Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-11

victims of the Tammauy system of civic swim
ding as giving this history of his temptation
and fall
Come, fellow victimsl To ease the smart
little, let's sit upon the ground, and tell strange
stories of the tricks of rings.
Mines Il sad one but true, and more's the
pity, My nameP Oh, never mind my name
Pm ashamed of it, and that's the fact Maybe
I'll out with it when you've had my story, but
take the story first. Pm not victim in the
sense that you are, gentlemen. To he honest,
you are being bled by thieves, and I'm well,
| Pm one of the thieves that's bleeding you, and
| yet, thief that l am, was once an honest man;
and if ever the ring had victim, if ever they
dragged an honest man down to the dirt they
make their sty in, Pm such man, gentleman
a thief now, but once decent, honest, hard
working man. How came ii? Well, this way.
A plumber | was-a jobbing plumber; knew
my business, too. Liked my business. Known
everywhere, though It's | that say it, as an
obliging, faithful workman that did business on
the square, and always gave a fair days work
for a fair days wages. Lived out of town in a
homely hOnse-the kind Of packing-boX with
holes in it that lahoring men mostly find them
selves stuck into in the greatest country under
the sun; but | was cOntcnted in it, and lived
there well enough with wife and children, and
thought some day hard work and honesty
would bring better times. Began to think so,
for sure, when the new court house came to be
talked Of They advertised for bids, you know!
Don't remember? Lord, remember! Hardly
slept nights. Mind a'running on to it all day.
Forgot job I'd promised to attend to-frst
time in my life. Never'll forget that job long
as live. Twas for old Ma'am Stuyvesant-
her as planted the pear tree in the Bowery-hGr
or her father; don't make much difference
which. She wanted me to come and see. But
never mind, III tell you that story another
time. What want to tell you about now is
the new court house. They advertised for con-
tractbidders. All the men in my line was
talking about it. did nothing but talk about
it and think about it. At last | made up my
mind, and made bid, Bid S91 500. Figured
it out, clean whistle. Squared it all right to
a half a cent. Made it out and sent il in. Didn't
half believe they'd more'n look at it. Sent it
in 10 get rid Of it. Wanted to get shet of ii.
Next day remembered Ma'am StuyveSant, and
went to see her. Never seen woman so
puckered up. Cross as if she'd been aeatin'
her own pears. Took her half au hour TO get
civil and was what most folks would call an
civil then? That night, when | came home to
my packing-boX, first thing | heered was that
jump. You bet! Didn't sleep much that
night. Up and down twenty times.
For now the question was, how to carry
out the contract, and then l began to think |
must have been cracked ever to have bid at all.
But here comes the reward of being honest.
Found l had credit, and every man ready to
lend hand Engaged my worRmcn, looked
sharp after en-, and borrowed the money right
and left to pay 'em. Found every one willing
TO lend money on a city contract. Work was
done at last, and done well. Felt mighty proud
of il, and think had some reason. When the
whole was done, and the muss all cleared away
sent in my bill, and thought-yes, was fool,
| know, but you see I'd never had Il contract
beiOre-l thoughPd get a check for my money
right away, and be able to pay back the money
I'd borrowed, and invest my small profits
for the only thing I've left to be proud of
is, that they lcdS small. Didn't get my money
right awayP No, you'd better believe didn't.
Didn't get it that week, nor the next, nor the
next, nor the next dozen. Began TO feel sick.
Hated TO meet my crcdtors-most Of EN- old
mates and friends; hated to get up morni n9s;
hated TO 20 to bed nights. Lost my appetite;
couldn't eat Was nOst crazy; couldn't make
anybody in the city government pay the
least attention. Neglected my work, hang
ing round the city hall. Lost work
hanging round. At last, one day, as | was wait
ing for the board to adjourn, there comes up 4
young fellow and says: "Mr. -" says he
you've got a bill on the city, ha'nt you%
"Should think | had" said |. "Want your
money" said he. Should think did" says
|, "and want it bad too" ''How bad~ says he
''Pm most crazy forit," says | owe every cent
OF 1t but my profits, says |, "and them's most
eat up with loss Of business, dunuin' this here
board for it, says l. GLOW much is il" says
he. "Nnety-one thousand five hundred dollars,
Just" says l. "Ninety-one thousand five hun
dred dollars" says he, smilin'; "no morc'n
that? Make it 1921 500, Mr.. -" says he,
land you II have your money tomorrow First,
you know, couldn't make out what he meant.
Thought was to have 100000 more than my
bill. Couldn't see through it. AT last ] ketched
the idea, and out with DAMNED if I'll do no
such thing!" and off home.
Next day after my money again, hanging
round, hanging round. Hanging round the next
day, and the next day, and so on, same as ever.
AT last, met the same young man, and he makes
the same proposal. mo" said l. with damn;
''I'm poor and Pm half crazy with waiting for
my due bill, but amt thief, whatever | be-"
''Who said you was theft" said he, quite
smilin-always smilin', that Chap-"you'll only
get the money that's due you. You send in your
bill for 1921 ,500-but S91 500is that all will weigh
down your pockets. And that's your own by
rights, isn't it? Come now, be reasonable, and
don't bite your own nose off Send in your bill
as | advise you, and you'll get your money
Send it in your own way, and, by God, you'll
Meier get it." And with that he smiled and
went off.
You see how 1t happened gentlemen. got
my money and the devil that tripped me never
let me up again. l had work enough now.
Jobs and Jobs. My work was done honest on
that court house, but to see the bills for Jobs
and repairs | kept sendin' in you'd thought it
was rascally job from the beginning. And |
never had 10 wait for my money any more.
Aud didn't stay long in the packing box
eftpacking boxes for honest fools, and went to
live in gimcraCk house built in the latest style
on the avenue. And | bad no time to look
after odd Jobs any more, for riding in my
carriages and going to my clubs, and
trying new ways to spend my money, that flow
ed in like water and flowed out as fast did
get took down once, and only once. I'd give up
goln' to church long ago, and had almost forgot
Parson Smith when met him. Butone day he
passed our new house Just as Mrs and |
were getting into our carriage to 90 to the park |
Wife was dressed up mighty fine | tell Won
with all the silks and aces and jewelry she could