Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-22
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
There's Time for. Plenty of Winter Yet-A
Cold Day for n Poker Player.

"PERHAPs a repetition of the winter of
1856 is in store for u.s." said Pittsburger
with long memory yesterday. "1n the au-
tumn of 1856 l remember the weather kept
warm, and even sumfner-like, and winter didn't
put In an appearance when the calendar called
for it. Building proceeded without Interrupt
tion till after Christmas, but about the begin
ming of the year 1855 frost and snow descended
upon us, and for three solid months there was
good sleighing. I remember seeing Captain
Schenley, who spent that winter here with his
wife, swell around in four-horse sleigh, while,
by the way of contrast, old Jim Parke, who, of
course, was one of the most important citizens
in this community then, rigged up crate as
sleigh, and drove all over town in it."
THE fall of snow in Pittsburg seems to have
been strangely less than that noted only few
miles outside the city limits At a spot not
more than five miles from the Pittsburg post
Office the snowfall by actual measurement was
AZ inches, and at another place less than 20
miles distant from Pittsburg, though in Beaver
county, know by painful experience that the
snow was not less than five inches deep.
This variation in the depth of snow after a
storm so general In its character seems a trifle
peculiar. There was no high wind to drive it
into drifts, either.
Il
the weather, have you observed the delicious
lucubrations of the Signal Service bureau for
the last Gu hours? On Sunday morning the
United States weather prophet bade US expect
generally fair and warmer weather, and yester-
day morning. with snow falling, the CHEEKY in
timation from the same quarter that we should
have clearing weather was equally accept
able
*x*
PHIL DwYER, the toll-taker at the Point
Bridge over the Monongahela river, has had
any number of queer experiences with pas
sengers, but one of the funniest came to him a
few weeks ago during the Christmas holi-
days.
A good many country folk from this and
Washington county get of the Panhandle
trains and cross into Pittsburg by the Point
bridge, and most of them are prone 20 chat
with Mr.. Dwyer as they pay their toll One
DAY shortly after Christmas a Washington
county farmer came to the tollgate in the
morning After remarking what unseasona-
BILE weather it was the old farmer became con-
fidentlal and informed Mr.. Dwyer that he had
Just given his wife the slip and sent her home
to Little Washington, so that he might enjoy
day in town.
'When was lad could play a tidy stiff
game of poker" said the old man. "and I've
got S75 which l mean to double before go
home tonight if can find anyone to play with
in Pittsburg."
Then the old man passed on across the
bridge.
That night Mr.. Dwyer, according to custom,
went to the other end of the bridge, the Pitts
burg end that is, and at very. late hour the
same old farmer. with WEAKNESS and pain
written in his clothes as we'll as his counte-
nance presented himself. There was no need
of explanation; it was quite clear that the old
farmer and his s75 had parted company.
kin you lend men s5?' the old man said
piteously to the toll-keeper, "them players in
Pittsburg are too durn smart for me!'