New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-15
MEN WILL BE BOYS.
From The Baltimore American.


In n saloon not hundred miles from tha Ga
Of South and Batimore-sts. group Of well.knoss
ciiZens-ali prominent IN business circles-stn~ss
on Saturday afternoon quaffing Bass ale. =
fluid and couple OF lucky combinations Qarns.s
from the Turf Exchange they were AT fee'se
rather well, and, to use vulgar expression, ss,s
4" up to anything anything foolish, for II ~ ~
this state of mind that a man throws his ra, -
away in faro bank or backs plug TO win 49,
the tavOrltes In ah0rse-race One OF the gcntlens,
who had an old cigar stump In his hand, tufpsS
toward a cuspidor that was standing against ~
wall about fifteen feet away. aud addressing ~
companions said: Bet any man a quarter e. ~
pitch this butt IN the spttoon." Done,p was tes
ready response from all hands. The butt va
pitched bat With aim so faulty that il fell fces
to one side. Nothing daunted. the pitcher vs,s
into his cigar-case, and, pulling out twentyc
kenn, said Bet you again. double or Quits m
throw this i'm Again he was eagerly taken M
and again he was "dOwned." In this way M.
gentleman threw away case OF cigars a bunch al
keys little silver match-safe. gold cuff button
piece of chewing tobacco and three twenty-nys
cent pieces In very few cases did he succeed IN
pitching the articles in question In the spiiioon
The match safe and the bunch of keys bsirs
weghty pieces, were pitched successfully, but wnis
he won about 81 30 Oh each successful venture he
could not reclaim mis- property from the dirty re-
cepuacle into which 1t was thrown. This charm.
ing little pasuime was carried on amid roars Of
laughter, ard it attracted o considerable ring a
spectators, who watched the game with absorbed
attention.
his portable personal effects in this way. one OF H.
frieuds took his place, and the game ent on IN
til one of the more reckless OF the Jolly Toys pro
posed q game which he had played " hen u boy With
soldier buttons which he declared passed in tie
time of his youth as a sort OF currency among the
boys of his acquaintance. This game was as FOL-
lows, and it was proposed To play 1t with halt
dollars instead of buttons: Each man IN tafn
should pitch a fifty-ccnt piece at the aperture il
the cusuldOr Those who failed were 10 let their
money lie on tie floor and the one who was hra
successful IN striking the hole was 10 scoop in tbs
entire pot The proposition was uproariously rs.
ceiyed. "Just the thingD Bully y An, old
fellow, what great mind you have eot!' etc, etc,
were the ordinations of delight over this novel
mode of winning or losing money 10 make
long story short, the game was begun. Zach tine
around there was 50 in the pool for the lucky
marksman. Sometimes the turn would 90 around
four or five times before one Ot the silver Diecs
found the spittoOn. Then the man who wonI,
always set up BASES ale or champagne. For about
two hours this game went on. Dollar pieces. Ia.
stead OF half dollars, were freely used ana some
times the pots were as high as $40 or Sl2. The
spittoOn became more plethoric with lucre-espe-
cIally filthy under these circumstances-and balfa
dozen poor boxes and the stores OF Tue entire nesn
borhOod were secured for silver coin, and side bels
were freely given and taken on favorite pitchers
There is no telling TO what enormous proportions
this game, comparatively innocent IN us ongla'
might not have attained had not several OF the pat
ticIpants been Obliged to stop because OF engage
ments elsewhere. When they did stop, and the
losses and gains counted up on b0tn Sides ons
gentleman was found to have lost $40; anoInef
had lost Sl50, while two of them stood winners 10
the tune Of about 800 apiece, and the Others would
up not far Oft either way. In tho cuspdor the col.
ored man who cleans up about the place found
SOS 81, three matGh-safes. several Gull buttons,
one of which valuable blood stone; three
dice some square pieces of cheese from the lunch
counter, two pen-knves. five punches OF KEYS, two
pieces of chewing tobacco, and snspender 1ut
ton. 1t was sprghtly game while IL lasted eus
was not one which might be recommended or IN
dul ged in often n heaithful and recreatiye pas
time The gentlemen, however, swear that they
are ready to play 1t again any time.