Portland, Oregon, A.D. 1999, and other sketchesHayes, J. W. (Jeff W.)
Science
Portland, Oregon, A.D. 1999, and other sketches
Hayes, J. W. (Jeff W.)
American fiction -- 20th century; Portland (Or.) -- Fiction; Short stories, American
One afternoon Hayes, Tom Dudley and Bob Irwin were allowed 30 minutes
for luncheon. Upon their return, the doors of the convention hall opened
and a mass of excited men rushed out, yelling, "Hayes!" "Hayes!"
"Hayes!" "Bob" Hayes immediately left his comrades and flew down the
street.
"What's the matter?" cried Tom Dudley after the fleeing man.
"Oh, hush! hush!" cried back the fleeting Hayes, "don't you hear my
creditors yelling after me."
It seems the convention had just nominated Rutherford B. Hayes for the
presidency and that alone was the cause of the tumult.
Robt. C. Hayes now holds a prominent position with the Burlington road
in Omaha and his friends still tell this story on him.
* * * *
George Lawton, affectionately known to the telegraph fraternity as "Old
Farmer" Lawton, is a familiar figure in the Denver office where he holds
the position of assistant manager.
"Farmer" Lawton has worked in Denver, lo, these many years. He loves to
reminisce and his stories are good.
Back in the 70's the "Farmer" used to copy press from "Nip" Jones, at
Cheyenne, for the Denver papers. "Nip" was a fast but erratic sender,
his speed varying according to his mood.
"Farmer" Lawton had been "breaking" a good deal one night, when Jones
petulantly remarked: "I say, 'Farmer,' how is it that some nights you
take me all right and other nights you break every little while?"
"Farmer" Lawton's artless reply was, "Why, don't you see, 'Nip,' you
send faster some nights than you do others."
* * * *
When Mr. A. B. Cowan was chief operator of the Chicago office he found
himself, on an occasion, needing some help in the printer's room and he
engaged a young Jewess, named Henrietta, to work as automatic operator.
The newcomer proved to be very trustworthy, full of snap, energetic and
intelligent.
Noticing her excellent work and needing still more help, Mr. Cowan asked
the young Jewess if she knew of any more girls of her race that would
like to go to work.
"Oh, yes," replied Henrietta, "I know many," and in a few days there was
quite a sprinkling of young women of the Semitic race in the office.
Passing into the elevator one day Mr. Cowan overheard a couple of
Jewesses in close conversation.
"How is it," asked one, "that so many of our kind of people get jobs
here?"
"Ah, don't you know?" was the reply. "Well, I'll tell you. Don't you
know A. B. Cohen (Cowan), chief operator?"
HE KNEW A GOOD THING.
Some years ago a fine looking, elderly gentleman could be seen
hob-nobbing with such old timers on Front Street as Wm. Wadhams,
Sylvester Farrell, Thomas Guinean and others of that generation, and he
was always attentively listened to. There was so much of benevolence and
philanthropy in his countenance that one involuntarily took a second
look at him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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