The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-07-28
Visit From OldD. B.

I
He is by turns an artist, an actor, prin-
ter, reporter, sailor, well-known
| politician, prize-Gghter, 2 clergyman, q
! lecturer, a railway man, or an inventor.
He has afhnities with all classes, trades,
and professions. He is very rarely con-
nected with the church, or the legal pro-
fessioD, because he requires an extraordI
nary amount of tact to extract money
| from the former or sympaty from the
| latter. He is very often printer. They
| are generous fellows. Or reporter.
They are reckless fellows, and throw
their money about loose on Saturdays.
He knows the foreman Of the job office
or if be does not happen to haYe met
him personally, he knows his brother in
Philadelphia, or his father in New Or.
leans. He want few dollars to help
him along to Omaha, where he has got a
! first-class appointment, and Tom is just
| the man he wants to see.
| Yesterday the dead beat made his ap-
pearance in the editorial rooms. He had
the usual brisk, free-and- easy, off hand
way of introducing himself Thus:
| us Tom around %
ST really don't know. Which Tom p
go, Emean Mr., I'm an old &C
quaintance of his. When is he visible p
| Really, can't say. Probably about
noon. Don't get around very early here.
Mr. D. B. find that he has succeeded
| in inserting the thin end of the wedge.
! He improves his opportunity without de-
lay.
Connected with this Officer"
"Ye-e-s, in a way"
s'Ah big institution this-old news
paper man myself-how about the war
in Europe think old Bismark's going to
back down? D. hot weather-tact is,
Il don't mind if talk plainly to you)-
[ don't know Tom DISQUALIFICATION
seen him in my life, but his father and [
were old chums. By the way do | inter
rupt you in your duties p
mot at all sir" With a growing fan
cy to the columns of the mornings pa
per-"
Well, sir, if you don't mind Tiny
name is Gobbins, Gobbins of Manitowoc.
Glad to meet you. Yes. Tom will know
me in minute when he hears my name
By the wa7. could you lend me twenty
five cents for an hour and a half till Tom
comes"
We'll. really, sir, this is Saturday
with US boys. If you could call to NOR
row now
D. B. Its all right. A mere trife.
The fact isl m ashamed to confess it
never was in such a fix in all my life
but I'm dead strapped just at this mo-
ment. Perhaps you have been in the
same fix ?''
Don know what you mean"
"Well, if you could let me have 10 cts
or so till Tom comes in-but l can wait.
| This Is how it stands you see. I've got
the offer of first class engagement to
take charge Of a paper in Manltowoc,
and if | can only get over the road, it'll
be all right. This d West is nothing
| but dernicr resource anyhow. Could
you manage a pass for me, do you
! think 2
Really couldn't think
Mr.. d. B. smells very stiffly of whiskey
cocktail. The listener is painfully aware
of this fact every time Mr.. D. B. be-
comes confidential, and betakes himself
more and mors earnestly to the morning
paper Mr. d. B. finally makes mas
| terly feint by way OF retreat, with po-
lite good morning." and the employee
is about to congratulate himself on a
happy escape. But the visitor has only
gone to the pail for guip of ice water.
He returns IN a minute, and conversation
| Is resumed.
Mr. D. B. says Last time i saw the
Mayor of Baltimore he gave me some OF
his experiences in this same line, which
think was mighty good Says the May,
or, 'Gobbins, says he. when [ was in that
fix once, tell what [ DONE
Reporter-"I think yoa viii find Tom
here about noon sir, if you come around. :"
ID. b. Quite SO. Well. [ don't want
to interrupt you in your labors. How is
business here anyhow?
Reporter. Very $3.50 Cooking severe
IL on the European news)
Mr.. d, B. is chilled, but not disheart-
ened. He spies an ancient tobacco pipe
on the table, and he seizes upon it as a
drowning man clutches the last straw.
"May | take smoke ?'' says .. B.
Smoke away" says the reporter.
No tobacco around here I'm afraid,
however
"Oh, this Il do very we'll" says D.
B., thrusting his smallest finger into the
recesses of a smoked out bowl, in which
there is hardened crust Of some sort.
Can you oblige me with match !"
Here the colored janitor enters the
room, TO whom d. 3. with very condo
| scendlng air:
Have you a match ?''
No matches here, sir
Cant you get me one %
Cant get you one without going
down to the basement"
well, " says ID. B., in lofty tone of
authority, suppose you go down to the
| basement for one -
The ianitor can't see it at that eleya-
ton
Mr.. D. B. returns to she subject of the
Mayor of Baltimore, the prospects of a
tiourlshing paper in Manitowoc, and the
Immediate necessity of twenty five cents
His temper is imperturbable His good
humoris not TO be invaded. His confidence
in Tom is not to be shaken. He will see
Tom if it takes him all that day. We
leave him in that interesting situation,
and, it Tom chooses, he may be able to
finish the narrative.
We find the above in recent number
Of the Chicago Tribune.
james t. Ballantyne, for some years
|