Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-16
A Fowl Invasion.

THE old Economics are not at all
reconciled to the innovations that are the
outward and visible signs of the new regime
in the old town. Anyone who is acquainted
with Economy knows how the chic kens
swarm in the streets. 1t is skillful driver
who can avo old clipping feather here and
there from tine crowd of ciucking hens, spry
pullets and dignified roosters scuttling
across the road under the feet of every horse
that passes: Even this glory OF Economy
is, to the mind of the ancient inhabitant,
tarnished by the tampering hands of the
new rulers. Said one of the few ancients,
who speak their minds freely, to me the
other day: 'Our very chickens were not
good enough Tor this man Duss and his
tribe. They had to bring in brood OF six
toed fowls, and our old f1ve-toed stand-bys
will be driven out l suppose before long,"
The interlOping intruders objected to are,
l believe, fowls Of the White Leghorn
variety.
But the visitor sees other changes in
Economy than tn Sc which affect the egg
supply and the dual dish OF chicken and
wafties. Perhaps the old garden attached
to the Rapp House shows most of all the in
vasion OF the modern spirit. The old tan
bark walks, whose Odor mingled not un-
pleasantly with the sweeter scents OF rose
and mignonette, are gone, and in their place
your shoes scrunch upon uncompromising
gravel. A new band stand makes a very
bold front in the garden. and the old pagoda
or summer house, ,encircled by the fish pond.
is glarinGly gay as q new coat OF paint and
goldleaf can make it. Most people who visit
Economy consciously or unconsciously
frame the thought that the old town in
the fitness of things should be allowed
to sleep; but poetry has not much of place
when the lazy on the silver dollar takes q
hand in the game. In the Old World there
might be some chance of economy sharing to
agreat extent the sound slumber of its
founders for all time; MOSES do not grow
well in this hustling land, and the hand OF
time is seldom allowed here to touch with
softening hand the ruins of the past.
A Scare Is Wholesome at Times.
-LoooKING at it on all sides, the late Ia
mented cholera scare did not little good.
Ii America comes no nearer the plague than
it did in September the cleaner streets. the
publication generally and the prospect of II
better water supply will be a comfortable
compensation Tor the "shakes." But it was
not until yesterday that found q man who
confessed positively that cholera had spclt
money to him. Perhaps it is the general en-
perience in the insurance business but it
was q leading agent in Pittsburg who said
yesterday: "It would be a providential
thing if some good, healthy bugaDoo would
make ugly faces at the nation once a year.
The majority of people need something like
the cholera scare to keep them in mind
that they are not immortal. You know no
body expects seriously to die soon, or at all
except as remote possibility. Nearly
everybody will admit cheerfully that ali the
rest O1 creation IS III danger OF SuQQen ueatn,
but the chief obstacle to the insurance man
is the ill-Iounded presumption of the million
that life is decided to them in perpetuity.
"But the cholera scare knocked the pin
ming from under peoples confidence whole
sale. 1t has been 80 to speak "a snap for tine
insurance man, and 1 venture to say that
more life insurance has been written
throughout the United States during the past
60 days than ever before in II like length OF
time, with possibly a few exceptions as to
How long the good effects of
the excursions and alarms incidental to the
scare will last don't know, but it looks if
they would continue at least as long as tie
and pure water movement"
Their Golden Virtue Terrified Him.
Nor long ago a large body of gentle
men who had been cured of the liquor habit,
and desired to revisit the scene Of their
filled a good sized special
train on the Pittsburg and Western. 1t had
not been proclaimed on the housetops that
the train contained q galaxy of reformed
drinkers, and not all the train hands knew
what kind of an excursion was on board
Soon after the train had cleared the maze of
tracks above Allegheny one of the colored
porters went to the conductor and asked
what kind Of people they were hauling to
Chicago
"Thev look like sports but they ain'tl" he
said. The absence OF TASKS, and the un- |
IOnted thirst of the whole party for ice |
water, convinced this colored philosopher |
that there was something uncanny about |
hem. lie was evidently relieved when the
conductor revealed the inwardness of the |