Wheeling Sunday Register

SAUNTERINGS.
The Midsummer Musings of a Callow Youth.
The Very Young Man of Our Staff Tells of Things He Has Heard Of on the Streets.

I have not put my-aw-photograph in the paper because I am-aw-very shy, though many a fellow possessing my intellects and cast of countenance might have strained a point to get his imprint on paper. It was printed against my earnest-aw-protest. In fact, you know, nothing but a sense of duty to the-aw-public, at last induced me to consent. It was this way: The City Editor and I never get on well together; he delights in alluding to my-aw-copy,-manuscript, you know-as rot.

As a rule, when I lay a number of sheets on his table, he picks them up, glances over them, and then rolls them in a ball and tosses it at my-aw-head. I came in last evening with a number of particularly good things, and he actually threw them on the-aw-floor, I was real angry, and took occasion to protest in rather strong terms. He replied in a heated way, and we had some words. Finally he told me he would put my-aw-"stuff" in it I would put my picture at the head of the column. My-aw-modesty caused me to hesitate long, but I finally consented to make the-aw-sacrifice for the sake of the public. That vulgar Forgusson, who has a desk next to me in the office, has had a good deal of-aw-amusement at my expense, but I have concluded to cut him dead, so it don't matter.

I have been reading a paper once a week lately as exercise for my-aw-brain, and while looking over a Pittsburgh journal yesterday, I was very forcibly struck with the statement that although something like-aw-eight hundred tons of wrought iron tubes and pipes are turned out every day up there, the mill owners cannot begin to supply the-aw-demand. It is really a shame that Wheeling cannot have a works of that character.

Friends of mine in the Masonic Order tell me the stock for the new-aw-Temple is being subscribed for in a most liberal manner, and that there is no doubt but that the building will be erected the coming autumn. I am really rejoiced to hear this. I shall take occasion to-aw-encourage the project whenever I can.

I was-aw-talking to a newsman-a vendor of papers, you know-a few days ago, and I was-aw-really astonished at some of the things he told me. For instance, he assured me the-aw-demand for out-of town journals was very rapidly falling off, and that there was really no inducement to stay in the-aw-business. When I inquired for some data on the-er-subject, he told me that the Cincinnati Enquirer had been reduced to about sixty-five, except on Saturdays, when about two hundred came to the city. He said the paper used to circulate two hundred every day but Saturday, when about four hundred-aw-readers bought it. The same thing, the man told me, was true in the cases of the-aw-Pittsburgh journals, none of them doing much here except the Dispatch. After a time I ventured to ask the dealer what-er-cause he attributed the lessened demand for the papers, and he was-aw-good enough to say it was the increased value of our local journals. I-aw-asked him to take a cigarette.

I have been-aw-credibly informed that a competent gentleman of this city is at present engaged in getting up a chart-a map, you know-of Ohio county, and more particularly of the-aw-city. From the-er-usual inspections I have made of the maps at present relied on by prospecting men and citizens generally, I am-aw-inclined to think the work was not begun too soon.

It has occurred to-aw-me several times, recently, that those of our firemen who are called on to go to fires across the-aw-river, should, in justice, receive some-aw-extra compensation for their labor. It would seem to be fair for our members of Council to set aside a portion of the sums we receive from the town treasuries over the river for the men who are called to go over there. I am told, for instance, that one fireman ruined a pair of-aw-gum boots, another a new hat, and another a coat at the Laughlin mill fire, last week. As the-aw-city will receive four hundred dollars from the town treasury I think these-aw-losses, at least, should be compensated.

It affords me much-aw-satisfaction to see so many of my friends putting a portion of their-earning-wages, you know -in building associations. I always-aw-encourage them in this. Only yesterday I told a fellow that it was the only really-aw-sensible thing he ever did. If I wasn't a writer on a paper I would be-aw-tempted to save something myself.

I have noticed recently that some of the fellows have taken to-aw-dissipating in a really atrocious way. It was told a few days ago that several friends of mine were out all night on a-sw-regular old time tearing the evening before. As I met one of the chaps referred to by my informant, and saw he had badly-aw-bruised one of his eyes, I fancy the story must be true.

While-aw-strolling about this week I was several times struck with the tendency of some-aw-married men to cast fond glances in the direction of females other than their respective wives. I ventured my-aw-impression to a friend who chanced to offer me a cigarette, when he told me a little incident which he assured me had just-aw-occurred. He was walking down street with two fellows, when half a block ahead he observed a young married man and a-aw-woman coming toward them, deeply engaged in conversation. Chancing to look up, and observing the group the man quickly dropped behind his-aw-companion, and as the fellows came up he stopped them and engaged them in a-aw-commonplace conversation, allowing the woman to go on. The married man's-aw-pastor just then passed, and my informant called out very loud. "I say, Joe; I see you've got the old girl out again!" The-aw-woman looked around on one side of the group and the preacher on the other, while the married man disappeared down an-aw-alleyway.

Locke's own make Calf Shoes, all styles, $2.50