The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-05-11
QUEER THINGS PICKED UP.
Hairpins, Rubber Bands,
and Such Like.


Chicago people are greatly given to
picking up things in the streets. just
what they do it for nobody knows, not
even the collectors themselves in many
cases. But the man or woman who
commences to pick up things in this
manner is lost. There is no knowing
to what lengths or what eccentricities
the habit will eventually lead and carry
| it's victim.
A man whom almost everybody ia
Chicago knows something about no
ticed wire hairpin resting on the side
walk before him one morning just be-
| fore Christmas. He wondered idly as
he journeyed downtown just how
many hairpins of various kinds might
be picked up on the streets in single
month. During the month of January
he tried to find out. In the 81 working
days of this month he picked up over
hundred hairpins. From his home to
the street car and from the street car
| to his office he traversed daily-he
could not see to pick up hairpins in the
\ evening-just about ten blocks. The
knowledge that he found and rescued
over hundred hairpins in the course
of that ten blocks ia month has been
of great satisfaction to him-nobody
knows why. His wife estimates that
he ruined several pairs of gloves in the
course of his efforts and lost any
amount of small change, while he did
| MT even save the hairpins, but these
! trifles never troubled him. lie is still
picking up hairpins and expects to at
tain marvellous total during the three
months which he will allow to elapse
before again taking stock" of his
finds.
Last summer it was rumored in al!
sorts of business and professional cir
Giles that the picking up of rubber bands
in the streets and on the sidewalk was
lucky" Again nobody knows why;
nobody ever did. But numbers of in
tellectual and otherwise sensible Chi
cago people picked up rubber bands
last summer and autumn and numbers
of them are still pursuing the elusive
rubber circle. One wonders why.
The habit of looking for and picking
up lost money is an ancient one. 1T
strengthens as it grows, 1t has been
roughly estimated that at least two
! thirds of Chicago's feminine popula-
| ton are victims of this habit in varying
degrees, while plenty of men sue
cumbed to it long ago. Money so found
is also "lucky"-even if it does neces-
state the spelling of brand-new gloves
or the soiling of dainty finger tips. The
man who finds money in this way usu-
ally spits upon it. This operation is
performed for luck" also.
4 Then there are people who make a
practice of watching for and picking
| up postage stamps, cuff links, hatpins,
lead pencils, rubber erasers, pocket
books and knives, finger rings and
bracelets, brooches, watch charms
anything and everything, in fact,
which may be lost and found. Few
of them know or can tell why they do
| this. They have got into the habit
of so doing, that is ALL But always
they can be recognized at sight, these
queer victims of the finding habit"
and this by their peculiar carriage
of the head and neck. Gibson girls
are anything but plentiful in Chi
cago; there are too many sharp cable
curves and Withdrawing and excitabie
transfers allowed about the streets
for that. But most of the population
SEEM to approve of moderately
erect carriage. When you see man
or woman, therefore, with head bent
low over the dirt and CRIME and mud
of the city streets you may reasonably
suspect that you have before you
fully developed finding fiend." When
the suspected individual suddenly
swoops down upon the street or side
walk, abstracts something and hides
it away in the pocket with great Joy
you may know your suspicious well
founded. A Sind has been discoy-
cred and pocketed; it will presently
be added to the miscellaneous, and, in
all probability, valueless collection at
home or the Office. And the heart of
the finder is throbbing with unmiti-
gated delight. And, again, one won
ders why.-Chicago Chronicle.