The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-10-29
MAKING BOTH ENDS MEET.
The Method Adopted by an En-
terprising Telegraph Operator.
uow He Compelled the Western Union to
lsy Him = Handsome Sslary-Th
Importance Of Being Well
Dressed at All Times.
Special Washington Letter.

Special Washington Letterl
Standing upon the sidewalk opposite
the treasury, replying to n compliment
concerning his personal appearance, one
Of the ablest newspaper men in this
country said:
NO compliment pleases me better
than one concerning my neatness in
dress. I'm almost feminine enough to
be called a Miss Nancy on that score.
Ever since my early bovhood ! have
taken pride in having my face clean,
my shoes polished. my finger nails
trimmed and my hair well brushed. !
believe that no little of my success in
life is due 10 my habits Of neatness and
cleanness. II may be called fad, but
I'm proud of it anyway"
"Nhat reason have you for ascribing
success to such an accomplishments
We'll. I'll tell YOU. he said. Some
years ago started out from Cincinnati
with stercopticon and lot Of views.
for the purpose Of giving exhibitions in
country towns. OF course, like all san
g1linc young men. | expected to coin
money and grow rapidly rich. iou can
imagine. better than | can describe.
how humiliating and shocking it was to
me to find the people SD unappreciative.
] gave about a dozen performances to
slim audiences, and finally left my en-
tire outfit with a hotel keeper who took
il in lieu Of board bill which was
unable to pay. was about hundred
miles from home, but, being a telegraph
operator it was not difficult for me to
travel on q first-class passenger train
with one Of the conductors whom l
knew. When ] reached Cincinnati l
was absolutely penniless; but | had
dozen handsome suits of clothes, two
dozen shirts, as many collars and pairs
year and couple of pairs of patent
leather shoes. Fortunately | had not
taken all Of my goods and chattels with
me. or the landlord might have taken
them and given them to his son with
which to appear in good country So
cicty."
You readily found employment, l
presume
''On the contrary did not look for
employment. Everybody knew me, and
l should have been laughed and gnyed
Olt of town If had indicated that l
was hard up and needed work, after
leaving town with such Il splurge. Re-
sides, had no desire to sit down at
telegraph key in midsummer and work
for fifteen dollars per week. My land
lady rented me room for five dollars
per month, and was willing to wait un-
Gil took q long rest before going to
work. She knew me, and believed that
would pay her in good time. Well,
had good room, and ate my meals at
free lunch counters. Occasionally ac-
ccpted invitations to dine with my
friends, always indicating that had
other engagements aud that my time
was pretty well taken up. In short, I
went around Cincinnati all summer,
dressed like prince and looked like
one OF the most successful business
men in town. OF course such life cam
not last long. and the young man who
expects to live forever OH his wits ulti-
matcly reaches the end of his string. I
had no such intention; but determined
TO take my own time about seeking en-
plOyment realized that whenever
man commences to whine about bad
luck. or allows his trousers to get
fringed in such manner as to provoke
the insinuation that they arc getting
run down ut the heel that every mans