Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-27
AS YOU LIKE IT.
stray Leaves From . Reporter's N.


 stray Leaves From Reporter's Note
 Hook.
 AND now they say that it is dangerous to indulge in the pastime of wetting down the street with the garden hose, along the line of the electric road A citizen was sprinkling the his lawn the other evening, when he suddenly became possessed of a desire to s.shoot" at an electric trolley wire, and he would have done it, but for the timely arrival of ineman, who ad- vised him not to try it. Since then he has consulted eminent authorities in electrical matters and they tell him it is dangerous thing to play with. While it is not abso- lutely certain that person throwing water on an electric trolley wire from 8 garden hose would get shock, the electricians say they don't care to try it. The stream of water and the nickel faucet make an excel lent conductor, and the probabilities are that the person who aims such gun at the trolley will wish that he hadn't.
 Two men occupied the rear seat of an East Main street car yesterday afternoon and made the trip interesting for the rest of the passengers. By a singular coinci- dence each had lost a thumb. In all other respects they differed, both in appearance and opinion. One was large man of middle age, the other a young man of light build. After comparing notes the older man said: "Well. I'd rather have my hand than yours; can work with it al- moSt ss we'll as with the other. Yours is useless" .''I Bnow it," answered the young fellow. 'but mine looks better than yours. and I wouldn't care to exchange with you" They wanted Conductor Der. win to decide the question of superiority, but he wisely declined. Then they re- hearsed the stories of their losses. The older man had been maimed by a machine in England twenty-seven years ago, while the other had been nipped by railroad train in Colorado. The one said he had secured five hundred pounds because of his injury and was satisfied. The other said the railroad company had paid him $1 700, but he would rather have his hand The Englishman said he was laid up for thirteen weeks, and the other went him one better by saying that he had spent nine months and two weeks in the hospital. And so they continued until the car reached Wall street, making fun for everybody by the recital of their troubles.
 "'
 IT is hardly probable that Roger Connor will interest himself in baseball matters To- cally. There was time when the big fell low was in the game as much for the sport he found in it ss for the money he got out of it. But that was long, long ago. Of late years with Roger base ball was sim ply business, and if he saw where more money could be made no sentimental reason would have kept him from drop ping out years ago. That is why it is un- likely that he will take very active inter- est in local baseball. It is sad to be among the probabilities that "Old Water bury" will be the democratic candidate for second selectman in the fall.
 WHILE inc beetles have the laugh on the mayor and the committee on public lands on account of their failure to get vote through the court of common council. au- thorizing the committee to expend $500 in an effort to prevent the pests from gorging themselves on the foliage of the elms on the green with the privilege of destroying the trees if they are equal to the occasion, still the public take a decidedly different view of the matter and think that the city fathers showed an utter disregard for the fate of the elms by leaving them at the mercy of this army of parasites. It"seems to be the common belief that few hun dred dollars could have been spent very advantageously in this work. and many are curious to knrw what has become of all our so-calItd public spirited citizens, who have ever been ready to invelgh against the green being used for the &C., commodation of our fellow citizens, that they have not come forward and had their say on the beetle question. Men who loudly proclaimed against the people being allowed the use of the seats on the green, fearing that it might interfere with the growth of the grass, have not word of protest to offer against the possible de- struction of the elms by the beetles. But there was something in the minds of the city solons besides the destruction of the beetles, when they came together Thurs day, and it was plain to the most casual observer that some of them were wavering party fealty The republicans wanted to vote for Alderman Halpin's measure, but they thought it was too popular move to have go to the credit of the opposition, and the best thing they could do with it was to try to bring it into ridicule by claiming that it was not expedient. Alderman Sanford's position was a most humiliating one. On the first vote it stood three and three Aldermen Halpin, Condon and Sanford voting for the appropriation ot $500 and CEO5S, DdEIO" huu hooLeT OPpOo- ing it. The Mayor decided the motion carried. Alderman Cross cast a witherlpg look at Mir Sanford and said he doubted whether the resolution was carried or not. The Mayor asked all in favor of it to hold up their right hands and this was where the amusing part of the programme came in. Alderman Cross looked daggers at Mir Sanford and when it came to a show of hands there were none in sight but Alder men Halpin and Condon's. MT Sanford ad- mitted that he had voted for the motion before but was not able to tell why he h d changed his mind so suddenly. The ex- planatien could be found in the eagle eye of MT Cross who stared at him from his seat. MT Sanford played another joke of the same kind some time ago. He made a report on abatemcnts to the aldermen and when one of his party questioned whether the report should pass he i'm mediatsly voted against it. MT Sanford may be very honest man but he has al- ready done enough in the court of common council to show that he has not much back bone.