The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-24
MAKING BOTH ENDS MEET.
The Method Adopted by an En-
terprising Telegraph Operator.
How Ho Compelled tho Western Union to
Pay Him N Handsome Sainry-The
Importance Of Being Well
Dressed Mt All Times.
Especial Washington Lettor.1

Standing upon the sidewalk opposite
the treasury, replying to compliment
concerning his personal appearance, one
of the ablest newspaper men in this
country said:
mo compliment pleases me better
than one concerning my neatness in
dress. Pm almost feminine enough to
be called Miss Nancy on that score.
Ever since my early boyhood I have
taken pride in having my face clean,
my shoes polished, my finger nails
trimmed and my hair we'll brushed. l
believe that no little of my success in
life is due to my habits of neatness and
clcanness. 1t may be called fad, but
I'm proud of it anyway"
"What reason have you for ascribinc
success to such an accomplishments"
swell, I'll tell you,"' he said. Some
years ago started out from Cincinnati
with stereopticon and lot of views,
for tho purpose of giving exhibitions in
country towns. Of course, like all SAN
guine young men, / expected to coin
money and grow rapidly rich. You car
imagine, better than can describe
how humiliating and shocking it was to
me to find the people so unappreciative.
gave about Il dozen performances to
slim audiences, and finally left my en-
tire outfit with hotel keeper who took
it in lieu of board bill which was
unable to pay. / was about hundred
miles from home, but, being telegraph
operator, it was not difficult for me to
travel on first-class passenger train
with one of the conductors whom l
knew. When l reached Cincinnati
was absolutely pcnnilcss; but l had Il
dozen handsome suits of clothes, two
dozen shirts, as many collars and pairs
of cuffs, enough necktics to last for IL
year and II couple of pairs of patent
leather shoes. Fortunately 1 had not
taken all of my goods and chattcls with
me, or the landlord might have taken
them and given them 70 his son with
which to appear in good country So
ciety."
"You readily found employment,
presume?''
ION the contrary did not look for
employment. Everybody knew me, and
should have been laughed and guyed
out of town If had indicated that 1
was hard up and needed work, after
leaving town with such n splurgc. Be
sides, had no desire ito sit down Mt n
telegraph key in midsummer ana work
for fifteen dollars per week. Ny land
lady rented me :n'room for five dollars
per month, and was willing to wait I'M
TIL took n long rest before going to
work. She knew me, and believed that
dsvould pay her in good time. Well,
had;a goodroom, and ate my meals at
tree lunch counters. Occasionally ac-
ceptcd invitations to dine with nv
friends, always indicating that had
other engagements and 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 Il life can
mot last long, and the young man who
expects to live forever on his wits ulti-
mately reaches the end of his string.
had no such intention; but determined
ITO take my own time about seeking en-
ployment 1 realized that whenever n
imam commences to whine about bad
luck. or allows his trousers to get
fringed in such a manner as to provoke
the insinuation that they are getting
run down at the heel;' that every mans