The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-12-30
PREJu DICE AND
the meter MAN

sons won't believe that about the ga
meter. That Is why the gas metc
mans Job is something like baseball
! umpire's-only worse. There Is a.
IiNays kicking,
A human being who has been read
Ing gas meters for dozen year
comes through the ordeal WITH th
fataiism OF Omar and the eynieism 3
an old reporter. But his stock OF pa
| tiences Is truly wonderful Job woul'
/, appear to be an impetuous and irrit
able man alongside this survivor.
Ma, the gas man has came"
That rs often the signal for the poo,
meter mans woes To begin The lad,
Of the house follows him into the cel
lar and the dark corner wherein Thu
meter reposes. She knows the way
OF the gas men and she Is going K
watch.
Mrs. Jones. In the apartment be
low. showed me her gas bill yesterday
Do you know what 1t wasg" AaS.
The meter man said he didn't
Well II was so cents less than
mine. How do you account for THAR?
.She burned less madam"
Burned less? Why, she burns just
twice what | do, for she has three
meals to cook day and | have only
two. And they sit up all hours Of the
night, and we never burn our lights
after ten o'clock. think 1t is perfect
~ disgracefuI. I'm paying part d
hers. That's what 1t Is, and you know
it,
I'll have the meter tested. madam.
II you WISH he ventured, courteously
She did wish So the meter was
tested, and 1t was as she said-tho
meter was wrong. But the discs were
beating the company instead Of thu
customer She paid higher bills after,
ward, but was satisfied
Nobody can be induced to believe
the meter. Often, the mistress of the
household will lead the meter man
triumphantly to the machine, and
pointing n finger of scorn, request him
to listen. When one listens intently. al
faint, very faint squeak can bel
heard. This ID where the gas goes 10,
she declares. Either there Is leak
or there Is a mouse inside.
Protests are In vain. Assuranceal
that all meters squeak little avail
naught. 1t has to be taken out and
new. one put in.
There Is the mistress OF large
in the South end who thinks
she has scored a triumph over the
meter man TO this day. II happened
at the end OF summer vacation.
What about this?v she demanded,
when the man put In an appearance In
response to her summons, after shs
had received a stiff bin Look at this
gas bill. More than our average, and
here the house has been closed. Iva
been away with the children and
George has been alone. He has only
burned gas enough to go to bed each
night. I've caught you at last. my
friend.N aE ~ SIR
II did look queer. And yet the meter
man was sure that his reading was
correct He tested the meter, and
could find nothing wrong. Finally he
decided to go to George" himself.
That worthy was bluff. hearty
man, who took great joy In living.
He favored the meter man with a
grin, and proceeded to take a
-oll from his pocket.
Ter had to do little entertaining
or some friends Of mine when my
wife was away. III pay that bill. and
lon't you say anything about It,"
Sure replied the meter man. II
Used to play some myself once"
After awhile. some men get sort
II personal feeling against the gas
meter, and the gas meter man. II is
Ike the constant weather kicker, who
8 sure that the supply handed out is a
'ersonaf affront to him. People have
'een known 10 smash meters when
realty incensed in this way, and their .
equests for changes Of meters come
n frequently. Not long ago man
net the gas meter reader at the door.
Under his arm he held HIS meter,
Which looked as II it had been
from the wall.
Here's your - meter" he said,
ternly. I'm going away on business
DR. couple Of weeks. asd j. dog 5pt
end to have that rotten macifIne whiz.
Ing away at my expense all the time
m gone"
There are a great many people sho
y to beat the meters. where the coin
refers are used. These are the ma
hines in which a quarter is placed
nd gas Is supplied until the amount
quiyalent to the coin is consumed.
he meter man frequently finds spuri-
US coins when he makes his round TO ,
ollect or discovers that attempts
ave been made TO employ other than
bin OF the realm. without success.
or the machines are so cuaninzly
,ntrived that nothing but a whole
bin of the proper weight and size and :
iges will pass into the meter and do
ie Job.
People who are not accustomed To
Re use Of gas or 10 meters are the