Evening star., 1896-11-28
Some QuestfOns by a Farmer.

To the Editor OF The Evening Star:
During the late campaign many of the
city newspaper fellers' made lots of fun
about the farmers, which was all taken in
good part, and now that their blood has
had time to cool. and it may be that they
can take joke without spilling a whole
quart bottle of ink over a poor hayseed
and SO disigure him that even his own
plow-horses would not know him again
some OF us farmers would like to ask a
few questions about city life and manners,
which are mighty interesting to us.
First Why is a city man not supposed
by his fellow citizens to have sense enough
to know whether he wants his shoes black
ed or not? Why is he not given credit for
the possession of sufficient intelligence to
know whether he wants to buy a news
paper! And why. oh. why. should a man
who is trusted upon the streets without a
keeper. not be supposed to be able to de-
eide for himself to whether or not he
wants a cab?
Now, sir, farmer would give his neigh
Dor credit for knowing these three simple
things without anybody prompting him.
Yet. If 1t Is doubtful what che city man
thinks of another just take stand IN
front of the Riggs House and wait until a
well-dressed man, with bright patent
leather shoes On. comes along. He Will at
once be held up by three or four highway
men armed with backing brushes, who Will
call the attention of the crowd to his un-
fortunate feet they SKATE backward,
while pointing to his shoes in a vain en-
deavor to make him believe that his patent
feathers need backing. This performance
is particularly agreeable If the citizen at
tackled is walking with a lady. 1t is sup
posed to brighten the metropolitan intellect
and assists in making conversation.
lt-iS also interesting to see the helpless
look of miserable resident who holds a
newspaper in each hand, his pockets bulg-
ing out with others, while gang of grown
ruffians. facetiously called newsboys, insist
that he must buy a paper.
1t was very amusing sight to see a
livery stable man. who is as well known as
the Washington monument, try, with a
lady, to cross from the corner on which
stands the Cosmos Club to the Arlington
Hotel AT every attempt he was headed
off by cab. Now, sir, nine times out of
ten a farmer would have given a livery
stable man credit for enough sense to know
whether he wanted a carriage or not.
We would also like to know why the ele-
giant gentlemen with turned-up trousers
try to walk over your smooth pavements
as IL they were plowed ground? All En-
glishmen are not plowmen, are they?
And. above all. We would like to know by
whose authority certain mendicants have
taken up regular stands and mar the
beauty Of the otherwise prosperous looking
streets?
We know that 1t is very foreign to have
beggars stationed in front of palaces es-
pecially Spanish palaces. and we suppose
that the picturesque beggar who has taken
up his stand in front of the White House
is placed there as delicate compliment to
Spain, on the ground that imitation is the
sincerest iattery. According to what we
read In The Star. we owe Spain some such
tribute for the courtesy she shows our citi-
zens when she gets hold Of them.
OTIS WHEAT.