St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-08


the dure list opened it an seed he had
big white collar an big book undher
his arem, an of coorse | shut the dure
an off he whit. Do you think I'd be
SIGH a fool as to let him take my sin
sus?"
In an adjoining tenement sat big
German woman with half dozen chill
dren around her. The moment | spoke
she jumped up:
Zach! Got in Himmel, you dot odder
mann are, is it? Was wollen Zie nun?
Fragen? Nein. not questions more. See
mein gut mann. Vat for we no disease
here"
She was apparently angry at being
asked about chronic diseases, and was
under the impression that "chronic"
meant something criminal.
An. enumeration, in fashionable divls-
ion, ran against the icy exterior of a
particularly lordly turnkey, and is still
suffering from the shock. When the
enumerator rang the door bell this
turnkey answered the door. The in
slant he set eyes upon the census man,
with his schedule and tablet in his
hand, he stiffened perceptibly, and
awaited his business in contemptuous
silence. To the question if the head of
the family was at home, he replied
shortly: mo" The erumerator then
inquired for some of the rest OF the
family, and met with the same answer.
Duly impressed by the demeanor of
the turnkey, the enumerator next
asked him to fill out the blank and add
his own history to it. The turnkey
looked doubtful, but finally took the
schedule in his hand and began to read
the list of questions. AS he read down
it. for the first time in many years
change passed over his countenance,
and in an angry voice he said: Young
man, your himDudence deserves to get
you your 'ead punched; the hidea of
daring to ask me hif [ am black or
white and low many children hi am the
mother Of" With this he slammed the
door in the face of the aStonished emu
merator, who wondered at the density
of the ignorance that could so cOnStrue
the questions.
There were many places where l ac-
compared the enumeratOr, and noted
that he was very we'll received. In our
peregrinations we struck maiden lady.
Good afternoon, gentlemen; walk
in. Census, l suppose; but you don't
catch me answering any questions I'M
less | want to. / own my own house.
and it isn't mOrtgaged, either, and it
don'tmake any difference how old am;
not that | care who knows it, but as
long as | pay my taxes don't see what
right the United States government has
to come prying into my affairs, even ii
but perhaps you aren't census folks,
after all?
ayes, ma'am," replied my companion,
II am a census enumeration" Then
there was pause. Here was spin
ster. evidently. She was neatly at
tired in loose-ftting garment, somber
in color. and had the regulation cap
and curlS" peculiar to s'old maids" She
was sixty if she was day.
madam" at last began the enumera-
tor, ''We know that it is none OF our
business, but you see we must do our
1uty."
Indeed" she replied, with lofty sar-
casm. "Well, go on with your duty;
what do you want to know?"
"Your name is?'
"Miss - she replied.
married." asked the lnquisitor.
Married" she almost shrieked.
"when ] tell you that l am Miss --.''
pardon me" replied the enumerator,
growing more and more confused.
"Any chi. oh. no; no, of course
not. IL mean you own the house, you
say?'
Eyes. do, and it isn't mortgaged
either" she snapped.
"Now, madam, am compelled to ask
you howl, er, you see. | must put
down some figure, and besides, no one
will Sc it, So"
This was about as far as the enumer-
ator could get. "He wants to know
your age, madam" said i. The enum-
orator looked his gratitude at me, but
the spinster scowled. II positively will
not tell my age to any one," she an
swered testify; and then she launched
forth into another TRADE, the same as
before.
"Wen," responded the enumerator,
with a master stroke of bravery, Il
must put down some figure. so, if you
won't tell me, down it goes"
Put it down then, for all l care, "she
replied. AS we were about leaving the
house the ancient maiden only asked to
be shown the slip. No, madam" said
the imperturbable enumerator, "this is
now my affair."" and we left the house
The villain had put her age down as
sixty.
This is the light side of the enumer-
ator's lot. The least said about the
dark side the better. A VICTIM.