Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-07-01
Don't you see through the purity trick

| sir?"
| "By no means"
He held up, between the thumb and fore
finger of his right hand, penny both sides
of which bore the impression OF head
"Yes, but how did you manage when
wagered the reyerse-tails ?" l inquired
laughing, in spite Of myself, at his self
congratulating smile.
The coin disappeared down his ragged
sleeve with the rapidity ofthought, and with
an almost mpercep,ibIe twist Of his elbow
his thumb and foreGnger held aloft another
coin, both sides Of which bore the impress
sion Of tail.
"See it. ~ triumphanlly.
ayes; but Jerry, I'm sorrey to say that
you are rascal
"Oh no, I'm a thorough. bred" And
then he continued, renectively, and in n
despondent tone, "but there's too many on
em as knows it now the track amt what it
was 'onst, sir. )"
"Have you got father, jerry"
mary, sir.''
"Mother q
"Nary."
"Any relative whatever r
He didn't reply, but looked ou, of the
window, and began to shuttle his feet and
whistle.
"What do ycu do with your money ?" /
asked.
"Got some one to take keer Of, sir. But
| must make tracks for the second edition.
Goodbye, SIR"
| He had no, been gone many seconds
when scufflng noise at the foot of the
stairs caused me to open my office door,
which commanded the head. did so to
see Jerry In desperate hand-to-hand fight
with ot.black-probably some lucklass
eamester whose rum he had wrought. Be-
fore | could reach them they had rolled in
to the gutter and separated, each disappear.
ing in an opposite direction.
| gave little Jerry up as hopeless case
after that, though he came regularly for
long time, and saw his generous instincts
in behalf of decrepit humanity repeated
more than once; but one evening he missed
his usual visit and he came no more.
In about week ! was called upon, quite
earl y in the day, by another news.bov, who
proved to have been one of the chums Of
my truant rrotege.
"Ifyou please, sir" said he, touching
| his fragmentary cap respectfully, "vou
wos intimate friend Of Jerry MeCabe,
wosn't yer? %
Somewhat amused, still hesitated for
a moment, and then replied: Il knew
Jerry very well, my little man."
"Jerrys dead, sir
This was said with a quiverinr lip II
once heard lecturer on natural depravi,y
declare that the street children of great
cities had no moral instincts. He lied ,
and tone of genuine sorrow, which in
stanily awoke ympa,hetic response in my
own breast.
"When-how-whato OF"
"This mornin'. Starwation!' =
Ny three questions received but two an,
swers, but they were all-sufIcient; and the
boy continued, as looked at him with pain
ful Iuiry:
"You know, sir, Jerry ad sister as wos
a bad IN but she was TUX sick, you know
long time ago, you know. Stead of lettin'
'er 90 hon to tie Inland, you know, he got
'er into the City 'Ospitable ere. you know,
at five dollars a week, and kept 'er there
to do a big job on is pals with the double
'eaded pennies, you know. an so was hena-
bled to do it, you know. But his pals
found i'm hout, vou know, an he 90. broke.
Sellin' papers wasn't enough. YOU know,
sir. so he starved hissel' for weeks to paw
the FIVE 'slums' week. This mornin, you
know, the gal died. Jerry kissed her an
gin TO crs. an then stopned, an they found
as 'ow h, wos dead, an the doctors chaps
thourht as 'ow he cum to it in not 'avin
ANYTHING onto is stummick for nine days.
/ He ad told EN- afore about you, sir, an
they left i'm kneellink jistthere, sir. tbinkin
as 'ow you might come up an zee i'm, sir
He's honly been gene hour an ali. sir.
an'-ah'-" The boy broke down and sol !.
bed bitterly.
seized oy la. and went TO the nos.
pi,al at once. Accompanied by one of the
physicians.I was guided to the desired ward
by one of the muses. ofthe place.
Upon an humble pallet lay the corpse Of
n girl Ia rere child - she could
not have numbered fifteen mortal wears,
whose death white face bore the mingled
vestiges of beauty and vice. Stiff, cold as
She but with one arm cast protectingly over
the bosom of the kindred corpse knelt the
bov, his face buried in the draperv Of
the couch. ard his POOR little ragged form
emaciated with suffering and privation.
There was nothing found upon the little
fellows person, sir, only these two pennies"
said the nurse, drawing them from her
apron pocket and displaying them.
/ recognized at once the trick pieces of
the little gambler, bu. for some moments
could not speak.
IL would like TO have them as keepsaaes
Of the poor little boy at length said. Il
will give you fifty pennies for these