The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-09-20
STORIES OF THE DAY.
A Few Yarns Picked Up In the Streets o
Chicago.

blown in from the drought stricken dis
trict of Logan county, where farmers
sometimes have to haul water in wag
ons two or three miles for the stock and
for household purposes. and it's so
scarce that the children aren't allowed
to wash their faces oftener than once
week. The first car that came along was
pulling track sprinkler, and it aston
ished the hayseed.
"Well, I'll be switched" he MUIR
INJURED to himself, "ef they amt a-haul-
in water, an they hahn t got sense enough
ter keep it from leakin. A little more n
half mile an thar won't be bucket
full of water in that there hogshead.
A short, broad woman was trying to
climb on a crosstown electric car with
a white parasol in one hand and little
girl in the other. She appeared to think
the white parasol the more valuable and
was very particular with it, while she
was trying to lift the little child by one
hand. The childs objections attracted
the attention of passenger, who reach
ed over and tenderly lifted the little one
to seat. The child was polite enough
to say, "Thank you," but the woman
did not deign to notice the man. When
the car stopped at Indiana avenue, the
short, broad woman tumbled off and
told the child to come to. Weighing
down from her seat, the little girl gazed
at the man with an inquiring look for
a moment and then said:
"Help me down. man."
"Help you down? Of course will, I"
he replied.
"Thank you, said the child when
she was placed on the ground.
The short, broad woman did not look
at the man, but taking the child by the
arm she said:
"You mustn't do that way. 1t amt
polite
From what school C good or bad
manners could that short, broad woman
have been graduated?
The polite young man had seat ON a
very much crowded Cottage Grove ave-
nue. car. Several strong looking young
women were hanging on to the straps,
but the polite young man kept his seat
because he was very tired and had an
idea that an old or weak looking
woman might get on the Car after
awhile, and then he'd get up. The car
stopped at Twenty street, and
among the passengers who climbed
aboard was tired looking woman carry
ing a baby The polite young man
jumped up and offerad her is seat. She
looked at the place VIII he had been
sitting and said:
"Dere vas no room.
The polite young man turned, and in
the seat he had just vacated was Chi
cago hog.
'See here, my FRIEND" said the p. y.
M, 81 just got out of that seat to give
it to this lady who is Carrying baby. -
''Dot vas all right, said the Chicago
hog. "She vas my wife. I"
The p. y. m. inserted the fingers Of
his right hand down under the shirt
collar of the Chicago hog, jerked him
out of the seat and pushed into it the
woman with the baby.
"You can act the hog with your wife
in your own house." said the p. y. m,
"but not in my seat on street car.
"Dot vas all right. She vas my wife, I"
was the only comment made by the Chi
cago hog.
The late Frank Hitchcock was almost
as we'll known in Chicago as in his
home-Peoria. Hitchcock was as sharp
in a political battle as he was at run
ming down thieves, and when he was in
Peoria and wanted little recreation he
would play joke on Ed Easton, the
we'll known distiller. Easton was gen.
orally ready to bite, for Hitchcock played
mostly on his desire to make money.
The last time Hitchcock ran for mayor
Of Peoria, Easton as usual was against
him, and Frank knew it. Frank was
sure he would be elected, SO he put up
an elaborate job on Ed. About 9 80 on
election morning (it was before the day
Of the kangaroo ballot) Hitchcock drove
rapidly down Washington street to the
board Of trade, next door to which is
Easton's Office. Ed saw him and ran out
to ask him how the election was going.
'sBully," said Frank. "I'm just 60
ing down to the south end to corner a
lot of men, And he drove off.
At 10 O'Clock, when he knew Ed
would be about leaving his office, Frank
drove by again. Easton ran out into the
street to ask him what his chances were.
ooh, tolerably good," answered
Hitchcock, looking as if he was trying
to be cheerful "Still," he said, as he
drove on, 81 won't say have a sure
thing
About clock several of Hitchcock's
friends posted themselves in places
where Easton would be likely to go to
bet, and Frank drove slowly and gloom
lily down the street by Eds Office. East
on went out and asked how he was
making it.
Frank didn t stop and didn't say any
thing. With his hat brim pulled down
over his nose he drove slowly along,
shaking his head. Easton reached for
his hat and sailed out to make some
bets against Hitchcock. He was willing
to give odds, and Hitchcock's friends
were willing to take them. Hitchcock
was elected by his usual big majority,
and his gloomy drive down Washington