The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-07-24
The LAs1 OF IHE Enjoys.

THE LAST OF THE B'HoYs.
Modern Folk Get Glimpse Of the Kind o,
Rough..of Gcasration Gone.
tits related of Thackeray that when he
was in New York he found himself I'M
certain which way to turn one night
when he was in the Bowery, and, adj
dressing himself to the firstman he met,
asked:
.'Can I GO TO Blocker street this
wayP"
Accident had thrown him in the way
of Bowery s'hoy, who replied after the
manner of his kind. -'Well, CUES you
kin, sonny, if you berhave yourself"
The Bowery boy and. IN fact, every
variety of the New York rowdy of
twenty-five years ago, was picturesque
and in some respects admirable as COM
pared with the tough OF to-day. The
rough characters of that day did notfind
it inconsistent with their dignity to work
for their living. They were mechanics.
painters, butchers. newsdealers, printers,
hatters, vendors, and, in fact, followed
any and all callings. They even rem
dered themselves extra useful by work
ing in the Volunteer Fire Department
service they were nearly all very fond
of. When they were not ut work they
got their high silk hats out and aired
them magnificently. carrying them tilt
ed on one ear, often over flannel shirt,
and with their trousers tucked in high
topped boots. A tough was not tough
if he did not have high hat for evening
and Sunday wear. They were ire
mendous and incessant fighters, but
their fists were the weapons they pre-
ferred. They drank and gambled, but
they did not necessarily steal, and it was
nOt;at all beneath their idea of dignity,
or at all uncommon, for them to court
the pretty girls of their acquaintance,
marry them, treat them well, and sup
port them in comfort.
1T is astonishing how almost COM
pletely they have disappeared. There
are a few yet to be found in Washington
Market. and there are others over in the
Ninth Ward and in the old shipyard
district, but they dress very nearly like
the men they meet every day, and it is
only by little signs, the way they pro-
nounce certain words, the angle at
which they wear their hats, the black
silk scarfs tied in enormous bows that
they.cling to like death, and such trifles,
that one who used to know them by the
hundred can now pick out these few
survivors.
One of them rode over to Brooklyn in
the bridge cars yesterday. His big silk
bowknot, the red stockings that were
revealed by tlaring trousers and low
shoes, his broken nose and Old-schoOl,
typical Bowery boy
face betrayed him. Even the old famil-
lar impudent curl of his upper lip re-
manned with him, and when he spoke to
a stranger he first looked him over and
then called him either .'cully" or
.'boss,'' according as the persons ap-
pearance impressed him. He was two
thirds tipsy. A new broadcloth suit
and massive chain and finger ring
showed him to be prosperous. His
wife, a substantial, jolly looking woman,
walked by his side with little girl of
ten or eleven years beside her. Her
dress caught in a projection from a
valise on the ear floor and she had to
stop and free herself. The owner of the
valise apologized, and assisted her in
her dress.
By the time the old-fashioned tough
missed his wife from his side she was
about ready to moveon after him. He
saw that something unusual had detain-
ed her. and, installing the cause, put
himself in readiness for fight.
1t was amusing to watch him. He
first showed astonishing soIieitude for
MS wife's comfort. got her seated, saw
The little girl comfortable by her side,
md then sat on the extreme edge OF an
seat, and adjusted his hat so
nearly on one side of his head that it
seemed a marvel that it did not fall off. |
His eyes flashed, his upper lip curled,
md he glanced at the man with the va.
Use.
'.Will 1 chaw him up. Gussie?' he
whispered to his wife.
'Who. Tom? What's the matter?'
he woman asked in some alarm.
"WhoP Why. der galloot what stop
,ed Yer. Give us the right of it, Gussie,
IN then I'll let the sawGuSt out of him. |
What d d he do?'
Between his sentences he glared most |
iercely at the man with the valise, who
vas reading paper, and was calmly
unconscious of the fighting mans exist
nee.
"Why, he's all right" said the wife
n still lower tone than he had used,
he acted very northumberland then
he explained what had happened.
gradually the old rowdy's face bright
med up, and smile took the place of
he frown. He arose and went INSTEAD
" over to the man with the valise. and
attracted his attention by giving him a
vhack between the shoulders that
eemed hard enough to loosen his teeth.
You've just had marry escape"
aid the old-fashioned tough, laughing
loarsely-.'a marry 'scape. bergosh. A
minute more and I'd took YOU up and
'roke you over my knee. thought you
lone something rude to my old woman,
''g-, but yer didn't do no SIGH q thing,
lid you? No. indeed, you didn't And
'er wouldn't, would yer? Cause I'd
haw man up for less n that would,
''goshr'
After entreating the man to step
light off and have a drink, and being
POLITELY refused. there being nothing
except the East River for
vhnavar Sbonld cfap off tho old facb |