The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-03-10
A NIGHT AS A MESSENGER BOY.
BY A WOMAN REPORTER.
mo. 1927"

mo. 1927"
feel a nudge, and tiny little fellow,
in blue suit with silver buttons, whis-
pers in my ear.
That's you. It's your turn to take
q message"
L awake with a start from my rev.
erie-for L have been indulging in a
day-dream-and, as I suddenly awake
L think myself still in dreamland for
1, too, am encased in the blue uniform
and silver buttons, and L have been
waiting to perform my first duty as
an American District messenger boy.
"Boy?" you say. Yes, boy, as-for
! the nonce-I have donned the COM
plete uniform, determined to see for
myself just what is the nightly expert
ence of one of these youngsters.
In order to do this it was necessary
to get permission from the proper tu-
thorities.
The superintendent kindly loaned me
new suit and cap, and then I went
to wig makers on Fourteenth street,
near Fourth avenue, to get wig. Then
l had to borrow pair of boys shoes
which 1 wadded with cotton to make
fit, as I had always noticed that mes
senger boys had feet-well, larger than
girls.
For the next few days I made a
careful study of every messenger boy
I met, noting his walk, the way he
carried himself, etc.
SO, when the eventful night came. I
felt quite in humor for the story. But
after getting into my boys clothes
even in spite of the shoes, 1 wasn't
quite boy. There was something the
matter with my face Just then the
costumer came. How I blessed him. for
1,ol 1,aa, n-f IN
vain. But, after using an enormous
quantity of hair-pins, and after a little
twitching and pulling and Juggling. the
wig was in its place.
The day manager of the office is
about to surrender his duties to The
night manager, as I walk iauntily into
the Office and present the way bill that
the superintendent has given me to the
night clerk. A way bill, by the way. is
a little slip of paper that is handed
a messenger when he is sent from
one office to the other for the night.
Upon it is the date Of leaving, num-
Der of messenger, time of arriving. etc.
etc.
Take a seat on the bench" said the
night manager, land await your turn
He evidently didn't know me- I
turned to the night clerk, who was
busy over an immense book. keeping
track of the messages as they came in
and were sent out
will you take care of my rubber
coat?" asked.
And then the manager recognized me, /
and joined with me in the laugh that
was at his expense.
go over to the Grand Hotel" said
the night manager, as he handed me
a pink call slip with the name and
address of the Grand Hotel upon it.
A messenger boy enters the hotel
Just as I do. He is the night sergeant.
George Wood. No. 996. He tells me
that a second call had been rung. and
that he had come to look me up.
walk up to the clerk at the desk and
present my slip for him to sign. He
gives me a curious glance. which
meet unfinchingiy, then hands me *
cents and a rubber coat and card
with Mr. c. Vanderbilt. COS Fifth
Avenue upon 1t.
''Take this coat to this name and
address, he says.
When I got back to the office I dis
cover that my hawk-eyed cabby has
been whispering to one or two other |
cabibes, and l am subjected to little |
more hard staring. There is a call from |