Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1918 — LITTLE STORIES OF WASHINGTON STREET [ARTICLE]

LITTLE STORIES OF WASHINGTON STREET

Many of you yet remember the failing of one of our high school principals, who on every occasion told the story of Sir Isaac Newton and the fact that he was so busy in his experiments along the lines of scientific research, which has handed his name to posterity. He then would always go on to say that the good man was so busy on the night, set for his wedding that he completely forgot all about it. While this story was meant to sho r w that value of application. We will always contend that it is a better example of absent mindedness. Now then, once upon a time a Rensselaer merchant, Mr. Blank by name, went down to the postoffice and purposed to call for his mail. He went up to the window for very purpose, and then didn’t do it. Why he failed so to do will appear later. He then stood over at the side and leaned up against the desk, and seemed to be in deepest reverie. Thus he stood for upwards of a half hour. Then one of his old time friends came in and said, “How dy’e do Mr. Blank.” He then came out of his reverie, and said: “That is the name that I have been trying to remember for the past thirty minutes.” So he then went over to the window, and with no further hesitancy .proceeded to call for his mail. Remembei; in the good old days when you could go into the restaurant and buy one of those individual pies, made wholly from wheat flour? Remember how they were served on paste board pie plates? Well, our friend was very fond of pie and called for his favorite brand one day. He began to eat, and when about half through called the restaurant man’s attention to the fact that the pie crust on this particular day was rather tougher than usual. Then Mr. Blank got the jolt of his life. It seems that he was eating the pasteboard plate along with the pie. Tough- . Well rather.