The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1870-07-07

| the tone Of his voice was strong, unhes
itating and man like. In warm wealth :
er he was barefooted, and In winter he
navigated In an unseaworthy pair oi
number elevens, which were but poor
protection to his little feet, the bare
toes of which seldom failed to assert
their individuality somewhere In the
middle of the leather.
He was always ragged, swore roundly
and gamoled with his compees; but
once saw him give two pennies to a
decrepit negress, and thereafter regard
ed him with friendly eye. My opin-
ion OF his moral conduct, however, was
not improved by the fact that lie free
quently presented himself with n dark
ened eye, or othe indications Of recent
fisticutfs.
One day, when our acquaintance had
ripened sufficiently, I took him to task,
gently, for the the latter delinquen.
cy.
"But when they goes an pitches into
n feller all the time, what's cove to do,
sir?" asked Jerry, splitting upon his
fingers and gently -opping his latest
visual obscuration.
But | do not notice any Of your
comrades have black eyes so often as
yourself. How happens It that you are
so often pitched into,' Jerry7" said
l.
"You see, sir, they goes for my swag.
That's their little game, and 1 bilks
'em."
"Swag-ah, | understand, that means
money. So they are jealous OF your
commercial ability; you sell more papers
than thcy?"
"WelI, sometimes" replied Jerry,
taking from his pocket u cigar stump,
preparatory to lighting 1t upon his de-
parture. But that amt It, quite. I
alters licks 'em at chuck penny, an
then they gifts mad, an swears as how
don't play on the square,"
Inow began to have a perception Of
the real state of the case. had a
successful gambler before me--perhaps
an embryo Morissey, or any other con.
gresham.
"Do you play OH the square," l
asked.
AT first he drew himself up with an
air Of injured innocene that would have
done credit to a veteran OF the silver box,
but presently his eye twinkled roguish-
ly. He drew something from his
pocket, and said, Heads or tails,
sir 2"
Heads"
A broad penny piece twlrled aloft
and came down tails.
"Try again, sir"
"Tails.n
1t came down heads.
| made Il dozen guesses, and every
one wrong.
Don't you see through the purity
trick, sir?
"By no means.n
He held up, between the thumb and
fore finger of his right hand, u penny,
both sides of which bore the impression
of head.
"Yes, but how did you manage when
| wagered the reverse % inquir-
Ell, laughing, IN spite of myself at his
self congratulating smile.
The coin disappeared down his ragged
sleeve with the rapidity of thought, and
with an almost imperceptible twist of
the elbow, his thumb aud fore finger
held aloft another coin, both sides
of which bore the impression of a
tail.
"See it, sir ?" said he triumphant.
ly.
ayes, but Jerry, I'm sorry to say that
you are rascal"
"Oh, no, Pm a thoroughbred. And
then he continued, rcflectively, and in
dcspondent tcne, "But there's too
many on 'em as knows it now; the trick
amt what it was onst, SIR"
::Have you father, Jerry ~
mary, sir"
"Mother ?n
mary"
ANY relative whatever"
He didn't reply, but looked out Of the
window and began to shurf'e his feet
and whistle.
What do you then do with your
money" / asked.
"Got some one to take keer of, sir.
But mnst make tracks for the second
edition. Good bye"
He had not been gone many seconds
when noise ut the foot of the stairs
caused IRE to open my office door, l
did so to see Jerry in hand to Aand
conflict with boot black ,xobably
some lnckless gamester whose ruin Le
had wrought. Before / could reach
them they had rolled into the quite,
and separated, each disappearing in Al
opposite direction,
gave jerry up as a hopeless case after
tnat, though he came regularly for a
long time, and saw his generous in.
stincts in behalf Of decrepit humanity