St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-05-25
AN INAUGURAL EXPERIENCE.
New York Man Broke His Ribs in
Falling Over One of Wash-
inIt0n's Customs.

''TH h,.e in one Of the lunch rooms
which line Nassau street. in New York,
d few days ago, Il friend whom l saw
well and sound in the lobby of the Ar
lington on Inauguration day, entered
with an arm in a sling" said a member
IF the inaugural committee to Wash
ngton Star reporter the other morn.
ing.
II asked him how It happened.
WELL he answered, swallowing in
huge bites his sandwich and gulping
down his coffee in that do-it-all-in-a-
minute-or-die way they have in New
York, L broke my arm and two ribs,
see? And / did it in Washington. Now,
Washington is all right, understand?
But I've had enough of inaugurations,
understand? For you have a custom
down there that soured me on the
town and broke my bones
"I'm sorry to hear it, I replied.
OF course, we don't intend to be per-
feet, so fire away and give it to us
where the soubrette wears the
brooch
That's where you'll get it. No
hard feelings, though. 1t was this
way:
81 went down to see the Inaugural
ton doubled up with an old college
chum and had the time of my life I'M
til night. On the night after the ball,
at an hour which appeared to be tG
be about three o'clock in the morning.
was awakened by the loud ringing of
a gong. l thought it was fire bell,
and | was sure it was hammering the
Stats under my bed. was also NOR
tally certain that / heard the gallop-
ing of horses on the asphalt of the
quiet street. / heard the puff, puff of
the steamer right under my window
"'Of course, New Workers, when
awakened by putting fire engine be-
meath their windows, instinctively
jump out of bed and scramble for the
fire escape. l thoughtfully remem-
bered my friend. who slept peacefully
through the racket, and was uncon.
scious Of his danger.
"'Get up; the house is on fret" /
shouted; and to hasten his escape l
planted my feet in the small of his
back with good kick, which landed
him on the floor. Just at that mo-
ment bling, blang. bang, wang went
the gong. I grabbed my clothes.
my friend, thinking wpas bur-
glar assaulting him, jumped on me
with an upepr cut on the jaw that sent
me flying into corner over a heavy
rocker, and broke my arm and two
ribs, see?
II learned to my sorrow. when the
doctor got through with me. that it
is the custom in the capital for the
help to live at home. and when they
are not provided with night keys they
ring the bell in the morning, and some
one in the house goes down and let's
them in. The gong I heard was not
that of fire engine, but the front
door-bell of the house of my host.
TT seemed in his house they were
such sound sleepers that repeated
pulls at the bell failed to awaken them.
So he bought Mt junk sale the alarm
gong taken from an old fire engine.
and attached a wire for morning use.
1t was the earnest, get-up-and-get-up-
quick tones of the gong that made me
think and dream of New York fire en-
gines and fire escapes. The gallopiEg
of milkman's horse at the right mo-
ment supplied the clatter of horses
boots. A fat, asthmatic pug. which my
friend cherished as brother, and
permitted to sleep in the room. snor-
ing and blowing like school of por-
poises chasing bluefish, supplied the
putting of the engine to my drowsy
ss~eses. Look at these bandages-
hadn't had drink all day, that's hon
,sf'o