Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-29
"a LITTLE MORE LEG, CHARLEY.

lac other evening we ehaneed 10 m ,et an
old policeman, whose fund is as exhaustless as
has taste for 5. o. p. brandy and indubitable
old rye" We kindly took the old stager by
the arm, and, after few preparatory remarks,
asked him if he had any thing new to tell
The sturdy old boy surveyed us for some mo-
ments through lens Of t-glass, and then
smiled blandfy .......- - Q - -
Did ever tell you about Charley BE
tre-Tope be asked, con6dentially. ..
"Neyer.o said we AZ .-, asa
Then let's take something, (" said he, g and
you shall hear all about il - go
The ex policeman did take sCmething. and
then he said
Charley B., you know, was q capital
fellow, that boarded in Amity place; but stch a
sleeper never did see. Why, that chap would
90 TO sleep With brass band in each ear and
an old woman beating tin pan on his stomach
Well, Charley joined hose company and had
great ideas Of running to fires but his sleep
troubled him, and he sat up for two whole
nights. Tor fear that fire should break ont
and he not know it. At last he came TO me.
for my beat lay right past his boarding house,
and, says he:
Tom, want you to do me a favor
/" Spit IT out, says I
80 Well, says he, I'm be darned if I'll Law
awake any longer, but L m going to tie a rope
to one of my feet, and let it hang out of the
window at night When there's FIRE, you
just give the rope good pull, and | shant
mind standing something hot
- It's a go, my boy says I. Just hang
first tap Of the bell
: Now, you see, the first night alarm in that
district after that, was on bitter cold night,
snd L made up my mind to warm myself at
Chariey's expense; so | went to his boarding
house, and commenced peering about for that
rope. / thought he had forgot it. at first; but
when / pOf on ta tha stOaD
from a secOnd-story window, about halfway
between the end Of the house and the stoop
railing.
- How does the natural fool expect me to
pull that 1! says L to myself
- But got over the railing and, with my
heels on the edge of the stoop, commenced
reaching fur the rope. manas scd to git hold
oil NJ, and was just giving 1T one savage pull to
relieve my feelings, when my heels Slipped
and away j swung. like kite hanging from a
roof. The hrst thing heard was like several
clapS of small thunder. and then the rope give
with vengeance L felt myself going down,
until the tips of my boots just touched the airy
pavement; and when / looked up, hang it if
there wasn't Charley. with the longest leg ever
Il did see hanging out Of the window and he
straddling the sill lOpsided like, and screaming
like California monkey with his tail in the
fire.
"'Oh, murder fire, I'm dead quick
Let 90, you fool' roared the sleepy Teller.
= Now, you see. that made me mad, because
I'd done it all out of kindness, and / held on
like sticking plaster.
. Murder" yelled Charley.
"' A little more leg, Charley says 1 and
then L let go, for the house was raised, and
crowd was collecting. They hauled Charley
In, with one leg about yard longer than the
other, and swearing till he was blue around
the mouth. L tell you, he didn't leave home
for one week, and / should not wonder if his
tailor hsd TO make him some new pantaloOns
He always thought that didn't mean it, con-
eluded our e1 oGfeiO friend, with an innocent
wink
oh, Of course you didn't.'-N Y Tfnes