The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-12-15
Local Items

Row ON MAIN SrREET.-A crowd OF rag
/. ged urchins gathered at the corner OF Dodd'
- lane and Main street late yesterday after
noon and commenced a discussion about he
merits of their respective maternal relations.
One of the young hopefuls was minus hal
and plus an endurance OF what had once
been white cotton, which auttered in the ev-
ening breeze from the seat of his uumen-
tionables, and which, like his face, was to-
tally innocent of eoap and water. The 9th
er was a miniature edition OF Jenny
Green, only he was minus the shoes with
which that interesting individual usually
contrives to cover his understandings
Around these young champions was gather
ed motley crowd of the juvenile represen-
tatives of the "great unwashed," who also
bore upon their own topnots unmistakable
evidences of their being closely allied to
the "great unwashed." When we first had
our attention drawn to this positively un-
lawful assembly they were engaged in what
appeared to be quite an animated discussion,
and thinking as Jeems did when he discov-
cred the cracker barrel, that there "might
be something in it," we drew near, like
him, determined to "see it oat," and heard
as follows, and saw as follows.
Hopeful soith the superobunaance Of cotton
cloth hanging out IN the rear.-Ha that's
nothing, nay mar amt half as old as yourn,
besides your mar only drinks gin while mine
drinks brandy. ...a
Hopeful minus shoes-I don't care if she
does, she drinks twice as much as your mar
and that makes up for it, and besides your
mar wears your paris old boots and l amt
got no par.
lst Hopeful-My mars got new tooth
fixed on gold and your mar amt got any
teeth at all.
This allusion to the absent masticators of
the mama of. hopeful No. 2 excited the risi
bilities of the whole crowd of Juveniles, who
whooped and yelled in the very excess of
enjoyment, and in ratio with their mirth
rose the anger of hopeful No. g. who, tout a
coup, made lunge at Nc. and planted
his clenched digits Immediately among the
incisors of that hatess youth.
The hatless youth was somewhat taken
aback by this "striking" proof of his oppo-
nent's anger;but soon recovered himsef,and
planted his potatoe stealer fairly and square
ly upon the nasal organ of hopeful No. 2.
This appeared to delight the balance of
the boys, and one chap who looked very
like chimney sweeps apprentice, suggest
ed that the hatless youth take off his jacket
and 'have it OUT The hatless youth then di-
vested himself of his jacket, and in so doing
made manifest the fact that his shirt was the
worse for wear. The shoeless urchin de-
cined to doff his outer garment, from the
fact that he was possessed of no inner one
They then came to the stand e la Heenon.-
They stood toe to toe for second or two,
when one of the boys sung out, "don't be
aired Ellec, I'll stand to your back" We
then discovered that one of the boys, like
the conqueror of the world, was named AL
exander, and at the same time thought we
discovered disposition to back out on the
part of the great hero's namesake.
"Here put this chip on your head, Ellec,
and dare him to knock it off," 'Ellec' done
as he was bid, and Jim very suddenly and
calamity removed the chip from the era
mum of his antagonist. This was consid-
cred signal for battle, and at it they went;
and, to use the expression Of one of the ur-
chins, they "fought like ennythink" for
few minutes, when Jim got out in the street,
and made known his intention of procuring
a friendly brickbat. with which to "bust
Ellec's head open," but failing in his search
TO procure the desired missile, he mizzled
home with countenance as doleful as was
ever the Knights of La Mancha. On his
way he contrived to tune his pipes to chord
corresponding with his countenance, which
so excited the ire OF his maternal relative
that she soon made her appearance upon the
seene of action, and delighted the ragged
crowd with a series sof explosives and gesti
calations which left with us the impression
that she had recently been indulging in her
fayorite beverage. The crowd of dirty-faced
were now wild with delight, and yelled and
whooped at the top of their voice, which SO
excited her ire that she made strenuous eff
efforts to get hold of one of them. She
was corpulent and asthmatic, however, and
after running ten or twelve steps, was like
the Dutchman's calf, "Clean gin out" and
had to stop to blow! She hurled billet of
wood after him, however, which, had it hit
him, would have placed him under the hands
of a phy sician for the balance of the year.
She then retired from the seat of war. no
doubt with the intention of mending the seat
of her young hopefuls trousers, which bad
come out of the melee rather the worse for
wear. while we FASTENED to our office, Won