Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-11-02
From St. Louis.

II has been several weeks since l
wrote a letter to the REGISTER. Then
l wrote from "Near Arcadia Heights"
NV son, Otto, and / left Ironton
Thursday, October 10, on train No. ~,
arriving in st. Louis before noon. We
did not have any trouble In gettlng
Jobs; both going to work at 500 A. M.
the next day. Otto runs an electric
elevator in one of the largest manu-
featuring plants in st. Louis, while
your writer has, work in the same
plant, in the shipping department.
We have fairly good room on Broad
way. at S1.5O per week, and can live
almost as cheaply as if at home. But,
when we received letter from home
stating that "there were four or hve
gallons of good rich milk standing IN
vessels, and plenty of butter (you
know, Bro. AXE, what country butter,
as yellow as gold, is) it makes my
heart long for "home, sweet home"
OF course, we get milk and butter mere
occasionally, but not the real gooo
kind we getat home.
Your writer when he was here in
September worked in the Boston De-
partment Store, one OF the largest
General stores on Broadway; but the
wages paid, and the fact that | had to
work on Wednesday nights and Satur-
nights until 900 A. M. tother days,
however. from A. M. until $500 P. NJ
caused me to voluntarily resign my
nosition. 1t is a fact simply as
founding how little the average clerks
in department stores here get; yet
Won will see them, in many stores,
wearing diamond shirt studs, carrying
HIGH grade watches, too, when a little
Investigation revealed to the writer
that MANY of them were receiving
only from $40 to $12 per week. Your
writer had the watch all right, put
that diamond shirt t-stud was too rlcn
for him. Then, again that cash system,
and the wrapping system appeared 80
unnatural to me; for the four years OF
more that / worked in dry goods
store. years ago, when each clerk did
his own wrapping, made his own
change. which was SO quickly done,
caused the rather up-to- date method
to be somewhat Objectionable to me
One might say all this is old fogyism
he that as it may, chow dear to my
heart are the things of my childhood
Really. when one reaches even the
fiftieth mile. stone along life's journey
he does not take very readily to thu
new tangled styles, business methods
and school methods, etc. reeen
visit of several So called high schools
has fully convinced the writer that
after ali the cramming in the grades
there is really but little, if any, i'm
nroyement over the old time method
oftwenty five years ago. Too many
high school graduates that 40 no
thoroughly know the common
branches--too many who are promot
ed on other pupils grades, while man,
others who are too honest ana re
served to copy in examinations, ar
kept ssdraggingn over the the sam
work, often too, for two years, whel
such is really unealled for and un
necessary. But the end of such
system of things is not yet; for "trut
crushed too earth shall rise again, bu
error, wounded writhes in pain ant
dies among his worshipers."
We were very much impressed wit
meeting conducted this afternooi
nv a number of the Salvation Arm
workers, on Market street. Itbrougf
tears to my eyes, and called to m
mind the sold time religion" of M
boyhood days. But it appears tina
we have out-lived that system G
things.
Well, Bro. AXE, the election wi
soon be here. Just what the resul
will be it is hard to conjecture. 1t
Wilson in one quarter and Hughes
another. while many talk Socialism.
Well, really, st. Louis is busy cit
with all manner of things and sight
but for me give me the peace con
forts, the old tried and tested friend
of old Iron county, in the ozone-lea
en- air of the Ozarks, in the famou
classic shades of Arcadia Valley.
ID