Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-06
LEGEND OF HASH ROW
What Happened 10 Three Old
Bachelors Who Remembered
Santa Claus.

1t is a little late for Christmas
stories, but it is not too late for the
denizens Of Hash Row to enjoy read
ing it. Hash Row is situated on Pop
lar street, between Main and Second.
and has been situated there for a good
long time. 1t is supposed to have
derived its name from the fact that
little except hat anomaly is ever seen
or ever smelt about that locality. 1t.
may have been a soantiness Of means
to secure better lodgings, or it may
have been a fondness for hash that in
duced three very worthy but
much neglected bachelors to take
quarters there at various times during
the past three or four months They
were given separate rooms at first, but
sympathy drew them all together in
one room. One night, as they all sat
around on trunks and bottomless
chairs aud sides of beds, looking at the
red Goals in the CRATE as if all their
hopes we're being consumed and sift-
ing, like the ashes, through the bars,
Tim exclaimed, with a start "Say,
boys, what night is this?"
Sunday night, amt III" dou5tfully
replied Bob, with a faint recollection
of having heard church bells.
Its Christmas eve" Joe said.
That's nOthin' to any Of u.s.
remarked Bob, who sat on the
bed and trying to sew on a
butto2 with a thimble on his thumb.
Lets hang up our stockings any
way. Just for fun" Tim suggested,
u amt got any TO hang up"
Your boot then, or your hat or
your pa~ntaloons."
So they crawled into bed, each hav
ing hung some articles near the fire.
Tim had a weather beaten sock, joe
an equally weather beaten boot and
Bob a tobacco sack. They laid there
awhile laughing at the idea Of Old
Sanity ever bestOwinga thought upon
them and finally fell asleep. The
door, whose lock was Of so complicated
q combination that the dodgers could
not solve it, stood aiar and
swung slightly to and fro with
the wind hal whistled through the
hall.
Directly il swung a little more than
the wind seemed to warrant, a head
popped, stared and then drew back
again, popped in once more, took a
longer survey at the fantastic decora.
ton Of the mantle, and then che head
opened and emitted a short, apo.
plectic little laugh. The door was
pushed noiselesSly open and admitted a
little, old, dried up fellow, who seemed
10 DO seventy. five years old when his
white hair was in QUESTION, but a fresh
boy when one looked at bis face. He,
too, was an old bachelor, aud lived all
by himself in the next room. Softly
approaching the mantle he drop
ped something heavy in each Of
the stockings, and, laughing
silently, but so hard that he seemed to
be in imminent danger Of going to
pieces, left the room. Next morning
the three old bachelors got up ana
ripped around like 10 many mad bulls.
Tim could not find his sock, Joe won
dered who had the assurance TO make
fuel Of his boot, Bob fumed because
he could not dnd his tobacco and was
starving for a smoke. Finally they
remembered their foolishncss of the
night before, but expected nothing Of
course, aud quietly taking down his
sock Tim put it on. Joe drew on his
boot and Bob took a pipe
full Of tobacco from his
pipo and smoked away in blissful sat
isfaction. At night they all met again.
Joe and Tim we're %sufersng fearfully
with their corns, aud Bob thought
somebody had been putting rocks in
his tobacco. When he started 10 gil
his pipe a $50 gold piece tumbled out.
''That's what's the matter with your
toes,boys," as a light suddenly dawned
upon him Boot and sock came off in
a hurry, and three bachelors Of Hash
Row we're very happy.