St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-18
SAINT PAUL.
CHIT CHAT CORNER.

inventive genius of man has introduced
into modern warfare, the large percent
age of men who escape ScathlesS is SIM
ply astounding. Ancient history records
10 such triumphs; on the contrary, wars
We're more bloody and cruel. Perhaps
the answer lies in the fact that armies
now rarely meet hand to hand; it is all
sharpshooting. With reference to this
the words of an old veteran of the Union
army may he recorded, as supplying a
part of the answer to Attorney General
Clamps remark: Before battle" he
proceeded, Il felt overcome with excite
ment. and every action of my life seemed
to float before my eyes. Then the EN-
gagement began. the excitement sub
sided, and fought like h. But one
thing | can never understand. There
was OneOf the ''reb' commanders upon
gray horse. | fred fifteen times at
that man, but he never stirred"
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A conversation with a bootblaek yes
terday revealed an encouraging esti-
mate of the earnings of the urchins who
are so numerous and importunate on
the streets. In the morning and even
ing they sell newspapers; during the
day they run errandS, black shoes and
pick rags. The latter is the best pay
ing business. a good hustler being able
to earn from 81 to $50 a day, but it re-
Quires so much eXertion that the boys
don't take to it kindly. Then too,
strange as it may seem, the fraternity
do not consider ragpicking quite as
respectable as selling newspapers. a
boy who shines shoes and sells news
papers can make a dollar day If he
keeps at it, but he is frequently apt to
let business 90 for game of Skinny.
Their best all around day is Sunday.
Then, however. the business of the
regulars suffers from competition by a
horde of boys who are otherwise en-
ployed during the week.
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Some of the boys are required by their
parents to turn in reasonable stipend
every week for the support of the fam
lily, while others are shiftleSs and tell
tales at home to escape punishment for
spending their money in unseemly ways.
Nevertheless there are in the fraternity
real heroes, whose weekly contributions
would be sadly missed at home. One
boy in particular was mentioned who
made as much money selling papers and
picking rags as his mother did at wash
ing. The informant himself said, with
pardonable pride, that he took home
every week more money than the cost
OF his board and clothing.
great evil among the boys is their
use of tobacco, which is we'll nigh gen
eral. If they dare not spend their
money TO buy the weed they will beg it.
More soap and less tobacco would be
more wholesome for the lads, but they
are unable to take such a view of their
welfare, for a dirty gamm with cigar
cite in his mouth represents picture
of blissfulness that makes his chums
turn green with envy.
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'ThiS is progressive age" remarked
Gov. l.. K. Church, with a graceful
move of his hand at the Ryan last even
ing, but Notwithstanding that fact,
ahere is no change in the political at
MoSphere of Dakota. We are all happy
and contented, and are confident that
New York will cast its vote for Presi-
dent Cleveland i'll November next. OF
course. if we are successful there, to
say nothing of the sO-called doubtful
states, we will sweep the country like
wild fire." And the governor. smiling
In his usual manner, started for the
cigar stand.
Dropping in at the Ryan last night
and watching the various purchasers of
cherOots at the cigar stand, curiosity
was aroused at the knowledge the clerk
possessed of the wants of many custom
els. He was asked how he knew, or
how he anticipated their wishes.
''lt's the easiest thing in the world"
said he. ''If | see young man coming
toward the counter, wearing high hat
and dangling a cane on his finger tips,
! make for the 20-cent cigars and I'm
sure to hit him right. He gets about
$40 per month and smokes 2O-cent
cigars. Then comes the man who wears
nothing but dark clothes and plain
white bOSOm-he is at the top of some
S150-per-month job, and smokes three
for a half and wants the same
cigar each time he comes, no
matter if he only comes once a year.
But when see a man coming up with
pOnderOus corporosiUy, whom | take to be
the head of some great Eastern concern,
put him down for three for a quarter,
and sure enough he wants them. Then.
there is the man who wears a slouched
hat, patched shoes that have not seen
backing since they were made, and
who draws out his fat pocketbook, casts
a doubtful glance at the cigar case,
opens his wallet, pulls out several
scraps of old dirty paper, then a shoe
string or button, looks at his watch.
and tEen makes up his mind TO a good
old smoke. Sauntering distrustfully up
to the counter. he looks about for some
thing-ah! something mild-yes; ''here
they are, cents, six for a quarter" He
takes one, spends an hour lighting it
and sits down to take in everything.
That man is worth 500, OOO."
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The travelling men of this state, fore
most in deeds of charity, and ever ready
TO respond to the call of the afflicted and
oppressed, have once more added to the
luster of their fair name. Last Thurs
day, when they held high carnival at
the fair grounds, the jolly drummers
collected $1G1.55. which was placed in
the hands of President Merriam. and a
draft for that amount has been sent to
the governor of Florida to be used for
the relief of the distressed in that af-
6icted state.
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Those who are unacquainted with the
Ems and outs of the hotel or restaurant