The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-29
OBSERVED WITH CARE

The man or woman who iaunts
along the streets of Scranton on a
quiet evening and at the end of the
walk eXclaims, "well, | haven't seen
| anything unusuaF'-such person is
not endowed with the faculties of terse
perception. To one with an observing
turn of mind and inclination to notice
little things which smack somewhat of
strangeness, little investigation may
lead to startling results.
Observation No. 1.-For two cOnsec-
utive evenings recently while passing
along court house square, on Spruce
street, TRIBUNE reporter noticed a
group of young men resting on bench
or gathered about it. On both occa-
sions mirth seemed to hold sway with
the party, and, when not softly sing
ing topical songs or melodies, sallies of
wit and light remarks would be passed
between those standing and the seated
portion. What engaged the reporters
notice was the fact that the group
seemed to be party of young mechan.
les or working men, very quietly and
properly enjoying their evenings, and
because of the remarkably sweet tenor
voices of three of them who each even
ing occupied the seat. This gallantry
on the part of the others is explained
| by the sex of the three sweet tenor
singers. They were women masquer-
aiding in mems attire and seemed to
get heaps of enjoyment out of the lark.
Observation No. 3: There are in
Scranton several old and crumple-
faced women who on the surface ap-
pear to earn a pitiful eXistance by
grinding out discordant melody from
sidewalk organs to reap a few pennies
day from the generosity of passers-
by. They are as regular in their vo-
cation as the business or professional
man, and with curved back, swaying
shoulders and sun bonnet TO hide the
face, may often be found churning
away in the wee hours of morning,
when most people are asleep. Did it
ever occur to you that only person
with endurance is able to turn one of
those cranks for hours at time? That
25 cents dropped every hour into the
ever-present tin cup shows a return of
$3.50 every ten hours? That most
people don't give up good thing for
something worse? That if you, from
the kindness of your heart, should offer
one of these poor creatures so cents q
days for her maintena ce, she would
spurn the offer? Verify, isn't that
unusual.
Observation No. ga man during
the whole month of August and thus
far this month as regular as nights
follow each other, stands at the corner
of well-lighted alley and prominent
business street. He stands, sits on the
curb or lounges within fifteen feet of
that particular alley entrance every
night from o'clock until at least 3
o'clock the next morning, when after
a final glance up the alley he walks
briskly away. He has turned up as
regularly each night following as has
spring followed winter. Nobody dis
turbs him and he certainly has not
disturbed anybody. The only sound
by which his presence is known is an
occasional shifting of his sitting posi-
ton, slow tread forward and back
again, or ever and anon splutter of
elected tobacco spit and its contact
upon the cobble pave. The only signs
of life in the vicinity of his silent
watch come from the saloon across
the street or the occasional passage of
pedestrian or vehicle. Investigation
will show that in past years gambling
houses have been closed during the
summer months. Two plus two makes
four.