Arizona republican., 1898-02-17

to take out his pencil and begin mak- ing figures or drawing indefinite de- signs. Some men make the same mark for years without being able to tell why they do so or what they mean. There is one well known business man who for the last thirty years has made the figures "45." He has written these figures several times day excepting Sundays, but they have no relation to his age, to his residence or to any thing in which he is interested. He cannot tell why he makes them, and yet he can never see bit of paper that his hand does not 1nstinctively move toward his pencil and he forth with begins to trace the mysterious figures. There are others who write names of which they have no knowl- edge But a far greater number trace arabesque designs. Just walk past the writing desk when you go out and see if you don't find traces of this pc culiar phase of human nature on the blotters and bits of paper.'
 Say, don't you want to take a walk down to the policy joint? I've got a rubber down there ana I want to see if it is blank dispatch or not" and the two men started off to the policy game. Rubber is good; it has the elasticity of policy.
 The tin-roof cocktail is the very latest drink. It it more popular with drinkers than it is With barkeepers. Last night three men went into a re- sort on Washington street and one of the party asked the ''barkeep'-as Chimmie Fadden calls the man behind the bar-for a "tin-roof cocktail" |" The drinkmixer stared in astonish- ment, and professed ignorance of the nature of the drink.
 What" exclaimed the man that called for the drink, you don't know what a tin-roof cocktail isl" Then, turning to his companion, he added: ''It is strange how some people cannot keep up with the times" To the bar keeper he said: Give me the bottle" |" 1 The whiskey and glasses were set out, as were also some bitters and other things. The first man poured out three portions of the whiskey, used the siphon, and threw in a little bit ters. The barkeeper looked on, not able to see any difference between this new drink and the ordinary cocktail. The men tasted the decoction. smack ed their lips, and the two gues con- graduated the third man on his knowledge of new and successful drink. When the glasses were emp tied the three men moved toward the door.
 "Hey!" said the barkeeper Forty cents. please"
 Why" said the man who had done all the talking, that was a tin-roof cocktail
 What of that?" said the barkeeper. Why" said the other. tits on the house."
 What is spiral stairway? Ask the next friend you meet. He will be an exceptional man if he does not say:
 Why, it is an iron post around which an iron stair case turns like this," and then he will describe cer- tain convolutions in the air with his hand. The proper thing to do is to give him the laugh, and then with him ask the next man you see to describe the spiral staircase. The same thing will take place and the laugh will be doubled, and as the questioning goes on, the hilarity will increase to the point of idiocy. And you will have a real jolly time
 What did the governor of Sonora say to the governor of Arfzona?" is the important question of the hour in the southwest.
 There was fistic encounter yester- day afternoon in front of the Ford ho- tel. The principals wore the regula tion weight boxing gloves, but there was no ring nor referee or timekeeper. The battle waged warm for a minute or two; the air was filled with boxing gloves, and there were dull responses as they fell upon the faces of the con- testants. Finally there was a sudden response from one Of the boxers and the fight was ended. He was hit square on the nose, and it took both his gloves to smother the pain as he walked off the field of battle to a spot i back of the hotel where he could have his cry out. The boxers were the ! youngest guests of the Ford hotel.