Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-09-04

''Ahem, Oh-eXcuse me one mo-
ment. my friend,'' said a seedy-lookin-
individual with blossom on his nose
and black-and-blue eye, as he emerged
from the alley leading out from the
rear of the TivOli TO Clark street.
1t was about o'clock in the evening.
and the person addressed was a coun-
tryman, who, on being thus accOsted,
stopped TO hear what the man had to
say, thinking he had at last found some
body in all this "big city" that knew
him.
''You see, my friend, haven't been
in this fix great while, and it grinds
me clear down to the sidewalk and out
into the gutter TO be compelled to place
before the public the real facts OF the
case, but man sees a pile of changes
in this world if he only lives long
enough, you can just bet your bottom
dollar on that
''lt does me good 10 meet good,
sq1are-lOoking man like you, and I'm
just talkin' to you, that you've got
heart in you bigger'n an OK.
''I'm one of the relics, my friend,
am. Ii cleaned ME out slicker'n a
whistle.
Il used to own the real estate over
there where the Methodist Church
block stands, but / thought saw bet
ter place to put the money, so l sold
her out.
"Was a member of the Board of
Trade for a good many years, but | IL
nally shook 'em.
'.I'm old here in town, nv friend,
awfully old.
ali it hadn't been for me Long John
would never have gone to Congress.
I'm the man that first suggested the
tunnel scheme, they'd never thought
OF underminin' the river if it hadn't
been for me. | cleaned out the will
low kept by Roger Plant, laid the first
pavement that was ever put down in
the city, was at the convention held in
the wigwam when Lincoln was nOmi-
mated, built the Clark street viaduct
just north of the bridge; why, only
yesterday met Potter Palmer, and he
said 'JOhnson'-my names Johnson
said he johnson, where on the face of
the fOOtstoll have you been so long?
haven't seen you since you loaned me
them 5000. I want you to come right
down 10 the hotel and live with us;
want you to make the house your home
and it shan't cost you cent, either
''But | don't want anybody TO board
me for nothrn'. stranger, you can
whack up as much as you mind on
that.
''Then, there's old Governor Bever-
age; why, him and me used to go to
school together, lived right alongside
of him for more'n twenty years.
IL used to know Mrs. O'Leary, too.
the woman that owned the COW, you
know, better'n know my own father.
Met her for the first time like you met
me this evening. She told me that she
had money enough in the Corn Ex-
change, but was just at that moment a
little short, just exactly as l am my
self, as l now stand before you, and
darn me if didn't pull out my pocket
book and give her 800 without another
word. But of course times are little
close now, ! know, and | couldn't ex-
pect-
Gould you loan me a-nO. darn me
if I'll be so mean as to ask it of you.
"But, speaking OF Beverage, reminds
me; let's go into kirchOii7s and get Il
glass of beer; and, some other time,
when | meet you, III tell you all about
how / built the Prairie du Chen branch
of the Milwaukee and st. Paul railroad,
and owned it all myself for upwards OF
five years
They stepped inside and up to the
bar, whereupon he of the unsatisfactory
eye continued:
"Now. don't take beer because | do,
my friend; call for just what you'll
have. Come to think about it, believe
I'll drink little rye myself. Here's
loOkin' at You.
by the great smOtheTin' smoke.
stranger, that touches the spot. Have
another; a man ought never go to bed
on one drink. Doctors are fearfully
down on the single-drink-before-b
time business. Well. down she goes.
"Ah, hem, ahem, coughing that
makes a man feel forty years younger.
81 et-s inst have ono more suifter and
then 90 home. No? 'Well, that's
strange; can't drink three straits, eh:
Guess I'll have TO take a night-cap
alone then. Here's hOpin'.
Jerusalem, crickets. Where In the
name of the great Milky Way is my
wallet? III bet 800 that somebody has
picked my pocket. Will you settle il,
stranger: I'll meet you here tO-mor-
row at 10 o'clock and make it all right
with you" D." and drawing the back of his
hand across his mouth, he started to-
wards the door, leaving the dumb
founded Granger to settle the bill.
As he was about to pass out he paused,
and turning half around, said:
''Hope you won't disappOint me, my
friend; hope you'll be here on time,
for / want 10 see you to get your opin-
ion on matter. You see I'm goin' to
build a pontoon bridge from the water
| works to the crib, and / kind o. want
to get the ideas of the best people.
Goodnight"