Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-29
HE WAS HEARTLESS.
SUPERINTENDENT THOMPSON PLAYS
A JOKE ON THE LANkY SCRIBE.
r..,.rcd in AN Elevator Shaft How People
Defaco the City HaIl-Clinging
to Set Notions.

Fastened In an eleyator-shaft. with no
,,~assure, IT'S a very discomforting
thought. Only those few persons-tire-
Commissioner Frischkorn, Superintendent
Thompson, and one or two others and
myself-who have actually experienced
the sensation can form any sort of an
idea Of what It is Yes. say. 1t Is an
almost hopeless situation TO be In. l
know whereof I speak, because / have
been in, or rather thought that 1 was in,
lust that predicament myself.
Almost everybody in town knows Su-
perintendent Thompson. OF the Richmond
Fire-Alarm Department. To those who
have not as yet made the acquaintance OF
this quaint conceit In humanity L ex-
tend my sincere congratulations, and you,
dear reader, viii see why do so when you
have read my story.
II was on a bright Sunday afternoon.
had an engagement with my best girl
for church at night too. Circumstances
had made it necessary for me to go up
to the fre-alarm office, which Is located
on the fourth floor of the new City Hall.
/ had come out that day In all the new
spring clothes which my tailor could pro-
vide for me and-I wouldn't have failed
to have Mary see me that night for mil
lions. l thought / was. in the language
Of the giddy girls. "scrimscious." Wen,
/ climbed. without violating the rules OF
the Moody meeting. the four flights OF
broad stairways of the big granite build
ing which is the pride Of Richmond.
Having transacted the little business
which carried me among the electrical
repraters. glass showcases, typewriters,
gongs, and a pigeOn-hole table. which
constitute the assets of Superintendent
ThOmpson's apartments. | was ready to
return home that | might get an early
supper and HE myself 10 the beautiful
and to my mind. Just at that time. senti-
mental West End.
It would never do for me to walk down
all those steps, declared accommodating
yet cunning i'm the extreme Mr.. Thomp-
son. He would carry me down In one OF
the splendid elevators Of the new city
Hall. / demonstrated in various ways,
arguing that there was no steam, and
was somewhat afraid to risk the trip in
one Of those motionless cars. go, pshaw,"
retortcd the Superintendent. as though
somewhat annoyed. Il can carry YOU
down in one Of those elevators whether
there is any pressure on them or
not"
The innocent victim of an evil
prey. I went with him. He ut first
wanted me to ride on top Of the carriage
with him. but this did not exactly strike
my idea Of what was proper. especially
on Sunday afternoon. when ] was attired
in new French fan-tail and wearing a
bOutonnierc Of lilies Of the valley. And.
again, ! was afraid that | would fall of
the thing. 1t is true that II was impossi-
bic 10 see how | could b. preciptated from
the car. inasmuch as IL filled the entire
shaft. But had an aversion TO riding on
top-it was too much like cabman-so
into the elevator | deposited myself, and
down the car sank. Not very far, how
ever Alas. we had gotten midway be-
tween the thirl and fourth flOors-and
the elevator stopped. NO pressure on
this thing" cried the devilsh Superintend-
cnt Then II dawned upon me that | was
Gagged. | could not reach either door.
How could ] nh my engagement? How
could | get home 10 supper How could
get anything to cat or 10 drink until next
morning? All these thoughts flashed
through NY mind in a moment. and |. too.
realized that there was nothing in the
elevator but its bare floor upon which |
could sit down or lie down. l cried out
TO Mr. Thompson, who was apparently
using every effort TO move the car. |
turned and glanced in the mirror at my
desq1iring features. | was indeed, n pitt
M sight. and felt at thai moment that
would have given anything | possessed
even my new clothes--to have been out
@ that elevator shaft. Thompson swore
O.mOsU that he could do nothing, and
climbed out on the 'Ourth floor as guile
lessly MS you please. as though he was
going 10 leave me alone In my misery.
II he had been inside the car with NE
l should not have felt 50 terrible. | was
just about 70 give him directions as to
what messages to send my mother and my
girl when, TO my great surprise AMI de-
light the elevator began moving down
ward. Lower and lower il went. Was II
going TO the basement? II so. that made
no difference. as freedom was then easily
obtained. But no! When the car reached
the first. or ground floor, il stopped. and
pushed open the door and stepped out.
giving one grand. unrestraned sigh Of
relief. Just at that moment / heard SUI
pcrntendent Thompson on the fourth floor
induiging in what seemed 10 me to be a
s-mi-maniacal laugh. He had played a
capital joke on me; but If it hadn't been
FOR the two watchmen and n police officer.
who WAS present. the Firemens Relief
Association would have received another
assessment for widows and orphans by
this time.
Since n portion Of my letter this weel.
has material reference To- the new City
Hall. which the city Of Richmond has
spent nearly a million and a half IN erect
in" | deem il proper to ventiate my
wounded feelings upon some Individuals
who have taken much apparent pleasure
In doing what they could 10 dcs crate
our biz granite house on the hill. \ Ns.t
to the tower of the building is suficien;
10 convince one To what thoughtiessu rss
ana downright meanness some people Car
De guilty Of The walls. which only q
few weeks ago We're az Immaculate as
the shirt front OF one OF the members
of the Commonwealth club. haze o.-n
terribly d.faccd by vain and cOncei.eg