The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-07-29
A NIGHT WITH
THE NIGHT HAWKS
How the Small Army OF Night
Workers in Cairo Exist
L, NOT BAD AT ALL
MEN WHO WORK WHILE OTHERS
SLEEP LIKE 1.-THE MIDNIGHT
LukcH--FEW TEMPTATIONS
IN THE WORKERS PATH.

d
How many night workers do you
suppose there are in Cairo?" was
question asked of 4 Bulletin repre-
sentative recently, that is. persons
engaged in legitimate work."
The query was one TOO many for
an off-hand answer but the number
is very large. II embraces railroad
men, clerks In express offices, police
men, private watchmen, newspaper
men. cooks. walters, bartenders, etc.
and tley are employed In all parts of
the city, but Il Is safe to say that q
majority Of the might hawks work
below Eighth street.
AS a rule these men are all hard
working, earnest individuals. In their
cases the order of nature Is reversed.
Many of them work twelve hours a
night. going on duty at six In the
evening and working until six ii the
morn ng, doing their sleeping ia the
daytime when the remainder OF the
great world is at work
Still, this sort of an existence is
not without its attractions or eompen-
satlons They do not find thar the
old SAYING: Early 10 bed ana early
to rise makes man healthy, wealthy
and wise" applies to them.
Those who do intellectual nr brain
work clam that their thoughts are
clearer anu ideas brighter after MID
night than before: that long columns
/ Of figures are more easily added; that
full, neatly rounded sentences are
more realty framed. the flow Of Ian
| guage. is easier and the story more
readily told. Only those who have
become initiated thoroughly into This
1 sort of life can realize the truth Of
1 the claims.
/ But bow do these people live? They
do not have their three square meals
q supper at home IS about all
they get there, for they are usually
/ too tired and sleepy to eat breakfast
with their families when thoy get
home in the morning ana 90 Off to
| he'd about the time the Others are
i getting UP.
I The midnight lunch Is the one meal
looked forward to with fonl antici-
Ipations. A few take their lunch with
/ them from home and eat it IN the
Office or factory and then hurry back
! to their tasks BY far the greater
/ number go to some restaurant or eat
Ing house.
And what do they eat? II Ii rather
| interesting to oyerhear their orders.
| They usually eat hearty steak, po-
tatoes, bread and butter, coffee, ham
and eggs. etc.
/ Rarely does any of them order In
toxicants, even beer seems to ne
taboced. Something satisfying, some
thing "filiing" Is the desire Of the
most Of these night-workers.
As rule they do not eat hurriedly;
they generally have an hour for III j
| purpose and the restaurants are not
often crowded at that hour, 80 they
are promptly served. Friends or even
casual acqua ntances indulge in con-
| yersation, swap experiences and sym
| pathies for mere day.workers" whom
lthey effect 70 pity, and the newspaper
reporters frequently get good stories
I from their co-workers or tirs night
which would otherwise have failed to
be re-told to their readers the next
| morning. Occasionally pointers are
given which enable them to follow
up and effect O beat on their con
temporaries on the afternoon papers
who usually think that whatever hap
pens after midnight Is their exclusive
property in the way of news.
| It Is we'll enough to say here that
an impression indulged In by many
i regarding night-worke.s and the temp.
tations which assall them is ERRONEOUS
In the extreme. These men are in
Ialmost every case hard workers,
| every hour Of the night, except the
one allowed for lunch, Is. devoted to
actual labor. 1t Is the ,lay-workel
who keep late night hours at other
places than home or under refining
influences who naturally finds wher5
the things that are the reverse OF
good are located and who brings re
proach on the so-called might hawks
Il is unfortunate that there Is 80 much
to do in this busy world that 1t can
not all be done in the dayt me ant
80 many have to work AZ, II ght. They
try 70 make the best Of, II, however
and really and truly some OF then
rather liz Ii.
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Tntp fIClljster' TnoLy NYoro,ot.