The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-31
GOSSIP OF THE STREET
AND HOTEL l0BBIES

The passengers aiighting was a peculiar
specimen of humanity He was tail,
with a cotton check .shlrt, very ordinary
pants. and he was minus a coat. In his
HANDS he clutclhad a well-worn fiddle
with viee-llke grip. had rushed to The
entrance and shouted to the guard as
Though he Thought him a delegate to a
deaf and dumb convention: "Where is the
depot?''
The guard was so Startled that he had
10 study few moments before regaining
his equilibrium. A policeman standing
near by snfclzered and informed the
stranger That he was very much in the
depot at The present moment.
II warit to see the boss OF the railroad"
yelled the man of Jhe fiddle and tine
bow"
The guard turned his thumb toward
a certain door and the stranger. dsap-
peared In that direction. "A sign-"No
admission was in gfaring letters over
the door. The man stood ten feet away
and read the warning over four times.
Then he boldly entered
81 want to see the boss of this rail-
road
"Didnia you see the sign on the door?"
demanded the agent.
81 did, but wand 10 see the boss"
Then go up to Louisville"
"Too far and haven't time. Say, Mis-
ter, this railroad killed one of my hawgs
yesterday, and want damages
eiI've nothing to do with chat" shouted
The agent. "FAe your claim and let it
take its course"
Where do 1 fi1e?"
Anywhere you want to, but don't come
bdthering me-
81 haven't time to fool around about
that hawg. He was wuth 81 and want
the oash. This amt no file, but think
it viii help my claim along
With these words he lugged out a big
navy revolver and pointed it at the
agents head, and the latter turned ten
shades whittier as he said:
We'll, what are you going to do?"
Collect my a1aiwg money" -,
II told you Ito put in claim"
80 We did. and here it is. claim 81,
and warIJ 1T in about two minits!'
81 told you that all claims went TO
Louisville" persisted the agent, as he
tried TO GEL out of range.
And todd We 1t wus too fer, and I
wus in a hurry. its 50 for'my hawg, or
I'm pull trlggerr'
"A score OF passengers had gathered
around the door, but no one interfered.
The agent hesitated moment, and then
handed over 81.
''sorry TO have disturbed We, but Use ON
my way to- Texas, and wuz obliged to
have my money before going.''
Did you ever hear of the Chinese
oath?" asked Milton Hoffer, st. Louis
travelling man.
'I happened to be In a court room in
st. Louis the other morning. Two Chi
namen, All Lin and Hong Lee, were up.
Hong Lee was a witness against the
other Celestial. When the cases were
called All Sin protested that Hong Les
was not a believer in the Christian re-
lgion, although he went to Sunday
school regularly. A question directed ait
Hong Lee elicited the information that
HE was a Christian in America, but not
in China. 1t was then thought best to
make him take the Chinese oath. The
Celestials were asked the modus oper-
andf, and they at once called for a.
chickens, to the amazement of the judge
and spectators. In broken sentences they
explained that the chickens head must
be severed from its body, and they would
swear that if they were not telling the
truth they hoped their lives would go
out as quickly as the chickens. A man
was sent out for the chicken, when All
Sin called for a graveyard. Everybody
gasped. Ah Sim declared that oath must
be taken in a graveyard. Such thing
could not we'll be brought into court, and
the case was dismissed"
South Carolina is the only state in
the Union THAT elects its Senators by a
direct vote of the people," said R. II.
Simmons, of Columbia, who WAS in the
city yesterday.
= Tomorrow ends one of the bitterest
campaigns ever held In that state, and
the people will decide who shall repre-
sent them in the senate. 1t is the opi2-
ION of marty that McIaus in is In the lead,
and Evans and Irby do not stand any
chance of downing him..
81 am rather inclined to hold different /,
opinion, however. 1 think McLaurin's
chances are best, yet I do not think he
has sure thing. The rule is that can
didate must have a majority of all the
votes cast, and this is right where Nc
Laurin's trouble will come in. There
will certainly be second election. and
in this event it may turn out like the
Evans-Esarle election. Evans had a large
majority in the first election, but Earle
won In the second"
They Don't Like Innovation