Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-09
BOBS UP WITH EVERY WAR,

The Stars editorial staff has a good
| many queer things to do in the course OF
a newspaper day. One of them is to an
swer the many questions that come over
the telephone from readers who want some
special information just soon as IT can
be had. The sporting editor had to tell
O man over in Anacostia the other day just
how cid Maud 8. was. The District build
ing reporter, who Is oftenest on tap, WIS
asked about o'clock this morning how
many miles of four-foot water mains. how
many telephone poles. how many hre en-
gires. how many policemen and how many
liquor licenses Washington has. The news
editor for the past three months has spent
an hour every night studying up the pro-
nunciation of modern geographical names
for the especial satisfaction of the tele-
phone inquirer. Hardly day goes by that
some bet is not referred over the telephone
to some particular reservoir of information
employed on The Star.
But the man who came in this morning
with a question takes the prize.
He was a lank, tall mountaineer from
somewhere over in Page county, Va. He
came up in the ante-room and looked the
dozen office boys over curiouSly and rather
&C ntemptuously.
Il want to see the boss" he said Mt
length. THE man what owns the place
and knows what l wanter find out"
The head boy. who knows a thing or two,
W hirled on his heel, went in the city room
and told the little man who makes UP the
News Of the Week that a gentleman IN
the front room Warted to see him.
When the journalist appeared in the front
room the mountaireer shook hanks with
him warmly and seemed to be very glad to
see him.
Mister" he said, what I'm after IS TO
know eff Tiers rabbits in Cuby."
why, don't know. l shouldn't think
there were,' said the News of the Week
Man. 4 never heard of there being rab-
bits in Cuba, and until 1 do it is safe to
assume that there are no rabbits there. Is
that satisfactory, my friend?"
We'll, Jest hardly, boss and a lock of
countenance.
You might see the Saturday editor"
suggested the News of the Week Man, as
the Virgirian turned to go.
'ThetS SOL exclaimed the mountaineer,
sure 'nough this is Saturday, an hit be
the Satd W man l wanter see.'
The Saturday editor was called out and
appealed to for light on the question
whether there Were rabbits in Cuba.
Sirgularly, this gentleman, ordinarily
| multitudinous sea of erudition, was wholly
without information on this particular in
quiry.
The Virgiaian was now ready to go,
probably as thoroughly undeceived as he
could be about the all-embracing knowl
edge of newspaper men. But1the Saturday
editor and the News of the Week Man by
this time had their own curiosity to graft
fly.
Stranger" asked the Saturday editor
what's up? Why do you want to know
| If there are rabbits in Cuba? Going to ship
them there?"
Nav, boss, hits jest some o my queeri-
csity Kin ye read thet boss" and he
handed the Saturday editor a bit of oiled
silk, which he had been taking out of his
vest pocket.
When the Saturday editor had unfolded
1t he found incloSed a little yellow news
paper clipping from the Montgomery. Ala,
Mail of July %, 1861, which read as fol-
of Bull Run we heard of one in which 4
soldier observed a rabbit running across
the field under a heavy fire. Run cotton
tail, he said, L would, too, il / hadn't a
reputation to lose"
Thets why l wanter know bout them
rabbits, boss. Hits jest a matter of queer
icsity. My gran fayther was in the wal. of
1917, an he tole me thet very thing hap
pened at the battle of Sacketts Harbor
an Bill Jones wuz the Teller tibet said them
words. An my gran'fayther said his
iayther was in the revolution an tole him
thet the rabbit run at the battle of Tren-
ton ony hit wuz on ice an Jim Smith wuz
the Teller thet said he'd run, too. eff he
hadnt reputation to lose. My uncle Ed
wuz in the MeXykin wah an he saws the
said tibet thar. An | declah | saw thet ole
rabbit mysef at Bull Run an heard my
cap saw tibet same thing about his reppy-
tauon Now. what l wanter know is IL
Tiers rabbits in Cuby, an tibet same old
atory goin to come out an be tole agin.
WIN ye jest keep yer eyes peeled, boys an
let me Know EFF ye see hit?"