The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-08
TOWN TALES.

plan schemes Of socialistic expounders
knows that some of the conditions the
orators would have in existence are of
the pipe dream order. There's many
a man who believes in the social side
Of the question, and confines socialistic
discussion to the part which treats Of
daily life, thus dropping socialism from
politics.
The rabid howlers do have some
weird fancies, but the queerest de-
scription I ever heard applied to a man
was furnished few days ago. l was
in conversation with a friend who as
pires to be something in the local po-
litical circle, and thinking Of a men,
Der of the socialist labor party who is
candidate for political office, l said:
He appears to be avery bright man.
Yes" replied my friend, but he is a
beefsteak socialist" This phased me,
and although 1 had heard Of the
skunk" kangaroo" and other sec
tions Of the party, "beefsteakt was a
puzzler, and / confessed it. What
does it mean?" I asked. "Oh, he is
one Of those socialists answered my
friend. who so firmly believes that So
cialistic rule will mean prosperity that
he has an idea that workingmen viii
have a sinecure under the influences
of that party. The common will be
| full of trees containing beefsteak, and
when a workingman leaves home for
| his daily toll a Ratchet will be part
/ Of his outfit Stopping at the common
on the way home, he can either assist
/ in chopping down one of the trees or
/ clip a slice off one already hewn. This
man believes that socialism will bring
/ these conditions. That is why l call
/ him a beefsteak socialist"
& I,s1
with the telephone and a night caller
la few evenings ago, which it is cost
/ in the price of many good cigars to
/ keep mum. The doctor had retired
| for the night, and was sleeping heavi-
! ly when the ringing Of a bell awak-
ened him.
I In negligee costume, he took down the
! telephone receiver and placed it to his
ear. His hello was answered, and
| the physician then said, What is it?''
/ The man standing on the doorstep who
/ had rung the doorbell, said: My wife
/ is sick; come down to the house at
once Where are you?" asked the
doctor. Il am here" replied the Wis
1 itor.
The doctor continued the converse
| ton, and each question was answered
by the man on the door stoop. Believ-
| ing that his caller was on the other
end of the telephone, the physician
tsaid We'll, il is pretty late. Why
don't you come down here?'' 4 am
| here" said the voice outside the door,
but the doctor believed the voice he
heard to be over the telephone, and he
got irate.
The night operator in the central Of
fee asked the physician what number
| he wanted and the doctor answered,
| why, I am talking to customer
now. Don't interrupt You are not
! talking to any one on the telephone,
| said Central Just as the doctor be-
| gan to wonder where he was at, there
! came a gentle tapping on the window
and, looking out, he spied the man with
whom he had been holding the sup
posed telephone conversation.
There may have been men who felt
cheaper than the doctor, but none have
| ever been located.
The other night was rainy, and the
usual dripping, grumbling crowd
| boarded the street cars at Harrington
corner. During the rush. while every
one was trying the impossible task of
getting on the car all at the same time,
| a woman in the front end was seen
to make frantic attempts to attract
| the attention of the conductor. Raising
| her voice high above the din of the
streets. she shrieked: Young man.
why didn't you let me off at Pearl
street? You know 1 told you Pearl
street dozen times" Without answer,
the conductor motioned back the peo-
pie getting on the car with the Gus
tomary gesture.
The irate female in the corner arose,
carrying in one hand red silk UNI
brella, with a green plume nodding in
a draggled fashion upon her hat, look
Ting much like some feather prince of
the barn yard after a summer show
Ter. She reached the door with various
bumpings and free use of her elbows
The conductor politely reached for her
umbrella, with the intention of holding
it for the woman while she alighted
mo. you don't, young man." said the
fair passenger with an awful frown
Il have seen those tricks before. Just
leave go Of my parasol, will you? It's
bad enough to have an ignorant num-
skull carry me by my street, without
having him steal my best parasol that
sister Ann Eliza gave me jest three
year goin' on Christmas l guess I
can take care of that article all right
without any of your assistance" And
with that, the woman, too angry to
raise the umbrella, bounced down the
steps, out into the rain, while there
was a silence in the car too deep for
words.
1t is sad but true, as the poet saws.
but there are many men in Worcester
who spend a good deal of money in the
course Of the year on Intoxicating
drinks.
If reward were offered them to
Istop, it is likely that the one who made
the offer would be kept busy signing
checks. In New York state there is a
man who is the son of wealthy land
owner who has made him a unique
offer If he will stop looking on the
wine when IL is red or any other color.
He will be given $4,000 If he will sub
init to a course of treatment at q hos
pital for alcoholism, and the same sum
will be his if he can stay sober for one
week. For more than a year the fell
low has hardly been sober for one
whole day. His young and beautiful
wife had to leave him, yet she is
iready to come back if he can let Uouor
alone. The other day he was taken TO
the hospital and he will make a strong
bid for that $4,000
The treatment will consist of hypo-
dermic injections of strychnine and
strong doses of tonics. AT present the
man is all unnerved from going with
out his accustomed stimulant, but he
realizes a fortune depends. upon his
keeping straight, and the next few
days will tell the story. If he can go
one week without whisky, he can 20
longer and when finally the craving
for liquor is destroyed, he is a saved
man il he let's 1t alone for the future