THE EXACT CENSUS-TAKER.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3697, 30 October 1880, Page 4

THE EXACT CENSUS-TAKER.

The most precise and thorough censusenumerator is just now passing through a mining camp in Southern Nevada, and he is having a hard time of it. As an illustration, he called at an old prospector's cabin the other morning, and taking out his big blank book, proceeded to put'the miner through the entire category of questions' about as follows: " What street do you live on ? " " Don't live an no street; I live yer in therocW " What's the number of your house P asked the interrogator, still adhering to the text of blank form. " The number of my cabin ? " quizzed the miner; "its No. 1,1 reofcon." •' What's your name?,V . "Bill Lamar." "Are" you white^ blaok, mulatto^ Chinese or Indian P". , ' " Wai, neqw," iaid Bill, slightly ruffled and rising,. "I don't know what yer drivipg at, stranger,, but I want yer to understand that'round this fer campt'l bears the reputation of being white." "Are you male or female P" solemnly inquired the questioner'. 1 "Me ?— ■-me P " shouted Bill taking a step nearer his visitor and starting to roll his sleeves—t" Me Pr-I'm a man every inch of me,l "■■, „ , Still pursuing his duty, the mental agent continued: ■■■■'.■ "Are you sick or temporarily disabledF" v 4< Sick ? disabled P "roared Bill dancing wildly before the young man with the big book, "ydu blank fob!—no V" "Blink?" r "Not much!" hiised the miner with eyei flashing.'' "Idiotic?" Wild with rage glaring like a madman at this .question, Bill shook his fist under the agent's nose just as the latter looked mildly up and innocently followed up his queries with-f- . ; " Insane, crippled, bed-ridden ? " Thit was too much. Bill's fi3t came down on < the census-taker's unfortunate head like a rock-hammer, while at the same time his number fourteen brogans sought such a leverage under the poor fellows coat-tails; as .lifted him clean out of doors, back and all. ' The atntfzedl enumerator gave one glance; back at the advancing form of the moif; dangerous looking human being his eyes had ever rested'on, arid started'for a gulch a hundred yards away, where he rubbed down .his bruises, and, seating; himself on o rock, opened his book, and'; after the name of "Bill Lamar" wrote the words: " Maimed, crippled or otherwise disabled." "No!" "Insane?," "Yes I" "'-