The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-06

NICK MN upN lASld4lS. why
- not, or course any man
might take II amiss IL he
were suddenly catapulted down a
fight Of steps for simply trying to
hold his job. But a process server
can't expect to he considered a human
being. 1t is asking too much of the
Harold Skimpoles of the world.
Those Skimpoles who, when the
butcher demands payment through
the courts for his pounds of flesh, re-
ply i~nnocently. But l mean to pay
a. II that We're all the return he could
possibly expect.
one can't help feeling a certain SYM
PATTY for the merchant who replied
tartly, Il wish | had just meant the
meat ! snt you last year instead OF
delivering H."
The victim who is being served
With a subpoena by a process server
Is naturally blind to that genucman's
good qualities and personal charm. lie
finds II hard to believe that his pur-
suer is not feeding fat an ancient
grudge against humanity in general
and himself in particular.
He loses sight OF the fact hat the
average process server is either a
junior law clerk in a aw office or a
collection agent who is detailed to
the work as a step in his progress.
Or il may be that he Is one of the
men Nho devote all of their time TO
serving subppnas. He has about as
much an.mosity for the recipient of
his attentions as the postman has for
the person to whom he delivers a
registered letter.
In either case it is simply a Job
and at times "A fairly eXacting me-.
especially when he tries to subpoena
persons TO appear in court TO explain
10 their creditors why they have not
paid their bills.
He doesn't exactly long TO be forci-
bly, thrown out of a house in the per-
formance Of his duties, but he feels
philosophical about that possibility.
Damages can always be claimed and
they are a wonderful balm when en-
changed for minor casualties.
In pursuit of his quarry the adroit
member Of the profession must crouch
In dark always. hop out of dumb
waiter shafts and appear uneX-
pectedly from nowhere in particular
TO thrust his obnoxious paper on his
fleeing victim. They almost always
are fleeing. That is one way h old
hand at the process serving game
spots them.
The pursued have much in common
with the lady who takes her dog To
walk without a muzzle. Her guilty
Conscience making her glance fur
lively up and down the street, start
hastily and look over her shoulder
every two minutes. Involuntary
oourtlng the very attention which she
Is most anxious to escape.
The means the process server en-
poys are better adapted TO the auda-
c!ous than the hnicky. As in dlplo-
macy, the end iustities the mems
honor Is a word omitted from his Lex
icon during business hours. Whether
r. likes % or not, he must hrihe the
"aN, listen To the G%arrulOus and pry
Upon tho cautious. II is all in his
Gays work.
Nj. Dwight to see Mrs, Saunders
ne elevator boy announces over the
I'uSe phone, "Nlr, who?' queries &
facDtto voice at the other end of the
Nro.
VI Dwight from Mr.. Clark
once Ma, toy returns after n hur'
n'd consultation with the pleasant
YOUTH who leans ingratiatingly ovci
me switchboard with his head IN
'"htd toward the receiver.
Tel nm I'm out" comes the cur
'tsponso. ~ course she is OUT. They
SWays arc Out when they suspect l
"a process server calling.
!H' majority of persons In moderate
circumstances pay If they "a so a
=" sVo'a the l@nominy # being sum
Iohei to court to explain why the,
-'NeHI Hg, TO a certain class o
.'f'nts eEad.ng the process serve
seems 10 be a kind of "A game il
winch Trey rather fancy betting o.
~e.r own wits, They are the reall.
ssuHl dodgers. They know to a meet.
w. '.| a.lHy escapes there ar
40 We hoy don't know they h!r'
.shro"i lawyer 10 tell them. The!
az lhe ones the process serve reall,
~"-s sport n pursuing.