The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-25
TALES Of THE CITY
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SiON7N
walton of prevailing conditions, that we
are either a people of pilferers or that
every man who owns anything portable
is decidedly suspicious of his fellows
Nearly everything of value is fast
ened to something which is not port
able There are chains and locks upon
everything from drinking cups up.
Over on the west side, a few doors
beyond the postoffice there is pile OF
grindstones. Now, the only man on
earth who would have any use for a
grindstone, with the possible exception
of a carpenter, is the farmer. AS a
rule every carpenter has a grindstone
already, go ii is fair to presume this
class wouldn't go prowling around in
the Silly watches of the night stealing
the same And farmers, as a class,
are considered paragons of honesty.
We hear of the honest farmer in the
political campaign and we read of him
in the books and no one would dream
that he would think for moment or
touching anything not his own, mucn
less an unmounted grindstone; but Just
the same this ton, or ton and a half,
of grindstones in the rough, are
chained together with an iron rod and
locked with a paddock. If any man
ever attempts to take grlndstone
from that pile he will have to- take
the entire heap or break the lock. The
latter would be noisy job and would
undoubtedly awaken the policeman on
the beat and would then become dan
gerouS.
Grindstones are not the only things
locked. Take the drinking cups on the
street fountains. They cost doubtless
some 10 cents each, and at first sight
it would seem that no one would take
one from the place where it does so
much good to the thirsty traveller; but
they go just the same, and have TO be
chained In this connection 1t may be
well to say that Salt Lakers' are not
the ones who take them away. 1t IS
the tourist in our midst who gets away
with the drinking cup, and the tour
list is usually a woman who wants
souvenir of the city. Cups on fountains
in the temple yard and in the vicinity
of the tabernacle have to be watched
vigilantly, else they are taken away to
adorn some boudoir in the east, where
the hostess will exhibit them to ad-
miring friends as a souvenir or the
trip to Zion" 1t makes no difference
as TO whether they come from that
particular locality or not, for the
charming kleptomaniacs can get over
all difficulties by adding prevarication
to the crime and saying they came
from the fountain in the front yard
where Brigham Young lived and all
that sort of thing.
A big policeman told the writer how
he captured one of these maidens from
the east in the act of getting away
with a drinking cup one day last sum-
mer. 1t was from the fountain in
front of the Utah National, and the
lady was having a nice time unlock
ing link in the chain when he first
discovered her. He waited until she
had accomplished the stask and had
secreted the cup under her light sum-
mer cloak, when he accosted her with:
Madame, you will oblige me by re-
turning the. cup you have just taken
from the fountain" Miss Eastern was
confused and rosy red, but she didn't
lose her nerve and replied rather
saucily: why, what do you mean,
sir?''
Exactly what 1 said,'' replied the
officer You have been taking cup
from this fountain and 1 saw you when
you did it. You have it under your
cloak, and unless you want a ride in
the patrol wagon you will replace it
at once 1 do not want to arrest you
if L can help it. but 1 shall do so I'M
less you put it right back
Thus adjured, the young woman re-
uctantly drew from under the jacket
The cup. 1t wasn't at all pretty; was
battered and ugly and would not have
sold for cents per dozen in a second
hand store. But she was very 10th to
cave go of it, and her actions be-
-okened it.
81 cannot understand said the Of
icer, why a well-dressed and evident
V well-to-do woman like yourself
should want to steal a cup like that.
"Oh, please don't say stealing" she
exclaimed. You see, it's like this: l
I'm from the east and l wanted an old
souvenir of this city. / could take this
.up back home and say l got it from
he temple yard or somewhere and all
he girls would envy me; because |
would have it decorated with blue rib
ION and it would have been just too
weet for anything" And the beauty,
hiding the policeman smiling at her.
,egan to get brave, and added: And
low you have just spoiled every
hing"
Yes; but you know" he answered.
I am here to see that young ladies
ike you do not carry off the cups"
well, now" she snapped, Il must |
ave something to take home with me-
What shall / get?"
Il would suggest a brick from the |
rall around the temple" he replied, |
nd when last seen the young woman |
vas heading in the direction of the |