Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-09-12
LHODsTORY.
How an Irishman Came Near
Winning a Small Wager.

me" said Mr.. Trillpipe. II don't
know who is the arthor and inisher
of the blame thing, or how old and de-
bilitated it may be, but when | heerd
it, says /, I'll fire that off at the first
cOvey Of unsuspectin' friends l can get
a pot shot at.
"'They was a big brick business
block goin' up in some city, don't you.
understand, and, OF course, among the
hundred and one other workmen there.
was a fair sprinklin' Of Irish boys who
smilinly promeuaded up aud down the
long four-story ladder at the front,
with their heavy hods of brick and
mortar swung as light and careless on
their shoulders as these ere little
naked 'antic' staturottes holds up
their jugs and pitchers in the gal
l%eries, don't you know. Well, the
boys had got the buildin'-as fur as
brick and mortar was concerned
purity nigh up to a stoppin' place, and
the mas0ns was just a-topPin' off the
fourth story with a sort O. fligree
aidge to jipe the cornish onto, you
understand, and it was along about
noon, and everybody had quit work,
and them as had their dinner buckets
with EN- was a.settin around on the
shady side Of the brick pile in the
street a.th'owin' in their daily bread
and discussin' business. And one
Teller Of the name OF Mike-I think it
was-got purity loud in his boasts of
being able to outwindaa'most anybody
that ever carried a hod, as far as
strength and endurance was concerned,
and his abilities bein' wittily contest
ed, he suddenly turned on his burly
and goOd-naturrd rival with the re-
mark, An isit Tim you that's lalkin'?
whin | can do away wild a load O. com
mon mOrthar, aud put yez in the hod
and carry yez from the bottom of the
ladder till the top round, an land yez
on the upseflin thaire for a dollar and
forty cintsl"
BE gobl III 60 you wanst on that.
Mikel' says Tim, a-rassin' to his full
ZENITH an givin the buckle of his belt
an extra hitch. Tilt up your bod
here, man alivel an III take passage
wild yex till your moneys in a pocket
o. me ownl And a minute later,
Mike, with bis hod on his shoulder
and Tim in that, was slow but gallant
like a headin' for the clouds, the long
ladder a bendin' and a creakin' under
their heavy weight, and an excited
crowd OF upturned faces gain on the
scene. The confidence OF Mike was
absolutely soothin', and occasionally
when the ladder would give a extry
crack, aud Tim would lean to get a
closter grip under the trough of the
bod, you understand, Mike would call
up to him, 'Shtiddy, thaire in the hod.
man It's my shoulders yer on, an
I'll take yez till the end OF the ladder
as sound, sorr, as eff | Wur walkin' the
dhry land wild yell And then he
would stop for a minutes rest, and
holdin by one hand while he would
spit GU the other, he would start on
with, ,Aisy, Timl Make yerself at
home thaire in the hodl It's in my
charge yer in, and I'll land yer, dom
you'll as sure IS two and twol And in
this way the blame man had worked
his way within ten foot of the top, the
crowd below peerin' up with pile
faces, and breathiess with apprehen.
sion, as the Teller says. And it was
excitin', no shadder of a doubt about
that, and particular so when just at
tina. interestin' juncture Nike made a
sort O. miscue with one foot, you un-
derstand, and lurched around the
aidge OF the trimblin' ladder dern
nigh clean under III But a minte Of
awfuly agony and suspense, and blame
if he didn't stick her, and righted and
swung round into his old position
with the cherry words Of Shtiddy
above thairel Mortal mani hain't yez
me word LII land yez high an dry on
the curb o the rOoi2 An yer az safe
thaire in my bod as in yer baby's era.
dlel And then another tug Of half a
dozen rounds, and Mike has safely
dumped bis load out on the top
scaflin'. And thaire, says be, tri
umphant, didn't l tell yez, Tim, I'd
doOll Whaire's yer blags now, ye
divil? and ghaire's your money that
I've waD?' 'Bedad,i says Tim, we've
don the job ye said ye would, and ye've
airn't the money that is yours, but
man alive, Mikel whin yer fut
schlipped thaire, |, |, l, | thought |