Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-09-24
CORRIDOR TALK.

'I have friend who is nrwspaper
man" said st. Louis drummer yester.
lay at the Picswick, "He is the editor
II a little bael.woods weekly, but he's A
shrewd one. One time he conceived The
idea of increasing his circulation, aud
to this effect he published in his paper
tlmt one years subscription would be
given free to the man bringing the largest
watermelon TO his office. the contest TO
close tLe month from date. Well, sir
wuterinelons begun to pour into his Office
and for awhile it begun to look us IL he
would have to rent storaliouse. He.
his devil and the only printer tried nobly
to consume the melons as fast as they
arrived but they golged themselves in
vain; the melons encronched on all parts
Of the office and II was evident crisis
had arrived. Well, that editor chartered
Il freight car. his devil was armed with
walcelbarrow, aud those melons were
taken from the back door as fast us they
came in through the front. They were
shipped TO 81. Louis, where my journalls-
tic friend told me they brought in nearly
500 at retail Made S69y you sayy Not
a bit of ii. No, indeed; no one got a
paper on account OF those, melons. You
see the size was TO be determined by
their weight, and IL 80 happcnded that
FIVE of there melons weighed exactly the
same, even to the ounce, and my friend
declined to send the paper to anyone be-
cause it would be unjust 10 the other
four. Did they kick Oh. no. 1t was
only melon from each man, and of
course no one felt disposed to begin
lawsuit over 50 small q matter Yes, sir,
II requires shrswdness TO prosper in this
world.
~ have begun to suspect that the
Worlds fair Is not as Dig as l had
thought it was" said gentleman at
the Mansion yesterday. II had thought.
and my friends who have visited it have
encouraged the idea, that 1t is as big
as all-out-doors Why have changed
my mind? Oh. just because a lady
friend of mine visited it short time
ago She was visiting friends In Chi
cngo, and something occurring which
prevented any of them accompanying
her that day. She determined she would
behold the wonders and curlosities OF
1.-THE plaisance by herself. Her hosts
house Is on Il street which lends by the
main entrance. and being told ii was
not very far. she decided to walk. We'll,
| walked. and | walked she said 10 me
In relating the matter. until thought
| would drop dead. But l could soc
notnnE 10 resemble lne, IaIT. lopheu w
both sides for u sign saying, Words
fair, but there was none. So finally
asked n lady, who happily was very
kind nnturcd where the fair was. Hou
passed i four blocks back. my dear she
said. Wei, ] was provoked, OF course,
hut I rctraced my steps and sure enough
there was the fair. No. sir, there's not
little tin sign there anywhere to tell
one when one reaches the gate; and
when one Is SO absorbed as | was in the
multitudes of attractions on Chicago's
streets, one needs big, glaring sign of
some kind
"There are very few cultivated farms
in Texas for sale these days said gem
tleman who lives near Temple at tho
! Pickwick last night. 'Thc fact Is the
| farmers of Texas come very near APP
| preclating the value of farm in this
state. This fact was very forcibly i'm
| pressed on me with Il little transaction
which occurred near my home few
| weeks ago. There IL an old childlcss
| farmer there, who. with his wife. owns
an ordinarily good Texas farm of 300
acres, but of which only 100 acres are
in cultivation. 4 short time ago a gen
tleman from the North came Into the
ncigh6orhood seeking farm. He was
| referred to this man as one, who on aC-
Wal said said the farmer when the
prospective purchaser broaehed the sub
ject to him, Il moight sell IL | got my
price. and then agin' | moighten't' The
farmer talked in this indeeisiye strain
for nearly an hour, when finally the
prospector, in his desperation, asked
what he would take. 4 can't tell said
the old man, but $40 an acre inoight get
| it, We'll. III give you $40 an acre,
quickly responded the prospector. Wal
returned the farmer, YOU come back
tomorrow. stranger, and III tolk 10 the
ole woman about 1t, Well the prospec-
tor returned the next day and the farm
er was just as undecided as ever. i
guess | can't take $40 an acre, said
The farmer the next day. i moight
| take $50 though III give you $50
and every dollar in cash. too replied the
woman said the farmer, and lie hobbled
off 10 consult his wife. He returned in
moment and burst out, L don't want
10 sell. nohOw,' and disappearing through
door left the prospector alone"
II don't think any of our vnboTn grand
children will live to,see tho capital mo u
from Washington said y gentleman Of
that city yesterday at the Pickwick,
That city is too ge,ind and beautiful to
be desecrated by the ran,oyal VI the
governmental seat. But this is aot the
reason why it won't be moved. The
governments properly there Is valued at
about Sl7O,00O,OJn. and the properly Of
private residents is about SlomhlUp
less than this OF course the 1sople of
this country will never consent 10 the
virtual destruction OF This property sllst
to get the capital nearer the center OF
population, This tals that Chicago wDuld
lie willing TO replace the buildings and
donate the ground is .Ibmlal. Of Gonrse
Chicago would like TO have the capitol.
but how could she replace ;he buiil.1gs?
Ii the Whole state of illinois We're 10
contribute, It would require apolt 500
from each man, woman and child y the
state 10 pay for the necessary bull iings,
or very near $500 per family. Thea of
course, there would be the immense ex-
pense of moving the goyernpent's portal
BILE. property. This would cost many
millions more"
Il have just come from a trip through
the states of Washington and orosOn,' =
said gentleman at the Rickwick yes
terday. Are they dead? As dead os
Caesar They are suffering from col-
Unused honm which. added 10 the hu "A