The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-04-11
THE Bitter BITTEN.
Men who Engage in Ways That are Dark
Sometimes Get the Worst of 1t.

Men who Engage in Ways That are Dark
Sometimes Get the Worst of IL.
A short man with a round face the
color of a campaign-badge, and nose
which glistened and shone as if it had
been vanished, staggered into Broad
way bar-room, one day last week, and
slouched over to the lunch-counter,
where the well-dressed customers
readily made all the space for him that
he desired, After satisfying an appe-
tite that was comprehensive enough to
cover an entire fashionable boarding
house, he sauntered over to the bar
''Gimme little brandy (hic) and a
touch of ginger-ale," he remarked to
the bar-keeper.
''Forty cents, please" responded
that individual.
"Forty CENTS" replied the visitor:
sis (hic) a sum of money lasked for
a drink. If (hic) called for money,
I would (hic) go to bank"
"You had better go to bank, then,
for your drink" responded the bar
keeper curtly, as he turned to wait on
another customer.
After waiting few minutes in thirsty
silence, the short man again renewed
his request.
al tell you," replied the drink-mixer,
annoyed at his persistence: ''you can't
have drink here unless you pay for it
in advance"
ooh, that's it (hic), is itP You
WON'T trust me for drink. Well, will
you take (hie) this for collateralp" and
he laid an old-fashioned watch on the
counter whose color was the shade of
old brass.
mo, sir, won't take that This
amt no junk-shop, and if you don't
get out of here you won't want drink
for the next six months"
"Hold on" replied the short man,
''don't (hic) get excited. That watch
is family (hic) keepsake, 1t was
given to my (hic) grandfather by the
Emperor Napoleon. It's pure silver "
pure brass, you mean. Come, get
outr
''Let go my coat (hic), I'll leave it
TO any gentleman (hic) present if it
amt silver.
whats the matterp" interrupted a
quiet man who had been q silent OBJ
server of the controversy.
why, this bum" responded the
bar-keeper, ''says this brass turnip is
silver, and wants me to stand him a
drink on it.
''Let me look at it."
The watch was handed over and the
quiet man, after brief inspection, re-
turned it with smile of contempt.
,, 'I'll tell you (hic) what I'll do" in
terposed the tramp: "I'll bet you a
b11pH,.ad 1ol1arS it'S silNya1, ~
Take your bet. Put up your
} money!" returned the quiet man,
| quickly.
'The bar-keeper by this time had let
go his hold on the short mans sleeve,
J and the rest of the customers had
gathered closely around the pair. The
, tramp dove into his ragged pocket and
= pulled out two fifty-dollar notes,
: which were promptly placed in
the bar-keeper's hands. The silent
man also laid a hundred-dollar bill
on the counter, and man was sent
1 out for jeweler In few minutes he
, returned with the workman, and thu
watch was handed to him for inspec
ton. He looked at the case, then flee
l through the surface, and applied drol
} of acid to the exposed metal. In {
g half-a-mlnute he returned 1t to the bar
= keeper and remarked that it was SOLE
g silver, heavily plated with brass.
Five minutes later short man will
n red nose slouched into cross-stree
2 gin-mill and sat down beside tall
v red-haired, ministerial-appearing man
q ''Well, jimmy inquired the secon,
v man: "what luckP"
. II worked the watch-racket for
hundred"
+ "Where's the boodleP" laconicall,
n inquired the other.
q Here" and he pulled out the bill h
q had won.
; "Well," remarked the red-haire'
man, with deep disgust: you're a mic
), man to belong to the profession, yo
y are"
- "WhyP" gasped the short man
" "What's the matter with mepo
:, "There's nothing the matter with yo
y except you're an idiot.
!, y "WhyP"
- ''The bill is counterfeit"
W II was - Puck