The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-10-08
AS 4 WAS SAYING.

City Clerk w. +. Clarke and Ex-City
Clerk Henry V. A ,IQslin met in the corri-
dor of the City Hall the other day.
Il was just thinking, enry," said the
Years ago, when the old City Hall was in
its glory, and was boy, i had con-
tract TO furnish two barrels of shavings To
the City Hall every day. / carried them
upstairs and put them in the bin, which
you must remember. That was when
City Messenger Sheridan was in office.
How stiifly he stalked about! / was am
bilious then and was bound 10 get those
shavings there.
"One day did not find enough shavings
in my fathers carpenter shop, so j took "a
jack-plane and trimmed them off board
on the work bench. When the old gentle
man came home he said "Who planed
off that board, William ?"
:" did" replied.
"Well, it's lucky you told the truth
about il, he said.
$50 your father was carpenter, too"
said Mr.. Joslin. My father was have
often thought of the fact that the first and
fourth city clerks were in the lumber bust
moss. | left that business when | was
about 81 ana staid in the city hall thirteen
years. When you have been here as long
as | was you will be ready to retire"
Yes, suppose shall, replied the city
clerk.
As the colored gentleman polished my
shoes, he hummed this refreshing ditty:
r skeetie an e bedbug KEEP hotel,
Listen 10 my tale of woe.
An wen e folks come erlon' 'ey done very
Listen TO my tale Of woe.
But all e folks Fey thought 'ey was in =.
Listen TO my tale OF woe.
How does the little blind man who plays
r al 4.
/ never knew till the other night as |
passed him, he seemed to feel around in
his pocket for something. Finally he
pulled out piece of pasteboard with a
sign painted on it which read:
Please put me on an
Olneyville car.
Stop at Valley street.
This he fastened on his hat and waited
stood by his side until an Olneyville car
happened along and put him aboard. The
last j saw of him as the car went along
was as he carefully removed the sign from
his nat aud put it in his pocket.
The abiect nature of some of the foreign
ers who come 10 this country was well
illustrated at the City Hall the other day
A very ignorant looking American went
i,.to the Office of the commissioner of pub
lie works and stood two or three hours at
the railing Nobody could tell what he
wanted Finally the superintendent of
streets came in.
"Do you know what this man wants q"
asked the commissioner
The superintendent looked at the fellow
and became indignant He had hired HIM
10 sweep the streets ana he had gore away
and left his work several times. He told
him, or made him understand in some
way, that if he did il again he " uld dis
charge him. IL was reported and then
Al I'LL I.. Ian l.,.t
of returning Mr.. Field told him 10 20 70
work and the fellow thought he was order
ing him away. He ran up TO the superin-
tendant and knelt down, touched his hands
to his lips and then touched the superin-
dents feet. The clerks had never seen
such abject humility and were affected
with mixture Of 9musement and CON
thing funny about IL.
Perhaps librarians are tormented by people
who are always seeking some new thing" but
how such simple-m,nded individual as this
could keep successful library Is a mystery I
me.
A lady entered his shop one day and in.
quircd by name for several new books. He
hemmed and hawed, and finally confessed he
hadn't got them.
But" said he, II have book here that.is
quite new and Just as good"
She waited eXpectently, and he brought
forth proudly a copy of "rhe bamplghter."
Good gracious" she laughed, 'is that the
newest thing you've got1 Why. that book
was old when my mother was q little girl"
lie looked crestfallen. and rather indig-
nant
"Hav'nt you % list of what new books you've
gotY'' asked the lady.
II hav'nt got any new books, ms'am," re-
piled the librarian, apologeticslly; but"
earnestly, I've got some splendid old ones
that are iust a. good resdin'."