The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-20
SOME TALES OF THE TOWN
Good Short Stories and Incidents Picked
Up in Highways and Byways.
Governor Hovey's Weakness for Ties and Lin.
en- Adventure with q Burglar-Alsrm--
Cultivated SymphCny-AC Cake Of Soap.

Governor Hovey had few weaknesses
as to his personal attire, as all men have
who pretend to look clean and neat all the
time. He was very particular as to his
white necktiea He almost always wore
she white string tie. and bought them In
lots of twenty-five, or two boxes at time.
II tie looked the least bit soiled or
creased. OF had even the appearance OF BE-
ingw too long whether any visible signs
of service existed or not. of would come the
the tie aud new one would take JUS place.
He kept q box of them In the top drawer OF
his desk at the State house, and often he
was seen standing up In front or the mir
rored wardrobe with his chin pointed sky
ward, putting on fresh tie. lie used TO
often call upon his messenger. otto. to
assist him. lotto. come here and tie this
internal rag." he would say; or. Otto, back
yourself mp against that door and keep
the visitors out until L get this tie on
straight"
The late Governor was equally scrupu-
Ions about all his linen. Hrs collars and
shirt bosoms were immaculate, and his
handkerehiefs were stiff from the laundry.
On the latter there could always be de-
tected a faint odor of perfume. Just
mere delicate suggestion. enough to render
the aroma it gave deli Oh tful to the nostrils
it penetrated. White rose " as bis favorlte
extract, and those who have sat beside him
at his desk when he opened the top drawer
may have CHANGED to see u small bottle
lying in the corner It has been said that
the use of perfume nowadays Is IN indica-
tion of considerable weakness, but OF so
with men OF the old school. so to speak
With them il il delightful, if not carried
TO excess. !
An Indianapolis woman tells a singular
story OF q recent adventure with an elec-
tric bell.
II went out in the North End" she said.
Ito call upon friend of mine. who had
promised me black kitten. Black cats
are very stylish for literary folks Just now.
aud / wanted TO secure one. When the
house was reached 1 touched the button of
the electric door-bell and waited to be adj
mitted. The bell went OF with a terrific
CHATTER. but nobody came. 1 waited rea-
sonsble length of time for the bell to stop
ringing. but it still kept on. People were
passing, and they looked ut me and
looked at the door, OF course
hearing the racket. and so much
went round the house. Knocked at the SIDE
door and then at the kitchen-door. but
could not arouse any one. The house was
evidently without occupants. Then went
round in front again. and found the bell
still carrying on for dear life,
people still passing, and every body
Though shook the door and ratified the
button, the bell wouldn't listen to reason,
+ but iingled away at a dreadful rate. had
e. half mind TO call the police or turn In q
hre-alarm. but finally got out the gate and
hurried down the street. feeling like per-
1ect fool and leaving the bell still changing
away like demented thing. OF course.
could hardly sleep that night, for fear the
bell would warm up the door and set my
friends house on tiIe; but she deserves
something for letting loose bu rglar-a larms
on her nnsuspecting friends. and didn't
get the black cat after ALL"
+
The other day large wagon drawn by
four horses and filed with n certain popu-
lar brand of soap went about the city. The
soap was thrown q cake into each yard. as
an advertisements and the gift was gener-
ally received with favor. In one instance,
however. this was not the case. Two fam
lilies occupying double house were on bad
terms with each other. The mother of one
family had forbidden her offspring to play
with the children of the other side of the
fence. and on two or three occasions in
very high soprano had announced so that
the housewife next door heard without
difficulty that her children shouldn't as
sociate with such q dirty SET"
1t was shortly after this that the soap
wagon came along. soap was thrown into
every yard, and the warning families each
got cake. When the woman who had
been accused of q partialty for dirt saw
the cake in her yard she was furious with
indignation, taking it as a matter of course
that lt had been thrown over by the neigh
Dor TO emphasize her opinion of q few days
before
The mean thingi" she exclaimed with
tears of rage rolling down her cheeks. and
over the fence went the soap. back to the
supposed giver. The story got ont IN the
HeighbOrhood. and has occasiOned great
amusement. +
Ayoung lady OH Clifford avenue. it seems.
has developed for her dog that rare affec-