The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-10
WAYS OF MAKING ALIVING
VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS IN A CITY OF
TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND.
indianapolis Has Reached that Mark
and Has the Usual Quota OF
Unique Enterprises.

When the population Of a city reaches the
200 900 MARYLAND Ii seems TO be the pre-
vailing opinion that Indianapolis belongs
In this class-various peculiar occupations
that are outside of the beaten path of rec
ognized vocations spring UP among its in
habitants. In these strenuous times every
opportunity for getting is sure TO be
seized upon by some far-seeing individual,
no matter how unusual the employment
may be. Indianapolis has a number of
workers whose daily pursuits might be
somewhat hard to define when 1t came to
an interview with the inquisitive city d.
rectory man.
For instance, there is the colored man,
"Jerry"-he is known by no other name
that makes a business of supplying the SUI
perstitious with charms" ''mascots" and
"fetishes," the latter warranted to keep
of all devils and hoodoos. Jerry lives far
out on Indiana avenue near Fall creek.
When he is not actively engaged in the
business Of "fetichism' ne is usually to be
found fishing along the banks of the creek
or the canal, and he has even been known
to put aside his pride long enough to sell
bait to other fishermen when trade in magic
charms happened TO be dull. For Jerry is
as expert in catching "craw-dads'' and find
ing grubworms he Is in seeking out the
hiding places of wonder workers Most of
Jerrys hoodoo exterminators are sold to
people of his own race, but there are many
well-known whist players in Indianapolis
possessing mascots originally brought TO
light by the little black man. Just where
Jerry gets all of his rabbits feet Qeft
hind ones, always) is a mystery. for rab-
bits are a scarcity about this city now
adays, but he manages to fill all orders.
nevertheless. His business is not confined
to rabbits feet by any means. however, al
though these charms have always been the
most popular of all. 1t seems incredible
that he can actually make any money out
Of such things as curiously shaped stones
that have value aside from their sup
posed magic properties. crooked and mis-
shapen coins, or even odd-looking buckeyes
and roots. But he finds a market for most
OF his wares, and at one time he did good
business In hard, dried-up potatoes.
FOUR-LEAF CLOVERS.
Perhaps the young woman that makes a
speciality of supplying a downtown manu-
featuring jeweler with four-leaf clovers
would object to being placed in the same
class with Jerry, but at the same time
she IL just dependent the little col
ored man upon the superstitions OF the
good Indianapolis citizens. There is always
a demand for watch charms. breast pins
and other little articles of Jewelry contain
ing pressed four-ieaf clovers and. although
one can hardly make a living at that sort
of thing in a city of this size, still the
1
ing to buy the pretty little mascot If
they chance to be making the kind of
trinket in which the clovers are used. The
great firm of Tiffiny. in New York. has al
ways made a special feature Of jeweled
clovers and the people that furnish the lit
tie green leaves receive quite a good in
come.
The cookie girl from Brightwood is be-
coming a well-known weekly visitor among
many families in the north part of town.
Her trade has been growing steadily since
she first introduced her wares, about three
years ago, and now she is In such demand
that she is thinking of taking a partner into
the business. She journeys into the city
proper regularly every Saturday morning
/ on a Brightwood car with q tremendous
basket, almost as big as herself, loaded
down with delicious little round cakes like
your mother used to make. The cookies
smell so good that the passengers on the
car are almost overcome with hunger by
the time they get into the city, and most
OF them would be willing to buy out the
entire stock OF the little vender then and
| there. But the cookies are already sold
she tells her would-be customers, with a
proud little smile, and she can't spare even
one Of EN-. She and her mother pitch In
every Friday and make up whole lot" she
| explains, and then she sets out early the
next day TO go her rounds. The cakes are
so much better than any to be purchased at
| the bakeries that she has had no trouble in
disposing Of them from the first, and the
difficulty now is to supply the demand.
TAFFY AND BROWN BREAD.
Then there are the "tany-candy boy
| and the "brown-bread woman" Both are
| poor and deserving of patronage, not only
on account Of their poverty, but because of
the excellence of their wares. The tafry
candy sold by the little bare-footed fell
low. who. like the cookie girl makes
his rounds only on Saturdays, is of the
| good homemade variety with that pe-
! culiarly satisfying taste about it that is
! not to be found in any store candy ever
| manufactured since the world began. The
| boys mother makes the candy on Friday
| nights, and though the little chap had a
| hard time at first in securing customers.
| he now has established route and his
| patrons would be just as willing to do
without their Sunday newspapers as to do
without their Sunday taffy." AS for the
| brown-bread woman, she is an old-timer