Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1901 — Our Man About Town. [ARTICLE]

Our Man About Town.

» Discusses j Sundry v and j Other k Matters.

Country people have little idea of the cost of living in town, and sometimes impose on their town relatives unintentionally. Less than two months ago a young man moved with his family from the country to Rensselaer. He has had to depend on what he oan earn as a day laborer for his living, perhaps earning on an average of a dollar per day. It has cost him for groceries SBO since moving here, owing to the large number of country relatives he has had to feed. His relatives have even brought their relatives along, and it is no uncommon sight to see three or four wagon loads drive up and spend the day with their city relative. In order to keep out of the poor house, he has now decided to move back to the country, where he hopes lie can feed his visitors without bankrupting himself. * * * A man in this town who is very shiftless and a poor manager, is kept mostly by his folks, and the neighbors refer to the time when he used to help make his own living. And everybody knows what it means. * * # One of the recent lady visitors from here to the Buffalo exposition wanted to mall a letter home so the folks would know how she was getting on. So she went to what she thought was a mail box and attempted to open it. It worked hard; but so d.d she. The first thing she knew the Are department was coming down the street like mad. When she saw what she had done, she rushed for a street car and rode away. This is a true story, and yet nobody will believe it. *** It happened in the dining oar on the south bound Monon train the other day. A party from here were on their way to the Knight Templar’s conclave at Louisville. They had gone to the dining car to take dinner. One of the party took off his hat and went to hang it on a hook at the end cf the car. It was turned wrong, so he turned it, and the way the dishes took an end shoot off the table was a caution. He had set the air brake, and stopped the train instantly. * •

One of our farmers had owed a druggist bill for years. He is sure pay, but as slow as the wrath of divine providence. Last week he came to town to attend the circus. The druggist went out into the street and said to him : “Can’t you pay Something on that bill today ?” Oh, Lord, no I” replied the debtor, “we have been saving money for three weeks to go to the oirous.” The druggist is still waiting for his money. • • *

Invitations to a party had been delivered and a woman in this town did not find hers till she scrubbed the front porch. The invitation had been delivered in her absence, and her’s was left on the door sill. If she had not scrubbed she would have missed the party. We trust the moral is already impressed upon your mind. *.*

Women in the east are after the railway companies to have sleeping cars for men and women separate. For years we have secretly sighed for this. We haye seldom slumbered in a sleeping car without a fear that some woman would sneak up and kiss us in our sleep. V A* Tennessee authority has ruled that “Jewhillikins” is swearing. Maybe it is; but any foil grown man who wastes bis time with such a word while there are so many others which fit the requirements better, Can’t be bad enough to do much wrong with it. * • * Ten years ago a man with a wife, two children and ten dollars in his pocket, drifted into Chicago. Last week the same man sailed for Europe with,his family, accompanied by-two yalets, maids, a stenographer, etc., worth $6,000,000, the absolute ruler of 60,000 people, the proprietor ot a college, a bank and a hotel and? of the greatest city of religion planned since the Mormons set one up in Balt Lake. This is Dr. Dowie, of Zion fame; who believes that he can cure by the laying on of hands. Talk about investments I None seems to pay as well as the discovery of a new kind of medicated religion.