The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-03-09

II must produce q temporary stagna'lon o.
business, she will doubtless arise out OF hel
ashes stronger then before.
The Man About Town.
Tive very sweet young men entered
down town refreshment room not long ago
and, finding comfortable crowd IN
the place. decided to "have q time with
the proprietor Water is always furnished
with orders on al occasions, and when The
proprietor next entered the room, after
having waited upon them, he was requested
10 re. nil these glasses. This was nothing
unusual, and he readily compiled. His
back was hardly turned when they drained
the glasses, and, again catching his eye
called for more. BY this time every guest
in the house had penetrated the joke, and
the temperance of the proprietor, with
water, vas greeted with audible smiles
He dropped 10 the game instantly, and de
cided 10 paralyze the youths, should they
again trouble him. They did 50 at his
next entrance. He took their glasses snd
going forward lifted a twelve quart pail OF
ice water from the counter, carried II In
and deposited it on the table before the
Youths, setting the glasses alongside OF 1t
The tables were turned, and the howls Of
laughter that went up from that roomfull
of people were but the signals for the man
Of all work TO sweep their helpless forms
into the street.
There Is another one as equally well
pointed, which is told me concerning the
same refreshment man He was standing
In the forward part Of his store one day,
when a couple of country fellows entered
and purchased few bonbons for their
Oils. Being somewhat acquainted, and
he seemingly not over busy, they stopped
20 talk, and ever and anon punctuated their
remarks with liberal squirts of tobacco
Juice. A small lake began forming In the
center of the floor, and this refreshment
man, who is fesrfully neat about his per
son and store, began to grow apprehen I've
that he was 10 be drowned out. He could
not terminate the conversation in an abrupt
manner, for this would lose him their
custom, 80 he calmly walked TO the back
part of the room, seized large tobacco
pail, which he used as slop bucket, and
bringing 1t forward, set 1t down between
them. 1t nearly caused riot, but 1t saved
his floor, and that is just what he had
schemed II should do.
| spoke last week of my visit to John
and of how he managed to keep soul and
body together on four hundred and sixteen
dollars per year, | said that had visited
others also, and one of these was Henry
who has nm income of ten dollars per week
Henry has a wife and two chill rem. Both
board at home, and one is earning four and
the other three dollars per week. They
give their earnings to their father, which
makes his income seventeen dollars pei
week. Before this, however, when his in
come was but ten, Henry tells me that his
lot WAS not such hard one. He did not
live deliberately SirlOin steaks and pie
did not grace his daily menu. He pur-
chased house, re- modelled and painted It.
and otherwise improved the property, His
house was always clean when | entered It.
He had number of home comforts which
John did't have. His family, when he
went to church, were not richly clad. He
did not go to church He spent his Sun
days In making Improvements, spadiug his
garden, etc. He was economical to "A
marked degree, but not stingy In this
way he saved enough out of his ten dollars
per week TO buy and furnish his home,
Later, when his children began earning,
he has saved considerable money He will
never be rich, but | am sure that when he
dies he will have left an estate of sufficient
worth to keep his widow from want. |
will add that Henry never drinks and never
smokes cigars. "rhey are luxuries," says
he, land not for the likes of me-"
*.*
1t Is strange how neatly some people can
express thing, but some of us who don't
know what the word BdiDe means, do it
every day was In store where gum is
sold, on Saturday evening, and while stand.
ing against the cigar counter engaged in
with clerk, a big policeman
came In and called for gum.
1--WE got to let up on my tobacco, a lit
tie" said he apologetcally, "for am get.
ing so nervous that fellew would almost
think had been drinking
looked at him in quisical way, and
he went out without word.
called upon a county official the other
week and found him in fine frenzy. He
was picking up records, slapping them
down, and as each struck the table he fol-
lowed the bang II produced with an oath.