Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-09-24
THE LAST OF THE B.HoYs,


he was in New York he found himself
uncertain which way TO turn one night
when he Was in the Bowery. and, adj
dressing himself to the first man he
met. asked:
Can | go to Blocker street this
way?n
Accident had thrown him In the way
of Bowery b'hoy. who replied. after
the manner of his kind: ."Well, |
guess you kin. sonny. if you berhave
yourself T"
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 not
find it inconsistent with their dignity
10 work for their living. They were
mechanics, painters, butchers, news
dealers, printers, matters, vendors, and,
IN fact. followed any and all callings
1hey even rendered themselves extra
Useful by working in the volunteer fire
departmental service they were near
ly ali very fond of. When they were
not at work they got their high silk
",
carrying them tilted on one ear often
over flannel shirt, and with their
trousers tucked in high-topped boots.
A tough was not a tough if he did not
have high hat for evening and Sun
day wear. They were tremendous and
incessant fighters, but their fists were
the weapons they preferred. They
drank and gambled, but they did not
necessarily steal, and it was not at all
beneath their dignity, or not at all un-
common, for them to court the pretty
girls OF their acquaintance, marry
them, treat them well and support
them in comfort.
1t is astonishing how almost COM
pletely they have disappeared. There
are 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
tribes, that one who used to know
them by 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 faring trousers and
low shoes, his broken nose and old
school, smooth-shaven, typical Bowery
boy face betrayed him. Even the old
familiar impudcnt curl of his upper lip
remained with him, and when he
spoke to a stranger he first looked him
over and then called him either Gully"
or boss, according as to the person 5
appearance impressed him. He was
two-thirds tipsy. A new broadcloth
suit and massive chain and finger
ring showed him to be prosperous.
His wife, substantial. iolly-looking
woman, walked by his side with little
girl of ten or eleven years beside her.
Her dress caught in a projection from
valise on the car floor and she had to
stop and free herself. The owner of
the valise apologized, and assis ted her
in disengaging her dress.
BY the time the old-fashioned tough
missed his wife from his side she was
about ready to move on after him. He
saw that something unusual had de-
tanned her, and mistaken the cause,
put himself in readiness for Il fight
1t was amusing to watch him. He
first showed astonishing solic.tude for
his wife's comfort. got her seated, saw
the little girl comfortable by her side,
and then sat on the extreme edge of
an adjoining seat, and adjusted his
hat SO nearly on one side of his head
that it seemed marvel that it did not
fall off. His eyes flashed, his upper
lip curled, and he glanced at the man
with the valise
'Will / chaw him up, Gussic?n he
whispered to his wife.
''Who, Tomt2 What's the mattcr?"
the woman asked in some alarm.
.'Who? Why, der galoot what
stopped yer G SO us the right of it,
Gussie, an then I'll let the sawdust out
of him. What did he do?"
Between his sentences he glared
most frrcely ut the man with the
valise, who was reading II paper, and
was calmly unconscious of the fighting
mans existence.
''Why, he's all right" said the wife
in still lower tone than nc had used,
che acted very gcntlemanly" = and
then she explained what had happened.
Gradually the old rowdy's face bright
ened up and Il smile took the place of
the frown. lie arose and went I'M
steadily over to the man with the
valise and attracted his attention by
giving him whack between the
shoulders that seemed hard enough TO
loosen his teeth.
You've just had marry escape"
said the old-fashioned tough, laughing
hoarsely-''a - marry scape, ber-
gosh. A minute more and I'd took
you up and broke you over my knee. l
thought you done something rude to
my old woman. Big but yer didn't do
no SIGH q thing. did You? No, indeed,
you didn't. And yer wouldn't would
yer? Cause FL chaw man UP fer
less that would, b'gosh"
After enireating the man to stop
right off and have Il drink, and being
politely refused. there being nothing
drinkable except the East river for
whoever should step off, the old-fash-
Toned tough went back 10 his wife and
insisted upon kissing her TO celebrate
the escape of the man with the vaise.
She was quite offended, or pretended
to be. and called him an old TOOL.
''Sit down, Tom" said she, land
quiet yourself. Your fighting days
are over now.
"Wel." said the ancient rowdy.
with the smile of a thoroughly good
natured man, II kin kiss the kid; she
can't help herself. Your kissin' days
is over, anyhow, Cassie, and the kids
is only just beginning"
The little girl ran to him when he
bcckoncd to her. aud eagerly climbed
urun his knee. 1t was evident that the
pusnaci"us O Il chap was !, kindly man
ut homc.-A. J. san.