The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-10-07


to know why, then, they were not made
in two equal pieces. Whereupon was
stunned.
The third draft that I craved from
the fount Of knowledge was enlighten-
ment concerning the character known
as "a man about town." He was more
vague in my mind than type should
be. We must have concrete idea of
anything, even if it be an imaginary
| idea, before we can comprehend 1t.
Now, I have a mental picture of
John Doe that is as clear as a steel
| engraving. His eyes are weak blue,
he wears a brown vest and shiny
black serge coat, he stands always
| in the sunshine chewing something
and he keeps half shutting his pocket
knife and opening it again with his
| thumb. And, if the man higher up is
ever found, take my assurance for 1t
he will be large, pale man with blue
wristlets showing under his cuffs, and
he will be sitting to have his shoes
| polished within sound of bowling
alley, and there will be somewhere
| about him turquoiseS.
But the canvas Of my imagination,
| when it came to thinning the man
| about town, was blank. fancied that
| he had a detachable sneer Qike the
smile Of the Cheshire cat and at
| tached cuffs, and that was all, where
upon / asked a newspaper reporter
about him.
"Why," said he, "a man about town
is something between rounder and a
clubman He isn't exactly-well, he
| fits in between Mrs Fish's receptions
| and private boxing bouts. He doesn't
well, he doesn't belong to the Lotos
club or to the Jerry McGeogheghan
Galvanized Iron Workers Apprentices
Left Hook Chowder association.
don't exactly know how to describe
him to you. You'll see him every
where there's anything doing Yes,
I suppose he's a type. Dress clothes
every evening, knows the ropes, calls
every policeman and waiter In town
by their first names. No, he never
travels with the hydrogen derivatives.
4Ou SCucIduy Bee u1AI diOnC Va VIII
another man."
My friend the reporter left me, and
I wandered farther afield. By this time
the 1926 electric lights on the Rialto
were alight. People passed, but they
held me not. Paphian eyes rayed upon
me and left me unscathed. Diners,
heimgangers, shopgirls, confidence men,
va ,Ioar nd {nh vu6u vi mil
lionaires and outlanders hurried. skip
ped, strolled, sneaked, staggered and
scurried by me, but I took no note Of
them. I knew them all. I had read
their hearts; they had served. I want
ed my man about town. He was a
type, and to drop him would be an
error-a typograph. But, no, let US
continue.
Let us continue with moral d.
gression. To see family reading the
Sunday paper gratifies The sections
have been separated Papa is earnest
ly scanning the page that pictures the
young lady exercising before an open
window and bending-but there, there!
Mamma is interested in trying to guess
Tic ullSSluS lcltGlS al Tic WOKu Wv
Yo-k. The oldest girls are eagerly
perusing the financial reports, for
certain young man remarked last Sun
day night that he had taken a fier in
O., x. and z. Willie. the eighteen-year-
old son. who attends New York
public school, is absorbed in the week
ly article describing how to make over
an old skirt for he hopes to take a
prize in sewing on graduation day.
Grandma is holding to the comic
supplement with two hours grip,
and little Tottie, the baby. is rocking
along the best she can with the real
estate transfers This view is In
tended to be reassuring for It ia lie