Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-05-24
cot rGENTLEMANLY JOE. :

That was the name by which he was
known in the banking house of Ducat,
Gulden & Ducat, or, at least in that
branch of it which did thriving bust
ness in the great commercial city OF
Birchespool. 1t did not require more
than five minutes acquaintance, how
ever, to inform the uninitiated that the
apparently complimentary epithet was
bsstowsds rather from keen sense of
Ahdinor ION the part Of his five fellow
clerks than on accOut of any exceptional
claims to blue blood in the case of Mr.
Joseph Smith himself. Even the casual
customer, whose knowledge of Joe was
limited to watching his self-satisfed
-smirk and enormous watch-guard at
thesether side Oh the shining mahogany
disk, or admitting. the emphasis with
(which. he utilized his, moistened thumb
in overcoming the gregarious leaves of
%his ledger. must have been, struck by
the misappropriate epfthet: To us,
however, who had, SO to say. sat at his
feet and marveled at the war of indie
- pendsnce which he was carrying on
against the Queens English-a guerilla
warfare consisting sins attacks upon
aspirates, and the cutting off of stray
6lhb g'slfo rs our fanciful sobriquet
sWasia Joke of. the first water. If any
thing could. have enhanced our enjoys
ment of it, it was the innocent gravity
xwitk which Our companion accepted
the doubtful title, and, after one feeble
remonstrance, adopted it forever as his
own prerogative and right -t.s
The circumstances of that remon-
stance deserve to be recorded. Before
the arfivalto f Mr.. Joseph Smith from
the paternal training stables-his father
was successful sporting tout who had
sleveiopeEl into-a trainer-our Office had
beeny,a, particularly aristocratic one.
.,Welstead our senior clerk, was a fine,
handsome young fellow of twenty-six,
who came of a good Scotch strain, and
was. occasionally. understood to make
dark illusions Concerning the extinct
Earldom of Stirling; Dullan and Moreby
wa OtfoH men, well connected and
web read; little Sparkins was the son
of a HIGH Church clergyman; and had
81 same sof the best blood of Wales in my
veins. No wonder, then, that our dig
Iity was hurt by the appearance of a
iondly-dressed, scorbutic-looking youth,
18th horseshoe pin and necktice sug-
aesfHesof spectrum analysis, upon the
SeMstool lately vacated by my old col
iere friend Vernon Hawkins-most gem
tlemanly and quiet OF MANKIND.
For few days we .contented our
selves with observing the habits and
scsnstoms Of the creature. There was an
audacity about his vulgarity, and hap
nv acknowledgements of all otfense, which
ftairiy tiisar1ned. criticism. 1t was not
until he began to. address us as "old
SSais.' and went the length OF playing, a
shisif practical joke upon little spark
ms that a spirit o. resistance began to
stir within our bosoms. and that wei
sSEAd ssalslasd. was pushed forward as
s6H}f f n1orfhpiece. =
he most lancuid tones, ''you have been
in:,s,r office a comparatively short pc
I'D and vet YOU have taught us many
things which were new to us. There IS
natural buoyancy about your charac-
taSNalhaf points you out As one caicu-
1sted to shine in the most select circles.