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Show CARRY TRAYS ON BICYCLES Feats of Salt Lake Messengers. Trick Is Performed in Only Three American Cities. Tho Boys Learn to Do It Bocauso They Have to, and Learn Quickly. One of the curiosities of Salt Lake City, in the eyes of the many visitors who have passed through the town recently, re-cently, Is the sight of the messengor boys riding blcyclos easily along tho streets with heavily-laden trays on their heads. To Salt Lakers this seems quite natural, as It Is a sight they see every day and have seen for years, but to the stranger within the gates It is Salt Lake Ib not the only town' In tho States where this custom prevails, but It has tho distinction of being one of the three towns where the messengers have this speedy method of delivering meals. The other cities are San Francisco Fran-cisco and Los Angeles, and In the latter lat-ter place It is a recent innovation. The people there recognized- tho advantages ad-vantages of having trays conveyed so oaslly and quickly from seeing it dono In Salt Lake and 'Frisco. Not an Easy Trick. Persons who have not taken particular particu-lar notice but have seen only tho ease with which the boys carry their unwieldy un-wieldy burdens, think it an easy task. Tho reporter tried to balance a tray on his head and walk as far as tho door. When the tray of empty dishes fell from his head on his toes ho was ready to admit that the feat was difficult. Being of an Inqulsltivo turn of mind he asked some of tho boys how long It took them to ncqulro the trick. 'V'Bout a week," was the answer. "About a week. But don't you ever drop them before you catch on to It?" Must Learn Quickly. "Do we? Well, I guess yes. But you see, when you get a call to go out and deliver a tray, nnd there's only one way to do It well, you have to catch on to that way pretty quick, or there's trouble trou-ble for you. The reason wo learn so quick Is that we have to." Which Is generally found to be a tolerably good reason for anything. "I suppose you carry some empty trays on your heads at first for practice?" prac-tice?" This suggestion was met with that scornful smile that comes from knowledge knowl-edge to ignorance. "No, sir We start by balancing a full tray for practice, and so It won't drop we put both hands on It. But you soon catch on, and after you can walk along with a tray on your head It soon gets just as easy to ride as walk, and it's a whole lot less trouble." Younger Boys Preferred. It has been noticed lately that the messenger bojs In this city are younger young-er than those that used to bo employ-id. One of the local companies has an age limit of 16, below which none are taken on, but another force operates with boys as young as 12. Fifteen and 10 are the ages of most of them. It was supposed that the reason for the employment em-ployment of such young fellows was the threatened strike which was mooted tome time ago, and which was promoted pro-moted entirely by the older members of tho force. Versatility certainly seems to be a requirement of the modern messenger boy. When asked what they are called on to do, they answer: "Everything. Messengers are sent for for all sorts of things, and they can do everything." Some Queer Errands. Setting up pins In a bowling alley, taking the place of waiters when a restaurant is snori-nanuea, ana even carrying banners In a parade are among his Jobs. Not infrequently a messenger will get a hurry-up call, to find that he is required to act as a valet and assist some one In dressing for a ball or dinner party. In other cities they are often called on to perform per-form tho duties of a cicerone and guide, but although occasional strange stran-ge take this method of seeing Salt Lake City. It is not so frequent here as elsewhere. Last winter when the national guard was called out to quell the strike In Carbon county, some enterprising members of the Commercial club got up a parade in honor of the warriors. To make It impressive some messengers In their uniforms were called in to swell the numbers, and one of them, a diminutive mdmber, was set to hauling haul-ing a baby carriage with a toy cannon which frowned threateningly on the spectators. Are Skillful Wheelmen. With the amount of riding they do it 1b no wonder that many of the boys acquire a Bklll with their cycles that puts the ordinary rider far In the background. back-ground. Some of them can do tricks that are as clever as they look dangerous, danger-ous, and indeed they seem more at home on top of one or two wheels than they are on two feet, "One or two wheels" Is advisedly said, for some messengers can ride along on the back wheel of their machines and look as happy as If riding In the ordinary way. j |