The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-12-25
AROMATIC PHONE
GETS MOTHER FROST
At Tuesday Nights Meeting
of City Council.

The business of the council was
proceeding smoothly; the aldermen
were sitting back in their mission re-
clining chairs and enjoying smoke
as they listened to the business.
Some went so far as to chew gum.
Elder Robinson of the Sixth pulled
from the recesses of his inside coat
pocket little skull cap of black silk,
glossss and in harmony with his COM
plexion and covered his bald knob
Then he pulled long black cigar
from another pocket which he light
ed with that due deliberation so be-
coming in statesman; he seemed to
be soothed by the inhalations.
The Hon. Leo also smoked, though
the exercise didn't appear to have
that soothing effect on his nerves as
did the inhalations and exhalations of
the weed of his co-aromatic patriot
across the table The Hon. Leo acted
for all the world just as if he was
expecting developments.
The clerk began to read some cor
respondence between his honor, the
mayor, and the Bell Telephone Co.
concerning the proposition made at
former meeting regarding cn improved
service. When the reading was fin
ished, Attorney J. V. Walton the le-
gal representative of the Automatic
Telephone Co. in Palatka, arose from
his seat in the gallery of the house,
and asked permission to say few
words. This permission was readily
granted.
Mr.. Walton is a convincing speak
er; he i2 srnocth as the oil of glad
ness; he glides into the tired and wea-
ry aromatic feelings of the aldermen
with mild and gentle sympathy that
steels away their WEAKNESS ere they
are aware. After he had their ears
well attIned, he opened up with his
argument as to why the Automatic
people should be given an opportuni-
ty in this city; he outlined an ordi-
nance he had prepared; told of the
money that would be spent in the
business houses of Palatka; of the
Opportunity it would give for local
cap4 to expand and multiply; of
an Underground system of wires on
Lemon street; of the purpose of the
company not to charge cent until
they had secured $50 takers and
scented an opportunity to get more,
etc. Judge Walton wanted the coun-
Gil to allow the ordinance to be read
merely as working basis.
After Judge Walton had finished
Itnere was a pause of a moment or
ltwo; there was also silence in the
chamber-silence so thick it could
be sliced off with cheese knife. The
Hon. Leo looked hither and you; Jim
Pounds turned in his chair; Judge
Walton went over and whispered in
Jim's off ear; Elder Robinson smok-
ed and turned pale as the silence
grew more and more ominous. That
was all.
After the silence had continued
perhaps two minutes the council pro-
ceeded with it's regular business, and
the third white frost to spread over
Automatic endeavor in this city had
been recorded by the clerk of the
council and record keeper of the po-
litical weather.
We neglected to say that Sam'val
o Posen was present with his pencil
and pad, hopeful of something that
would give an excuse for continuing
controversy that has already made
the council weary and become a joke
in the mouths of the inhabitants.
The working basis" had failed to
"work."