Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-11
NATIVE JEALOUsLY OF CHICAGO.
\ Quality in st. Louis People Easily
Turned to Advantage

\ Quality in St Louis People Easily
Turned to Advantage.
1t was at the depot in Syracuse, and
a number of us were waiting for ON
train. when a middle aged man. who
was lame and dilapidated. began tc
solicit aims, says a writer in the De
troit Free Press. He told some sort
of Il story about sickness. death, and sc
on. and about the third man he strucb
replied to him.
Look here, mister, can put you in
the way Of making q couple of dollars
in about five minutes
Heaven viii bless you if you will,
said the lame man.
Il don't want to be blessed. Do you
see that chap down the platform seat.
ed on his trunk
Il do
He's from st. Louis. Come over
here in the corner and I'll tell you how
to work him.
The two drew aside and, after three
or four minutes of private and con-
tidential' talk, the lame man limped
off down the platform and half Il doz-
en- of US followed on to witness the
performance
Il beg your pardon, sir" said the
lame man as he halted before the
other, but / am an unfortunate man.
Yes, the woods are full of EN-" was
the reply.
1T isn't my fault I lent my brother
$500 to go into business with in q place
way out west some where, called Chi
Chi Chicago. l think that is the name
of the town. Ever hear of it,"
I've heard there was such a place.
replied the St Louis man, but it may
have been a rumor. Here's quarter
to help you along"
Many thanks, sir. l was going to
tell you about my brother. Some one
told him that Chicago was a growing
village and that they were going to
move the county seat there. He went
into the grocery business. and what
dye think he did? Laid in a stock of
81 900 worth right on the start-a stock
big enough for town of 10000 people,
Did, Ell? I guess l can spare you
another quarter"
He might possibly have pulled
through, but it rained a good deal and
the farmers couldn't get into town for
the mud, and most everybody was trad
ing on store orders, and so the sheriff
closed him OUT
But didn't you save anything from
the Wreck?''
Not a dollar That is, haven't got
anything out of it yet 1 can't even
get a letter to my brother there
why not?'
I've written no less than four and
they all came back marked "misdirec-
ted" I've been trying for month
past to find out in what state Chicago
is"
Lets see,'' said the st. Louis man.
IF there is such a town, and L am
quite sure there is, it is in Indiana.
No, I'm wrong-must be illinois,"
why, [ have been directed to Kan
sas. It's in some country, of corrse?'
Very [ think / can spare
you another half
Thanks, sir. Did you ever hear the
name of the county,
Let's see; let's see. They named a
county up there somewhere after Il
st. Louis barber. It's Cook, | think. "
Il put on Cook but as l didn't even
get the state right, it made no differ
ence. Will you please write the adj
dress for me?'
Il won't guarantee that it will be
correct" said the st. Louisan, 'be-
cause these new villages Springing UP
like mushrooms are sometimes called
by three or four names and none of the
maps exactly locate them. If I was
going to write a letter I should di-
rect it Chicago, Cook Co., ILL.,, u. S. A,
via st. Louis, Mo"
Yes, sir. You have put me under
great obligations"
Don't mention it. Hope you'll get
something out of the smash You don't
look well"
And I'm not, sir"
''Well, here's another dollar to help
you on your feet. Follow my directions
when you write, and if there is such q
town out there anywhere the postal
authorities viii probably look it up.
Chicago! Chicago! Yes, it strikes me
that I've heard the name somewhere
this summer, but I can't just place it.
It's in Illinois I think, and was located
on account of a stone quarry or some
thing"