The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-10
SOME BITS OF CITY LIFE
JOHN f. FOLEY TALKS OF THE TIME
WHEN HE WAS AN OPERATOR.
An Experience with an Evanston
acknowledgements Use OF the
Word Lady

John E. Foley, chief deputy in the office
of the United States marshal, learned
biography years ago with a view to fol-
lowing the work as a regular occupation.
He used 10 be about the telegraph offices
in the Union Station a good deal while
learning, and sometimes the operator would
let him send a message-just for practice.
One night he got a chance to send a long
message, and he worked at IL with a vim.
He felt hat he was doing well, and when
he had concluded he waited for the OPP
orator who had received the message to
comment on his work. The comment finally
came. Say" said the other operator,
you would like to have a job, wouldn't
your YES" telegraphed Foley, 81 would
like very much to nave a place" We'll"
replied the other operator, 81 have an
uncle in Illinois who has a 4OO-acre farm.
He needs some corn huskers, and 1 think
you might get a job
MY sister had a funny experience with
a precocious Evanston schoolgirl" said a
young man the other day. My sister was
coming out of Chicago on a suburban train
and sat down in the seat with the school
girl. The latter was glancing through the
leaves of a physiology. Finally she turned
to a page which contained some pictures.
My sister, glancing at the page, remarked
TO the girl: What funny little things those
are-I haven't any of those in me- The
young lady looked i~ntently at the page a
moment and then remarked: Maybe you
haven't; those are brains.'"
During carnival week Thomas Martin, of
the United States m~arshal's office, enter
tanned an old friend in the person of Chas.
High. They had been boys together, and
during the week many an old story with
which both We're familiar was revived.
One incident in particular happened in
Terre Haute several years ago while Mar
tin was residing there. High came there
to visit him for a day. and as they hadn't
met for several years they spent an en-
joyable day. In the evening High remarked
that as he would be compelled to leave the
following morning at a very early hour
he would go TO a hotel and sleep. Martin
demurred to this and finally persuaded
High to go with him to his boarding house
to spend the night. telling his friend what
a fine place he had and how pleasant the
surroundings were. Before going to bed
AldIlln dIIduSSu lOE IL carriage 10 COme
for his friend at 5 o'clock next morning.
The carriage arrived and High got up with
out disturbing Martin. He hurriedly
dressed, slipped out and made his way
along the hall. The corridor was rather
dark and High did not notice the figure
that stole up behind him until a pair of
arms were thrown about his body. Then a
masculine voice exclaimed: mo you don't
Tom Martin. You can't sneak away like
this. I've been watching you for several
weeks" 1t was the voice of the landlord,
who had made a grievous mistake not
only in the identity of the man he held up
but in thinking Martin intended beating
his board bill. High tells this story on
Martin with great relish.
x
The term lady is a good word to lei
alone these days unless one knows pre-
cisely where to use it. Women" is much
more preferable and is coming into general
use just as the word leg is aking the
place of climb" AS an instance of how the
term LADY" is cherished by some people
the following is cited by a woman who has
an eye and ear for the humorous. She
happened to be at the home of a FRIEND
one day when a woman called to see about
getting employment. In making known the
nature of her business the caller said: "Are
you the woman that wants a lady to dc
house work."