South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-08-05
TALES ABOUT
FOLKS.
By Fred c. Kelly

WASHINGTON William A.
Garrett was general manager of the
Pere Marquette railroad. he had an
aversion against smoking. He there
fore issued an order that any employe
smoking while on duty would be dis
| charged. This story of what then
! happened is told by William H. Can
mfr, head of the Nickel Plate rail-
road. Garrett was walking through
one of the company's freight yards
one day, not long after the issuing OF
his anti-smoke order, and saw
| freight brakeman quietly, cOntentedly
putting at a cigar.
4 see you're smoking" remarked
Garrett.
Yes. you're exactly right" replied
the brakeman, in deferential tones;
I'm smoking" And he kept right
on smoking.
You probably don't know who
am" observed Garrett.
"Oh yes, l do said the brakeman.
I've seen you around here before.
cure the general manager"
Then evidently you haven't heard
about our new order against smok-
| ing" went on Garrett.
Sure | heard about ia week
ago" replied the brakeman cour-
teously, and without ceasing to puff at
his cigar.
Garrett then began to get mad.
See here, my good man." says he,
(which looks the best TO yOu-that
cigar or your job?"
For some moments the brakeman
stared off into space. putting slowly at
his smoke, and apparently thinking
the proposition over. Then he declar-
ed:
Il hardly know what TO say. Mr..
Garrett-they're both SO rotten"
This little story isn't any story at
all. There is no particular point or
climax to it-nothing but a brief state
ment of facts. Yet somehow il seems
worth telling. Anyway here il is
otto Hauerbach. who wrote the
book and lyrics of Madame sherry.
High links" and a number of other
Broadway successes, was an Indiana
lad He went to college and then
got himself a job as professor of eX-
preston and literature at Whitman
college. Walla Walla Wash For sew
eral years he taught there, and just
why he should have felt called TO the
theatrical business, nobody can tell,
but one day he resigned and took
train for Broadway. New York. He
said he was going TO break in along
that thOrOughfare in a big way. lie
was "A slender. Spirituelle, dreamy sort
of person, and wore his hair a trifie
longer than the average man, but not
enough to attract much notice. Broad
way paid little or no attention 10 him
not yet. Well. he practiced at writing
lyrics and dressing up the work Of
others with his own delicate touches.
Then ne succeeded in getting produced
/ a musical comedy which was an in
Simultaneous success. and money began
TO pour into his lap.
Up 20 that time Hauerbach had been
rather poor. Now he could live like
an oriental prince. But he did not
change his apartments-did not even
buy an automObile-not just yet.
What he did do was TO go and buy
ticket 10 an obscure little station
along the New York Centrals Lake
Shore railroad in Indiana. He trav
eled 10 that point and made his way
10 a modest home. where dwelt two
persons whom he had known in an in
innate way for a number OF years.
Both. i'm fact had been prominently
identified with the incident of his
birth.
Well. Hauerbach didn't talk much
about what ne had been doing. but he
asked the two persons where they
would like To live If they had their
choice of the whole big wide world.
Dad and mother lust laughed and
.
little town. a moment later Hauer-
bach excused himself and went 10
real estate Office. where he bargained
for the purchase OF the pretty home
his father and mother had spoken of.
Two hours later he went TO them with
the deed i'm his pocket He stayed
around for two or three days. helped
them move and got them comfortably
settled. Then he kissed them gOOdby
and took "A train back TO Broadway.
New York. where he resumed his task
of walking into the money. That is
all there is 90 the story.
Some months ago. when GOV Cox
i of Ohio was hunting down in Ken
I lucky he became acquainted with a
. negro who also bears the name OF Cox
One of those keen witted. southern
negroes who always have "A ready an
swer
How is it," inquired Cox jokingly.
| THAT your name is Cox? Up in my