intense cold according as the
season is winter or summer. The child who
should be exercising his body in running and
lesping as he goes TO school languidly walks
out upon the street and waits for q street car
to carry him two or three blocks, and then
again the same thing is repeated when he re-
turns home. AS the average Indianapolis
school boy waits for the coming of the car,
one would suppose him weighed down with
the cares OF a household rather than Just
starting out TO make for himself a name and
develop his mental faculties aud physical
powers. Their eating is like unto their exer-
else, such as eiiemlnates rather than strength
ems and develops. i saw the contents OF
lads dinner basket one day as he fell and his
dinner was ttrewn upon the ground. II con-
sisted OF cocoanut cake, cream pie, peach
preserves and two butter crackers and a piece
OF cheese-not bit of bacon or corn bread in
the whole lay out. There is none OF that
hearty, robust nature which one sees in the
country, no ambition TO kick the dew from
the grass before sunrise or knock the young
Robin OF the highest limb by practicing how
near You can come to him and not HE him.
THE manner Of GesriDg the girls is even
woTSe than that in vogue
with the boys. From their ear
Hest infancy they are reared as housa
plants, The sun Ia Summer ruins their COM
plexion and the wind in winter chaps their
faces, the parents say, and between the
two the child rarely breathes the fresh air
that IL, and ought to be considered by all, the
greatest boon OF benehcent Providence.
a school boy rarely stops car to ride less
than two blocks, but the school girl is so
much more delicate that she Will ride II the
distance is only one. These things are in
such marked contrast with what / was used
to before coming TO the city TO live, that
have learned 20 regard them with supreme
contempt. Why, when | was owned by
John smith, who had fourteen children at
tending the district school, (the oldest was
sixteen and the youngest four years OF Age)
they went to and fro without ever thinking
OF riding. / was sometimes called upon 10
carry the children across the creek when the
wafer was over the old footlog, but Mr..
Smith always said that the children were
| better OIL by tramp through the mud, and
| when had safely ferried them over they
| walked home. he raised large family, and
the only time that the doctor was ever in the
| house was one cay when the baby swallo we'd
| Mrs. Smiths silver thimble TIE worst fea-
ture about this car riding, however, is that
| so many men ride when they are both imam
| cially and physically better qualified Tor
walking. A striking INSTANCE OF this was
noticed day or two ago when a tsil, heal
thy-looking individual entered the car, drop
| ped his nickel into the box and bad hardly
seated himself before he asked a fellow pas.
senger for q chew OF tobacco. I watched him
very closely toEsee how far ne was going. he
got of just three squares from where he en-
| tered the car.
Il want TO remark Ia conclusion and be.
| fore my turn on the line comes sgain, that
many people of indianapolis misaDprenend
the object, cad and design of the establish
] ment OF street cor lines 10 different paris OF
| the city. To see q newsboy hanging on the
rear end and actually increasing the load by
| pulling back with all his strength, one
would naturally suppose that the line was
established for his special benefit, but this is
q mistake. When the driver is so careful
that every passenger shall put his nickel
| into the box, the presumption is that lines
are established in order 10 make money, but
here, too, the public is mistaken. And so
J with the impression that these advantages
are afforded for the sole and only purpose Of
giving employment 10 the driver and the
mule. Their use was introduced aud en-
couiaged In order to furnish the husband
greater facilities for reaching the family
physician, but darn me IL / hare ever vet
seen man board street car when going
for physician TO see his sick wife. He al
ways walks And with this list OF informa-
ton, Tom concluded his observations and
the reporter withdrew.