The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-10-16
A Crushed Dude.

Ii was on Coney Island boat. The
crowd on the steamer would soon be
lost amid the wild designations of West
Brighton. The stately elephant was
already visible Wild strains of al
legged music smote the ears of the sus-
ceptible passengers rs dim foreshad-
owing of the pleasures 10 come. Among
the passengers was n faint young dude
with an imperceptible outline and
still more imperceptible moustache.
and marvellous collar, beneath which
he seemed to be constantly sinking.
He pulled himself up from its depths,
however, and rescued himself from ex-
termination.
He had been discussing soft-shell
crab as being diet particularly appro-
pirate TO his tender being. A claw
still fingered on his plate, and he was
toying with his fork in pretty, indif-
fercnt manner, when a sylph-like maid
en-. wonderously clad in gossamer
robes, tiitted before him and caused
him to remain with the crabs claw
poised between his taper fingers. Such
was the impression produced upon the
dude by this apparilion that he allow
Ell the claw to fall eal-heavv-don't t-ye-
know. Oh the plate. while he himself
turned to the individual behind the
counter.
''Deuced pwetty girl" he lisped. his
voice sounding like the summer wind
among the trees; 'dayvillish pwetty
girl. Who is she. my man? Plls sgive
you nickle if you tell me. Pom me
word, | will, and--the expense"
Tho .IJ JrnSsoJ bnuzau,,
with remarkable disregard for busi-
ness enterprise, declined somewhat in
dignantly to be interviewed, leaving
the dude to depart. That parody on
youth roamed about the lower deck for
fully thirty seconds, when he espieI
the object of his search seated with an
other girl just before him.
'.Ha! hap said he, ''heres luck"
and drawing a stool close to the femi-
nine couple he bestowed his imperccp-
tible outside upon it and cast Ian
gushing glances at the object of his
particular admiration. His glee reach
ed climax when the maiden smiled
seraphically upon him. 1t was no
timid smile, but an open, undeniable
salutation. She was evidently pleased
to see him, and his soul rejoiced with
in him.
''Off to Coney, aloneP" he said, with
an eve to business.
''Yes, sir, - said the damsel, with o
bewitching laugh. "No one win run
away with me, l hope"
1he dude looked as though he would
have liked to soar far above terres-
tlal nuIsances, Coney Island elephants.
and such vanaies, with the Young cirl.
but he restrained his ardor and only
sighed. emitting a sound like the buzz
ing OF insects among the marshes.
81 think L have seen YOU somewhere
before. he said at length, after his
gaze had rested upon the sylph-like
form for a minute or so.
You have" was the answer.
"Ah, you remember me, d3 youp q.
bliss, ecstatically rejoined the dude.
You bet DO" was the answer
Don't you recolleot it is / who brine
round your Sunday collar and ysu7,
one pair OF cuffs every Saturday morn
ing, And, sir, mother says she shan't
allow you to have those articles next
week unless you pay her the eight
cents you've been owing her for fort
night.
There was silence. and the dude fell
back overwhelmed. The big elephant
was blurred from his sight, and tho
cleaning houses on the island lost
their interest for him, and he sighed
when at last he saw the heartless dam
sci masticating toothsome Frankfort
sausage between two crusty pieces of
bread and taking her place on q mer-
ry-go-round.