Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-18
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
A Delicate Hint is Sometimes Enicacious-
Lumber and the Weather.

A Delicate Hint is Sometimes Enicacious-
Lumber and the Weather.
A REVEREND gentleman, who lives in a
pretty little village in Ohio, last summer took
| it into his head that it would relax his soul and
repleuish his pockets and eke his larder to
| raise poultry. Consultation with Gel tain lay
| men of his congregation enabled him to pro-
| cure very select company OF chickens. A
hennery was erected and, contrary to all
| precedent, the preacher prospered in the cul-
ture of poultry.
But, after awhile, shrinkage in the little
| feathered flock became noticeable. 1t was only
too apparent that thief had been visiting the
hennery. My reverend friend watched and
discovered that the purloiner of his pullets was
a colored gentleman whose age and piety had
hitherto saved him from the least breath of
suspicion.
The next day the clergyman called upon the
colored brother and presented him with a
choice side of bacon, saying: "Now, George, I
hope you will enjoy this bacon, and want to
keep the rest of my chickens"
The hint was enough. The hen roost has
never been invaded since.
~
WHEN the story above related was told to
said: "Your story doctor, reminds me of an
other somewhat like it. An old farmer, who is
a neighbor OF mine, had his smokehouse
robbed regularly every winter, and though he
suspected a colored man who lives between his
house and mine he could never fasten the theft
upon him. Well, last fall, when he was butch
ering his hogs he called in this old darkey to
assist. Tom-that was the colored suspects
name-helped to kill and dress score of hogs,
and then the old farmer said to him: Now,
Tom, you can take one of these hogs home with
you on condition that you won't steal any of
my meat this winter
tom looked pleased at first, but as the con-
dition was laid down an expression of per-
plexity stole over his face. He seemed to be
figuring out hard problem. At last he said
slowly: We'll. mass'r, 1 knows Use losin'
pow'ful lot o. pork, but guess rll take de hog
an. call it squar'.'
Tom stuck to his compact, and the smoke
house was not robbed that year."
So
SENATOR MATHEW STANLEY QUAY not
only does not talk himself, but he takes extra
ordinary precautions against anyone talking
for him. The President-elect has made
reputation for himself in this line also,
but he hasn't been able to prevent his
son from talking little, as the latters speech
at Helena, the other day, very clearly showed.
Senator Quay's son is shrewd young man, no
doubt, but even he could not tell much about
his fathers plans or knowledge if he would. 1t
is said that when Senator Quay returned from
his much-discussed visit to Indianapolis, he ab-
solutely declined to talk about what he saw or
heard or did while under General Harrison's
roof. even when members of his own family
asked him the simplest questions.
Senator Quay believes that his own soul is
the best safe deposit vault in the world for
his secrets big and little.
sxs
A PITTsBURGER, who deals extensively in
lumber, said to me last night: '1f we don'thave
some snow pretty soon the lumber business is
going to suffer sharply. I've been all through
the Tidioute district and Warren and Forest
counties, trying to get the rigs for six gas
wells, and couldn't get a stick Of hemlock
anywhere. The lumber men are all waiting
for snow. They can move four logs on a sled
for every two that they can haul in summer
time, SO the lumber harvest naturally comes in
winter In such open weather as we've been
having hardly a log can be moved, and if winter
doesn't come soon in earnest you may expect
lofty prices for lumber. In the West the same
complaints are heard, though some logging has
been done in Michigan"