The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-06
GOSSIP OF ADAY.
"A Financier'S Trials With
Sleepy Clerks.
Robert Emmet's Birthday
Passes UnObserved Here.
An Old Sailorman's Troubles With
a Natural Barometer.

A well known financier stopped at a
thriving grocery store late the other after
noon with view to purchasing some APP
pies. Ranged along the sidewalk, directly
In front of the store, were several barrels OF
that fruit which many, many years ago
made Adam and Eve wish they haunt.
Sweeping the sidewalk, or that part OF 1t
that wasn't monopolized by merchandise,
was an able bodied and rugged clerk.
The financial man sampled one of the
barr Is. He munched the sample until
it was no more. The clerk kept sweep
ing. Another apple from another barrel
vanished the same way. But still the
clerk swept. Presently the financial man,
wearying of the exercise, addressed the
clerk:
ssHow do you sell these?"
The clerk was diligent and didn't look
up. He said, though: 81 don't sell 'em.
Go inside. Pm sweepin' " The financial
/. man thought this was slightly cold but he
took the dose and went inside.
Within there was still another assort-
rnent of the desired fruit even more varied
than that outside. There was also large
assortment OF clerks. They were less at
tentive to work than the fellow outside.
They Just stood or leaned with their
tongues i'm their cheeks and waited for
the slow minute hand OF the store clock
to make IL six--when they could go home
and go TO bed where they belonged. The
financial man sampled 10 barrels, one
after the other. Now and then he would
stop munching and look wistfully at one
of the lively statesmen. Presently he no
longer hungered..
"Look here, he said slowly, address
ing the whole working force. "it-ull-cost-
your r-bcss-something before get out of
here IL one OF you chaps don't wait on
me pretty soon."
One OF the clerks said, absent-minded-
ly, with one eye on the minute hand of
the clock and one hand on his hat:
"That's all right, sir, help yourself. -
Just then the city whistles blew o'clock
and the sweeper was sweepless and the
sleepy swept home as Swinburne might
sing It.
The financier man murmured something
TO the effect that IL he had the financial
management of that grocery store he'd
bounce sereval lively menials, and then
he went ont and patronized an industri-
GUS Italian.
Although there are several organiza-
tions in Providence composed largely, il
not entirely, OF descendants of lrishmen,
none of them seems to nave taken pains
to celebrate the anniversary OF the birth
of that brilliant, but ill-starred and ILL
fated patriot, Robert Emmett. This om-
mission Is made all the more prominent
when one reads the reports of the elabo-
rate observance OF the anniversary which
took place in the Grand Central Palace
and In Cooper Union, New York. 1t
must be remembered, however, that
New York has special interest in Emmet
through his brother, who. in the early
years OF the present century, was prom
inent figure in the legal profession as
some of his descendants have been since.
Thomas Adds Emmett was, like his
brother Robert, an Irish patriot, who
was willing. TO dare and do for his native
country. He began life as "a physician
but soon abandoned the practice of medi-
cine for the profession of the law. At
the time his brothers. plans miscarried
and he fell into the hands OF the English,
Thomas Adds Emmett escaped to France
and finally to this country.
Mayor Golden and Governor Clinton