Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23
THE STROLLER'S STORIES.
Odd Observation. and Quaint Opinions From


Odd Observations and Quaint Opinions From
Curb aud Corridor.
Asst week Mr.. ]. B. Scott showed a promi-
nent member of the brewing interest
through the Carnegie Library building. The
| exquisite decorations were pointed out; the
| pictures and architecture minutely examined;
| but the man of watts seemed to appreciate all
this splendor very slightly. Mr.. Scott began to
| feel somewhat like Mark Twain's italian guide
when, as last resource, he escorted the brewer
| down the stairway into the immense cellars of
the building. Then the heart of the beer king
was tonched at last. His admiration burst forth
unrestrained. Great heavensP' he cried, ''what
a beautiful place to store beerr'
| THE crowds along Smithfield street during
yesterdays parade were as nearly impene-
| trable as it is possible for crowds to be. The
female portion of the erowd-which was main
| ly responsible for the block up, by the way
| proved very timorous in crossing before the
| advancing parade. Several ladies hesitated in
the middle of the causeway and the proVerbiaI
fate Of hesitating females became theirs. They
were swallowed up in the marching lines. to
| emerge later on with rumpled piumes and
inery awry. In one instance a clever police
! man assembled all the ladies at the corner of
| Seventh avenue in bunch, and then gave
| them the signal to charge. There was futter
| of SKIRTS a few shrill screams aud the cloud of
| light infantry swept across the track, under
| the very noses Of band of trampling horse
men.
MARTIN ]. FRANK, who lately fought and
fell in the Southside political fight. spoke
Of his overthrow in strikingly allegoricaI Ian
| guage yesterday. "Ah, yesI' he exclaimed, II
got in the soup. But the soup was only thin
stuff, and found myself able to swim. So I
padded round bit till I ran against some big
| leylathan Of the deep. 1t was Martin Shafer,
| and he was trying to keep atloat, too. 30 I
struck out for the side. and something nearly
swan down my throat caught it and held
it to the light. 1t was William w. Nisbetl Yes.
big and little; we were all in the flowing bowl
| together"
q T one point in yesterdays parade rather
painful incident was happily averted by
the presence of mind of those in command.
The United States mail wagon met the pro-
cession, and some young bloods in one of the de-
tachments thought that this wagon should give
way to the parade. like other conveyanees
along the line of march. Now the. United
States mail cannot be stopped, and the drivers
have orders to fire on anyone who arrests their
progress. Consequently when the parade re-
sisted their efforts to cross the street there was
some very hot language. At this moment an
elderly gentleman, apparently one of the mar
shals of the celebration, spied the scene from
afar. and cantered to the spot. He at once
commanded the obstinate lines to halt, which
they did with the best grace possible. Then
the mail wagon drove through, and the danger
was past
THE dignity Of q certain Marshal Of Parade
was somewhat disturbed yesterday by a
curious incident. He was nicely mounted on
prancing charger, which was recognized by
many in the crowd as former performer in a
well known travelling circus. The horse was
once really splendid animal. and still makes
remarkably good hack for show occasions. The
Marshal seemed proud of his mount, and
rested his hand on his left hip in the style of
military heroes. as they appear In war crromos.
Suddenly, however, the band in front struck
up Marching through Georgia" Then the
charger reared up on his hind legs,
and began to dance in a very live
ly fashion, to the very apparent dismay
of his rider. Everyone laughed, except the un-
fortunate marshal, and it was whispered
through the crowd that this was one of the
horses old circus acts. The dancing continued
until an old acquaintance Of the charger spoke
talismanic word from the sidewalk, when the
unexpected and uncomfortable waltz ceased as
quickly as it had begun. The discounted
marshal Immediately got possession of that
command and, it is to be hoped, used it with
success during the day, whenever the band
played Marching through Georgia"
THE occupants of two second floor Fifth ave-
nue. Offices yesterday practiced new sys-
tenn of telegraphy over the heads of the |
seething multitude to the no small qualification |
of the various onlookers At window on the |
left hand side of the street sat bevy |
of pretty maidens, while directly op- |
posite were ensconsced some five or six
stalwart specimens of PittSburg bachelorhood. |
A perfect understanding seemed to exist |
between the danes and their knights, for hand |
kerch1efse were gracefully futtered. jeweled |
fingers kissed, and a host of inexplicable sig |
nails exchanged between the parties. The oc-
casional appearance of an extremely inappro-
pirate paterfamilias on the ladies side, seemed |
to cause a suspension of operations for while. |
On these occasions the amatory youths seemed |
very intent upon the progress of the parade. |
But the moment paterfamilias disappeared, |
the teIegraphic code was once more put in
practice. At one point in the performance, an
occupant of the right-hand side office
tried to throw a bunch Of flowers to his
inamorata in the opposite office,
The bouquet fell short, however, to his great
chagrin and the enjoyment of his friends. An
impertiuent and unromantic ''newsie" caught
the flowers as they fell. and taking OFF his bat
tered hat, placed his hand over the region of
his heart and bowed to the unwilling donor.
The sequel of the telegraphy cannot be mar
rated. 1t is to be hoped that the gallant cava-
Iiers. plucked up courage enough to brave
paterfamiias, and cross to the charming OBJ
jects of their manifest affection.
AS A specimen of the power of yesterdays
l crowd the following fact may be noted:
A gentleman's new silk hat fell from one of
the postofice building windows into Smithfield
street. In the soft and gentle twilight the
owner found one section of the said hat at the
corner of Seventh avenue; another on the Dia-
mond alley crossing. and third, on which his
name had been inscribed, was picked up near
the Southside Market House at p. NJ.
THE STROLLER.