The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-12-31


"a brother, them Bless me Suppose wanted
some To help me, or, rather, You wanted
To help yOn. for you are very low down here. Now
never go without my tools,'' and Neler drew pack
Of cards from his breast pocket and made the cascade
shuilie In his neatest style.
by this time the presence OF the sleght- Of hand
performer was known to the Inmates Of the beer cellar
and they crowded around him. heller took 1t all
pleasantly. 50 Don crowd gentlemen, II you want
to the shows but 1t is always that way at free
performance. Now tell you what viii do; with
the landlord permission VIII say beer all around
at my expense, or what you like and though don't
for an instant doubt this gentleman's capabilities
'oh, Mr.. Neller am entirely ont of practice,
and even II were quite up never could pretend to
cope with you, " said
- aid not say You could, and, indeed, do not
want to put any slur on YOU for your plano playing
is really excellent Now let's havo free and easy
Tor Just ten minutes and shall pass hat around
and what in 1t goes to the pianist and viii put In
The audience agreed and taking bysander' shat
heller apparently dropped half-dollar In the hat.
You heard 1t drop and Keller turned the hat upside
down and there was nothing In IT, ! took the ban on
the bound for the piece had been given by Neer 10
me- and as the landlord was passing drew 1t out OF
his ear. There was laugh, Beer flowed plentfully.
understood his patter and we had quite time oft
Everybody seemed delghted-all save one man, who,
when the hat passed TO him, gave nothing. He
was tail, grave looking person, with sallOw COM
pleXion, His hair was coal black, His hands, AS he
sprawled them on the table, looked Ike talons As
military costumes We're stlll In vogue, dark
mantle, lined with red hannel hung ona hook behind
him.
keer had Just lmpfOVRen clever lTlrk, and as lid
spoke French well, had given me In funny lingo Ia
few words all the necessary Instructions IL looked
50 mucn like a1 improvisation that no one could tell
was the confederate. The crowd r0ared, Hut the
silent man, who was now apparently awake made no
sign ofapproyal. 'rhere Is a duter there--a Kind
stOlld brute with evil eye-that must he carried
by storm. Let's astoush hun. Manage to raid on
bread cheese, sausage butter lemons, anything
and we VIII work the pocket lay On him. 30
In quiet way collected quite an assortment OF
edbles, when heller began; - Now, gontemeu, he
WHO sleeps eats. A man enjoying sound sleep, IKE
that gentleman there, ~ supposed to be gOrged 1
have only to perform slight operation onhiu, thus
-NeeT pointed his finger at him" aud you viii
what kind of larder he carries about with him -
Tue prl1ce OF selghl-olhanu- men theh pretended 10
draw out of the man pocketa sausage. Hut suddenly
Neer came near dropping what he held az he placed
'IIow the devil that DONE - said heller to me
I'm half-whlsper. al never, so help me Heaven,
put 1t there. Dld you? Aud toads In November are
not In season, auy more than canyas-baCks In July
at least In Baltimore. - ''Nou are welcome to the
contents Of my pockets, - said the man, yawning
aud showing SET OF very white and pointed teeth.
- Here rs something else and putting Ills hand In
his pocket, he hauled ont writing black snake and
coied II up on tue table. IT. was horrible, RAMPANT
creature f0r II reared It's black ctes aud Its forked
tougued shot forth and quivered from It's horrld lips.
Then the man leaned back ON his bench against the
wall and shut his eyes All the people had left now,
and eller and l. with the landlord and the sleeping
man, were the only inmates of the cellar
81 will give you twenty hre dollars ~ said keller
for couple of hours II Is ~ O'Clock, aud you must
want to SHUT up. Here Is the money; Put on that
table DlB Jug u ncels Hpne "u"u anu NhNveV' " hui-
he OF Rhine wine-no spirits | promise 10 take the
best care Of the premises. Clear out, lock the door,
walk tho Streets and come back at sharp two. -
The landlord looked amazed for . moment, pocketed
the crisp bills put ON the table what was wanted and
said; " know you, Mr.. Neller; there Is pistol In
the drawer, and never seed that Queer Dick before
In my place;n aud he left us, locking the door and
taking the key with him.
Hstiek to the beor,' said heller 20 mo In a
Whisper - foT f not mistaken You win want, as
viii, a clear head. have met think that man
before once In CaiTO-Or was it nc Moscow or in
Madras Oh he VIII wake up soon enough. ~
''Mide awake, - said the man, - though hardly at
your service. But why ON earth do you show me, OF
All men, Jour stupid, 1aek-pudding trleksg lam 70