The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-08-16
ODD OCCUPATIONS.
A Chicago 1rfahmam Who Aats as Rera
paeefsc AtnF.n C5Och.

A Chicago 2rfahmaM Who Aets "a Kere.
pasetic Atnr,a CsOch.
"Well. Patsy. stirring 'em up agaiuT
said che officer on the beat at Thirty
ninth street, uear Cottage Grove ave-
nue..
'sShure an am. Orrah. but they're
o shlapy lot In tho ,narnin'. But that's
phat fetch IS EN-" and tho small,
stopped man with the well-dcvelopeh
IIibernian accent shook stoclsy stick
which he carried in his loft hand, and
dashed along the street ut dog trot
without waiting for further converse
ton with tho officer who had aooostea
him.
A hugo ring of keys jingled at each
step and kept merry time to the mans
hurried gait. Before Patsy had gone
half block he darted mp the stairs OF
a boarding house. applied key. and
was soon lost to sight But no was
out again In twinkl!ng, AMI cut dag
onally across tho strNt to a cottage.
and again his bunch OF keys secured
him ent,eo Another short interval
and he slipped on: Of the cottage and
once more resumed his RESTLESS why.
Many people in this locality know
the unique vocation OF tho little man,
but many moro do not; and passing
glimpse OF him has been puzzle to
numberless unfortunates who arc com
PEELED to rise In tho early morning be-
fore tho frst street care Start.
For twelve years this wrinklcd. jolly
little Irishman has followed q profess.
sion. the existence Of which Is known
ONLY to the few men who have occasion
TO need his services and those who
come in personal contact with MIN
His general headquarters are at the
street car barns, where he hunks. Four
o'clock of every morning, rain or shine,
finds him out upon the street armed
with his big ring OF keys, his trua'y
stick and, In the season OF long nights.
with dark lantern.
n his task should once go undone
hundreds OF early passengers on the
grip cars would feel the effect OF such
a failure, for Patsy il the alarm clock
for scores of conductors who take the
first cars out Of the barns. However,
there seems TO be small change for such
a contingency. for Patsy ir far noke re-
liablo than any alarm clock yet In
vented, and It Is sufc to say that gen
cral failure on his part would shake
the faith Of the conductors In the relia-
bility of the sun. moon and stars,
Chicago is prc-emlnontly the city OF
prip cars. aud another species OF night
worlsers connected with. the great grip
lines may also be sale; to be peculiarly
Chicago type. lie is the cable repair
man and may be seen AZ soon as the
cables stop running--at about mrl-
uight or shortly after. There IL scarce
ly a corner around which the cable
makes turn where these men. ~
groups of four or five, naT not be seen
working with their tripod OF hosting
pulleys and tiaring torches from mid
night until broad daylight.
A group OF these workmen squatting
in the middle OF the street, working
jackscrews and drills by this light OF
half dozen torches. presents striking
similarity to an Indian encampment
and but little imagination Is required
90 con1ure the framc OF the tripod insc
tho likeness OF the bare poles OF wig
War,
It Is as rough, heavy and dirty work
Us ever furnished hHHast t0i1ersa meanh
of livelihood, and IL requires RGs only
the exercise OF much muscle but also no
small amount Of Judgment and skill.
for upon tho thorcughness OF shesr
work depcnds, TO large degree. the
safety of the thousands OF passengers
who are whirled about tn. corners from,
early morning until late at night TO
pach the great guy w'heels, al all the
points OF friction underneRth tho sur
face, and tighten every mat and belt IS
the principal and routine duty OF these
grilny but picturesque prototypes OF
Tubal Cain.
The active operation Of the Chicago
university rovivcs In this city still nm
other class OF those who gain their livos
lihood by honest work while tho great
mass of people are enjoying their sweet
est hours Of slumber. This night
worker skirts dangerously near both
twilight and dawn, and snatches his
scanty hours of sleep between these
two fleeing and fantastic periods. He
is armed at evening with torch-tippod
rod but his guiding light Is ambition
and his motto Excelsior. in other
words he is the student lamplighter
and the dream Of future achievement
ALWAYS sheds IL halo over his darkest
path, rs he zigzugs from one lamp to
another, lighting or extinguishing them
as the case may be.
The number of students who worked
their way through the old Chicago
university by this means is legion, and
their honorable race is being revived
from among the attendants upon the
new and greater institution.
Among the students who followed
this profession during the closing days
of tho old university was young man
who now is member of prosperous
law firm in the Chicago Opera House
block. Should some of the clients of
this thrifty and ambitious young law
yer chance to arise early enough and
make careful scrutiny of the lamp
lighter In certain district they would
probably be greatly surprised, and II