St. Landry democrat., 1885-07-25
The LAST OF The R,HoYs.

It's related of Thackeray that when he
was in New York he found himself un-
certain which way to turn one night
when he ,was in the BowerY, and, ad-
dressing himself to the first man he met,
asked:
''Can I go to Bleecker street this
way2"
Accident had thrown him in the way
Of a Bowery b 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
itinconsistent with their dignity to work
for their living. They were mechanics,
painters, butchers, newsdealers, printers,
hatters, venders, and, in fact, followed
any and all callings. They even rem
dered themselves extra useful by work
ing in the Volunteer Fire Department
a Service they were nearly all very fond
Of. When they were not at work they
got their high silk hats out and aired
them magniticentiy, carrying them tilt
ed 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 Sunday wear. They were tre-
mendous and incessant fighters, but
their fists were the weapons they pre-.
ferred. They drank and gambled, but
they did not necessarily steal, and twas
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.
It 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 trif1es,
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 fiaring trousers and low
shoes, his broken nose and old-school,
smooth-shaven, typical Bowery boy
face betrayed him. Even the old famil-
lar impudent curl of his upper lip re-
mained with him, and when he spoke to
a stranger he first looked him over and
then called him either ''cully' or
'sboss, = 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, substantial, jolly looking woman,
walked by his side with a little girl of
ten or eleven years beside her. Her
dress caught in a projection from a
valise on the car floor and she had to
stop and free herself. The owner of the
valise apologized, and assisted 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 detain-
ed her, and, mistaking the cause, put
himself in readiness for fight.
It was amusing to watch him. He
first showed astonishing solicitude 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 a marvel that it did not fall off.
His eyes flashed, his upper lip curled,
and he glanced atthe man with the va
lise.
s'Will | chaw him up, Gussie?' he
whispered to his wife.
'.Who, TomP What's the matterp"
the woman asked in some alarm.
'.Who? Why, ergalloot what stop
ped yer. Give 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
fiercely at the man with the valise, who
was reading paper, and was calmly
unconscious Of the fighting mans exist
ence.
"Why, he's all right, said the wife
in a still lower tone than he had used,
s'he acted very gentlemanly'' and then
she explained what had happened.
Gradually the old rowdy's face bright
ened up, and smile took the place of
the frown. He arose and went unstead-
ilY over to the man with the valise, and
attracted his attention by giving him a
whack between the shoulders that
seemed hard enough to loosen his teeth.
you've just had marry escape, !"
said the old-fashioned tough, laughing
hoarselys "a marry 'scape bergosh. A
minute more and I'd took you up and