The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-09-15
Unappreciated HumOr
.uoW'b you like to be the iceman?''

ON " you IKE 10 De the lceHdn9
inquired the stationery man as
he walked into the shop where the
South side tailor was cutting the sleeves
of morning coat out of piece of
black Melton. As he spoke he threw
back the lapel of his waistcoat and dis
closed, pinned on the inside, a minia-
ture pair of ice tongs holding cube of
glass.
The tailor looked at him with the bit
ter scorn, and the anticipatory grin on
the stationery mans face became
sheepish and slowly faded away.
Il suppose you expect me to haw-haw
right out at that" remarked the tailor,
rubbing the dent that the shears had
made in his thumb. You thought I'd
wipe my eyes and tell you that's about
the best thing ever seen and ask you to
let me have it to take home and show
my wife. You haven't read the direc-
lions on the wrapper. What you want
to do is to wait until some other chump
asks you the same darn fool question.
Then you spring that funny little toy
on him and give him the equine giggle,
and he naturally concludes he's got to
buy you 1919 cents worth of liquor to
square himself. Amt L right?''
Sure thing, you are-on the drink
proposition, replied the stationery
man. 1.-The joke would be on him,
wouldn't it? He'd be a lobster if he
didn't buy"
I've got you down fine" said the
tailor. When the other chump says:
Let's go and take something on that
he shows that he's good fellow and
don't lay it up against you because
you're smart. How much did you pay
for that little piece of briek-a-brack?'
''Ony one nick said the stationery
man. buttoning up his waistcoat again.
Il might have got two for ten cents if
had thought of it. Say! The Teller
that got those up was dandy. I'd like
to have all the good stuff he gets out of
it."
$50 would l." agreed the tailor;
there's enough weak-minded persons
right here in Chicago to make him rich.
So you gave five cents for that? That
means enough to knock the profits off
stick of liquorice and two or three
evening papers, Perhaps an afternoons
sale. You give that up without muir
muir for a thing an intelligent five-year-
old kid would pass up. I'm sorry for
you, L am, on the dead"
The tailor resumed his cutting, and
the stationery man whistled an air that
had direct connection with the subject
of the tailor's reproof and appeared to
be revolving some sort of retort in his
mind. Presently he said: Il suppose
you've had another misfit suit thrown
back on your hands?''
s-Why so?" asked the tailor, blandly.
Il notice that you get one of those
pricl1ly grouches on you whenever that
happens. I'd hate to be your family"
Don't feel bad about it," said the
tailor. Il didn't mean to make you feel
as If you wasn't welcome. You don't
want 70 get the idee that l was mad. 1
just Cos spell of nausea. I'm subject
to them when a man comes around and
makes them kind of cracks. Why do
you ask me how I'd like to be the ice
man? Where does the funny part come
in? 1 suppose you mean to say that
the iceman has good time while the
hot weather lasts. That's all right. AS
Q matter of fact the iceman that comes
around in this street has to sit in the
sun to drive and then he has to drag
anywhef from ten to ahundred pounds
of ice abo-t the sidewalk, and nine
women on. of twelve tell him that they
know there amt no ten pounds in that
piece. And then the weather amt hot
now-it's been a cool summer. But
wen say he does have good time. Is
that tie reason why you smoker when