The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-16
BATCH OF SHORT STORIES
Brief Tales and Incidents Picked Up in
the Byways of Indianapolis.
Chicken Fights on the s%Iy-Bound to Repay
the Niekel-smsll Boys DisappOint-
ment-Ofering Thanks


There is q rather gay lot of firemen down
atthe No. 10 hose company'shouse. corner OF
Illinois and Merrill streets. aud 1t is q mat
ter OF history among the members of the
department that more real. genuine sport
goes on at the little house located in the
midst of the quiet Hebrew neighborhood
than at any other quarters In the city. In
the company is Tony O'Hers. who was
knocked all TO pieces ia the Van Camp fire,
but who Is yet as iuli of good-Darured mis-
chief las q dog is OF fleas." in the ~vernaoular
of the department. Tony has an able ally
In the shape of Jim Madden. the recognized
society nan of the entire department.. and
they are substantially backed by Jack
O'Brien.
There IL ono man in the department who
looks on this trio with dark suspicion. and
withoutdoubt he has excellent cause. AS
sisfsnt Chief Barrett is an ardent chicken
~fsncier. and his po%ultry-yard next door 10
the house is fairly running over with the
finest varieties of game chickens. In the
rear lives n good old Irish gentleman whom
the boys address as People" Ward, and
who also owns q number of rare old hight
ers- "Poppie" and the assistant chief have
long been fast friends, but it is said there
Is great danger of an estrangement now.
ali on account of n series OF
early morning Jokes by OHara.
Madden and OBri-iI. One night last
week Barrett brouSnt home q biooded
game cock. which be carefully locked in
the coop. That night. when the boys re-
tired, there was o deal of whispering, and
about 4 o'clock IN the morning three dark
robed figures stole from the ping apart
.-A-a .- into ~ UnEd I.InH - A IA~
minutes there was u frightened cackle in
Bs-rettis chicken lot. and about the same
time a similar sound emanated from Pop
pie" Wards barn yard. Then there was a
brew notion poddler across the street was
awakened by a series of sounds that led
him TO believe the tens were giving a ban
quet.
poultry yard two hours later he wondered
II he was not standing on the scene OF q re-
cent bloody battle. and the sight of his
nfteen-dollar game chicken. battle SCARED,
shorn Of plumage and hopping about on one
leg. assured him that be had not erred. The
battle had been fierce. as "Poppie" Wards
fav0rite lighter could also bear witness.
At breakfast the boys were as innocent as
childhood and the suspicious which had
begun to gather IN the chiefs breast were
dispelled. He bsndaged mp his chicken
and spent the balance of the day admins
terInR arnlcs. but the next morning the
boys enjoyed another and more spirited
hight between the wounded Ramesters, and
were unfortunately caught In the act. Bar
rett has since set mp all night watching his
chickens, and "PoDpie" threatens TO sue
the city. +
The financial transactionsof many women
are conducted after o plan which the mind
of the average man linda difficult of COM
prehension. Debt rests upon their minds
with Q weight that is apt TO be in inverse
1T q - - ---1-.1 ~.
weighs az heavily upon their consciences
as s.. but when the obligation mounts into
the hundreds. or goes entirely past their
power of liquidation. the burden becomes
light as summer slr ana they cast il
EsIde iauntily. 1t is IN small mat
tiers. however. that their peculiarities are
most noticeable. Men make merry over
their ways at the soda fountains. and the
fashion of half q dozen OF them walking TO
the counter upon the suggestion Of one and
taking @ Dutch treat"-each paying for
her own glass. Their fashion of disputIng
over the question as to which shall pay the
fare when two or three are gathered to-
Rether" on the cars has also served to Doint
many jests. But there is q phase of the
matter that has escaped the critical mascu-
line attention. These same women who
may accept tickets, AZ candy, and car
fare. and lunches at the hands of men with
no oppressive sense of obligation whatever,
have q very different feeling when another
woman pays the bill. For some mysterious
reason they cannot bear to be indebted to
other women. What do You think of
thisf" said q well known Indianapolis
lady q day or two ago. Il was
en- an Illinois street car and next
arms and q shopping-bag full of packages.
The conductor was coming and she was
about to lay down her bundles aud explore
the depths of her bag for q nickel, so TO
save her rrouble l paid her fare. She
thanked me and 1 thought nothing more
OF IL till this evening. when her servant
came to my door and handed me 5 cents
which Mrs. said she owed me. For q
moment / felt ~dreadfully insulted. and
was on the point of sending ba ok n sharp
message, but / reflected that she probably
meant no offense. But IL she had paid my
fare i never would have dreamed of return
ing it. and what would she have thought
Of met. And Just think of one man send
ing a message To his neighbor 70 pay n s.
cent street car debt, Certainly we women
are rum cEseturs.'
Last Tuesday night Senator Magee, the
Cass county statesman. was in the city on
A~little matter of business. and found time
TO talk q few minutes with u friend at the
Bates. MIR. MsRee was in q talkative mood.
which may seem rather strange to those
who Know him intimately, and. while CON-
fortsbly reviewing q column of cigar smoke
ofck uis hcdu, salu scveEhl tnlng5. anu, 10
his dIffident way. made q few estimates
casually. liz was in the interesting part
of an icy bit of refreshment that
the witty little man observed, with
resonant smack of the lips.
that the drink was about as cold
as an original Cieyelander. Speaking OF
the original Cleveland man, be- resumed,
with q retrospective air. reminds me of a
little play that took place one time in a
game eminent for is circle of distinguished
participants think was about the only
man IN the seance who had not acquired
something of q national reputation as q
statesman and an opener of brilliant Jack
ers.' The play came VI like this: The deal
had passed twice around. with n CORE.
spending surpiue in the TREASURY of paper
and current coin. - b passed, s.
III hesitsted. l. p G. dropped
out utterly. and. 10 the surprise of every
body. C. -. the dealer. opened the
pot with q flourish. s. Nj railed. a,
did I|P@G-. Cards were drawn,
and the betting began. c. s. had
not helped his hand. but bet It TO the limit
s. NJ and = P c. &C once
made q proposition TO save stakes. Their
s. Ne called. and 10. IL p c.
saw the first stab and went the limit again.
Things began 10 get interesting when c.
s. came back with the limit raise, with
S-M- trailing and Uncle l. P
c. again rushing to the limit. and. fore
ing G. s. to the ropes. he called
The hands. when spread to the table