The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-11-14
NEW YORK SKETCHES.
IAlex. E. Sweet, in Texas Siftings.l

Alex. E. Sweet, in Texas Siftings.
 Not everybody even Tn New York is square and honest n his dealings with hls fellow-man. There Is no use denying the fact that there aye seeming exception. to the rule that yerybody in New York is honest. There is a bia,k 5beep IL every flock. saW ] mAn yesterday who laid himself able 10 a suspicion of un. fairness. lie was a professional pick pocket,
 was standing on 8 Broadway corner near City Hall. waiting for a chance to cross without frescoin9 the wheels of tne passing vehicles with my brains, when my eye rested on quaint old gentleman who was standing On the steps of oanK- ing establishment. He was gazing around as Ii the scepe was new and novel to hm. He wore calm placid look and new overcoat. There was country fled look about him that led me to suspect him as being from Boston. II may be that am doing the poor old wretch an injustice. He may only have come over from Phil adelphia.
 At the foot of the steps, lounged | shabbily-dressed young man. might call him a galoot. A second young man, who had business like air about him, ripped gaily down the steps, and as he passed the elderly gentleman, he put his fingers into the outside breast. pocket of the aforesaid stranger, and gently lifted out roll of grcenbacks, which he passed over to the galoot who was lcunging at the foot of the steps. It was done in the twinkling of a sheep's tail.
 My first impression was that the whole thing was a practical joke. thought the three men were .rienos, and expected to see the man who had taken the money return it to the owner, and say w!lh merry peal of laughter to the old man that he ought to set them up" Imagine my surprise when the two men went off hurriedly. They tool; the greenbaoks with them, but they left the old man be- bind. He was very muca lett. He was behind in his 6Danoes.
 Approaching the old gentleman, asked him if he knew the two men who had just gone off. My object was to as- sist him in regaining his money. The old man sneered at me. He smiled sar- castically, and opening his ponderous jaws, he said:
 !" If you don't move right on I'll turn you over to a policeman. You can't work the confidence game on me if l am a stranger. Just go away. Your face gives you away. I've read about you in tho papers,"
 That ended the oint discussion. The old man was too familiar on short &C., quaintance. perceived an opening among the vehicles, and daited across Broadway. When got to the opposite sidewalk, turned and looked back 10 see how my suspicious old friend was enjoy ing himself. The old man was searching his garments for something that didn't seem to be there. There was an expression of anxious inquiry on his face that bespoke a mind ill at ease. Once more he hur- ried through his garments, and then an agonized expression got mixed up with his features and troze there. Perhaps it was that roll of greenbacks he missed. Judging by the misery on his face it must have amounted to more than seven dol lars and a half He reminded me of Lady Mar6eth when she walks in her sleep.
 It may be cynical to say SO, but can- not get rid of the impression that the man who took those greenbacks was not actuated by the highest and purest mo- tives. May he not have taken the first step on the downward road to Wall street ? Is he not liable to find himself sooner or later, unless he reforms, in the halls of congress2
 Since the above was written have un- earthed more rascality in New York. If this thing keeps on shall come to sus- pect even Ferd Ward.
 For some time past, have noticed in different parts of the city peculiar fea- ture of the landscape, as 1t were. No matter where go perceive gang of de prayed looking boys, rolling barrel. Rolling a hoop is very common pas time. but rolling barrel seems odd. Meeting Sykes, my New York friend l said:
 "What kind ot game is it those boys are up to with that barrel3"
 "They are stealing the barrel"
 "Impossible l"
 "lt's impossible to keep them from stealing barrels. As soon as the janitor puts out barrel thrash on the sidewalk, a gang of these boys eump the barrel, and roll it of"
 70, they are just having little fun. When they get through with the barrel, they bring it back, of course, and replace the trash. Did understand you to say they take barrels without the consent of the oWner2"
 Sykes looked at ne with plying ex-