St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-02
SAINT PAUL.
THE TOWN CRIER.

-
There is good story going the rounds
at the expense of well-known railroad
man, division superintendent, located
not a thousand miles from ST. Paul. He
is diStinctively Self-made man. and
worked himself up from the bottom OF
the ladder of fame. He is rough a d
bluff, but withal possesses good heart,
as many of his friends and acqualnt-
ances can testify. He had a nephew in
the East who recently graduated at
technical institute, and received
sheepSkin which set forth his merits as
a civil engineer. Having imbibed the
theoretical side of his profession, the
young man wished to become familiar
with its practical side. and with this
end in view applied to his uncle for a
position. and in short time was in
stalled as station agent by the SUI
perintendent. The next day the
college-bred man had occasion to
make requsitiOn for oil for
switch lamps, and, having noticed that
one side of the target shed luminous
red light, interpreted the phenomenon
literally, and ordered gallon of red oil.
The requisition was duly placed before
the superintendent for approval, and he
noted at once this evidence of the lido
Syncracy Of.genius. "Who in I! is
this FOOL he asked as he thumped on
his desk: discharge him at once" The
order was Obeyed with alacrity, and it
was not until the following day. when
his luckless victim droppedi in to borrow
enough money to reach the etfete East.
that he realized that he had discharged
the nephew whom he had promised to
educate III the mysteries of practical
railroading.
Secretary Billings criticism of the
batting of Elmer Foster has provoked
some adverse comment in local base
ball circles, the concensus of which is
that while MIR. Billings undoubtedly
knew what he was talking about, the
marvellous batting of Foster while a
member of the old Northwestern league
shows him to be a player who, under
certain conditions. could hold his own
in any class. ''If Foster would only bide
his time and meet the ball instead of
swinging at it with all his might, he
would continue to be powerful hit
ter" said Jack Crooks yesterday. 'He
could hit any low ball ever pitched,
and by little head work would make
one of the most valuable center felders
in the country. His work in that terri
tory is marvellous, and due credit
should be given him for it,
The initial day of spring was relieved
of its dull monotony by desultory
showers and muddy streets. The air in
the hotels was Stut1y, and the few who
held down posts of vantage i'll the lobby
chung together and talked on topics of
the day, as they took the initiatOrY steps
towards filling up the cuspidOrs. One
grave and reverend lawmaker remarked
to another, between approximations at
tho MnrnhontC that no had hnnnC that
the legislature would adjourn at an
early date, as the high rollers were be-
ing killed off rapidly. The key to this
rambling chat must not be taken as in
dicative OF the fact that a majority of
the state lawmakers are given to dec
Grating the town after the gas lamps
have supplanted the gariSh light of day,
but it is nevertheless true that a few of
the temporary residents of the capitol
city are given to viewing the night side
of city life asSidnouSly, but when re-
turned to the bosom of an admiring
constituency in. afeW weeks, will doubt
less be unable to distinguish the jack of
clubs from an Alaska diamond.
The st. Paul street Arab is an original
genius any way you take him, and Occa-
sionally gets off good thing, even if he
does faint it with with SOupcOn of
RabelaiS. a case in point is found in
the following conversation which took
place-yesterday afternoon on University
avenue. A climber employed by the
telephone company was hanging
on by pair of doubtful
looking spikes to somewhat
decayed pole OH which he was at work.
AT the base of that same pole, his arms
wrapped around it, stood diminutive
specimen of the Shoeblack species, who
; gazed at the man above linn, apparently
deeply interested in the proceeding.
The man aloft was not any too sure of
his position and didn't want to fall OIL
the boy so he shouted out:
look out there, kid. If fall you'll
get hurt"
The resourcetui Juvenile, not in the
least disconnected by the possible contin-
gency, replied in Shrill treble:
by gracious, mister, SOIL you."