The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-20
STORIES FROM THE STREET
Tales and Incidents Picked Up in the
By-Ways of Indianapolis.
Renaissance of an Election Bet on Illinois
Street-Car Compsnys Coli Assurance
Football with "Razzer."

of the firm of A. Klefer IL Co., is DOW tell
ing good story on himself that is enjoyed
not only by every body else. but by him.
self because he is good natured and can ap-
preciate a joke. For some reason or other
Mr.. Schmidt was earnestly opposed 10 the
denomination of President HARRISON, and
after the news had arrived that he had
been renominated the matter was one even
ing being discussed by several members of
the Columbia Club. A dozen or more were
sitting around at the club, and after Mir.
Schmidt had expressed his views about
the nomination In decided terms he all at
once startled his hearers by Offering to
wager 500 even that Harrison would not
carry Illinois. Ii was then o long time be-
fore the elt etiOn and almost every Repub-
lcan considered it sure thing that ILL
nois IN a presidential year was decidedly
Republican In its tendencies. Alter re-
covering somewhat from their surprise and
being assured that Mr.. Schmidt meant
what be had said Harry Bennett accepted
the wager. Things went merrily on until
close upon the Columbus-day celebration
In this city. Billy Scbimdt was a member
of q committee appointed To solicit funds
for defrayIng the expenses of the celebra-
ton. and among the gentlemen upon whom
he called for a contribution was Mr.. Ben
nett. by that time his ardor had some
what cooled and he wasn't so sure that llli-
nos would 20 Democratic. The subscrIp-
ton he asked from Mr.. Bennett was SIS.
''Pll tell you what will do" said
Dir. Bennett. Il don't want To rob
you. aud il you care TO put me down for O
subscription to the Co.
lumous-day fund and pay 1t yourself will
declare our bet off,"
This was an easy way of getting out of a
serious predIcament and. as he thought,
rave Ss5, so Mr.. Schmidt swiftly accepted
Mr. Benefits proposition. For month
or two he W as In the enjoyment OF perfect
happiness. but when the returns came in
aud he WAS assured that Illinois had gone
Democratic sure enough he figured that he
was Sl25 out and has since been incons0l-
able.
Another election bet to which Mr.
Schmidt was party was with Thomas
Taggart. The latter wagered that Claude
Matfhewss plurality in Marion county
would be 500, and the stake was suit of
clothes and sn OvercOat. One evening
after the election Schmidt met Taggart and
said:
Tom. would il have made any difference
If Matthews's plurality in this county had
been 79S instead of S13f"
YEA said Dir. raggarr. 1T would have
made considerable difference 20 me-" Mr.
Matthews's plurality was Just Sl3, and that
Is why Mr.. Schmidt considers that the
Democratic chairman was born under q
lucky star. =
There seems to be no end to the cold as
surance of the street-car company. few
days after the election an enthusiastic
young Republican of the South Side was
coming mp town IN VirRinin-avenue car
Standing on the rear platform the young
man was engaged in political discussion
with the conductor As the discussion
waxed warm another young man standing
on the platform clipped in ocea-
sioriy with remarks intended To
be sarcastic. Young man No.
paid no attention 10 the. remarks of No. 9
until they were made personal. when he re-
sented them. The discussion then shifted
from the conductor and yonng man No. TO
the twoyoung men. No. 2 very modestly
Informed No. that he was ID liar.
The two then embraced. The next minute
the glass in one of the rear windows OF the
car was lying upon the platform in small
pieces. and before another minute passed
second window was without glass.
The conductor gently assisted the PAIR
oil the car just as it was going
upon the viaduct and the car rolled on,
leaving the two clawIng the air. After the
battle young man \ o. took an inventory
OF damages sustained. ami found that in
add tion 10 pair OF swollen lips he had a
broken watch and three slight cuts in his
best suit. he had about recovered from
the shock when he received a bill from the
streer-car company, demanding Sl.04
In payment for the windows broken.
The way that young man perspired under
the collar, for few moments. was astonish-
ing. In describing his feelings he said, Il
had TO stand on my head TO retain my mem.
bership in the church" He very prudently
listened to the advice of friends, however.
and restrained himself from doing any
thing rash. After his nerves had qnieted
somewhat be answered Mr.. Frenzel and
declined TO remit. as requested. lnasmueh
be had not been furnished protection on
the car, he also sent FrenZel an itemized
hill demanding a m dan
ages S2-75 for repair of watch, so cents for
repair of clothing. and s. for repair OF IN
iured lips. Up 10 date he has not heard from
Mr. Frenzel, but Is awaiting a remittance
from him. =
In one of the overall factories in this
city is employed ,girl who is q regular
"Old Hickory Democrat. Long before
the election she tackled a picture of Cleye-
land on the wall behind her machine, and
when her work grew tiresome she was ac-
customed to acquiring renewed energy by
surveying the likeness of her idol In the
same factory were some young men of diff
ferent political affiliations. The picture,
being the only one IN the factory. seemed
out of place. and they on several occasions
removed ir during the girls absence. After
this had occurred several times the girl ap-
pealed to her employer to have 1t stopped.
The employer requested the young men not
10 tnOio3t the Picture. dnO IL WAS not dis
tnrbed by them afterwards. As the elec-
ton drew near. however. the girl began to
grow uneasy for fear her fayorite would be
defeated. The Saturday afternoon pre-
ceding the election. before quitting
work. she was noticed by some of
the girls taking down her picture.
she was asked the cause for tins, and re-
piled: well. he might not be elected, and
then the boys would make fun of me, so |
am going 10 take the picture down and
hide il until after the election and pre-
tend that the boys have stolen 1t again If
he is elected can put IL back and pretend
that Just found It,"
Early Wednesday marning the picture
was back In place.
Some people seem to be born under lucky
stars. aud this as often applies TO newsboys
as to any other class of people. The other
evening when the sidewalks on Washing
ton street were crowded. a man dressed IN
a red suit was wheeling another along in a
wheelbarrow. TO the immense edifcation OF
q crowd of street gamins. who were guylng
him. All at once be dropped the handles of
the wheelbarrow. and Jumping savagely at
the nearest boy. q little fellow. grabbed
him and hurled him 10 the ground directly
in front of a rapidly-g going team hitched to
hack. lie was roo late for the boy 10
crawl aside. The horses were upon him IN
an instant and TO the crowds on the side
walks who looked with bated breath IL
seemed that the poor child would be
crushed TO death. The driver did his best
Ing. Not for moment did the boy lose his
IN N is