Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-16

A New Amusement for the Irrepressible
Boys of the Street.

From the LoNjsgilIs CouTisr-J 0NrnqI.
The street gamins, never at a loss for
amusement, oven in the dullest times,
have found anew kind Of sport, AS in the
case OF the boy and the frog, however,
what proves fun for the boy IN this matter
is rough on something else.
A reporter who was strolling on Jetfer-
son street yesterday morning dropped to
the sport by accident In front Of restau-
rant he saw crowd OF Dootblacks and
newshoys STOPPING over the iron grating
which covers the cellarway. On the out
side Of the crowd Of boys an interested
circle OF gamblers and loafers crcled, all
deeply intent on the movements OF the
small boys. One of the latter held man
/ fully on to thick cord, one end Of which
was lost in the darkness Of the cellar be-
low Pushing his way into the crowd,
the reporter, on inquiry, learned that the
hoy with the line was fishing for rats.
The buildings on Jefferson street. like
most others in the city, are infested
with rodents of huge proportions, some
of them as large as a kittens and as
fierce and hostile as wild animals, and it
was this game the boy with the string was
seeking.
Keep still. Jimmie there's One,' whis-
pered one Of the youngers, who, with his
face pressed close 10 the grating, was
peering into the dark depths. There,
he's after the bait" ne continued, while
he eXcitedly shivered in the expectance OF
fat catch. 'Now he's got it, be shouted
in glee, as he jumped up and danced
about In the height of his excitement.
And then the boy with the string gave
IT jerk and began TO pun the struggling
rodent TO the surface. Soon 1t was close
TO the grating and could be plainly seen.
1t was of the large gray species, very
plump, and it turned and twisted and
kicked, desperately trying to free it.
self from big 1ish-hOok that was stuck
in its jaw.
The crowd pressed closer, until the boy
who was engineering the line had scarcely
standing room.
"Git outen the way" he cried, ''or the
thin2'll get off, Then the lOOkers-On
tell back, and. with the aid of a crooked
stick in the hands of a second bOv, the
animal was forced up between the bars
and was held up to the view of the admir-
ing throng.
''Now git a dorg," yelled one of the
gamin, and in a second a chorus of whis-
ties emanated from dozen pair of puck
cred lips, while wild dash was made for
Scotch terrier wi a constitutional ha-
tired for rats. The dog soon made it's ap-
pearance, and the crowd surgC1 into the
street. The rat still kicked anLS tTuggled
on the string, foot or two above the
ground, While the dog jumped and barked
about it, swapping at it and eager to sink
his teeth into It's flesh. A ring was soon
formed, with the boy, the rat and the dog
in the centre.
Then the rat was lowered to the earth,
and no sooner touched it than it made q
scamper for the gutter. The crowd fell
back, but the rodent never reached the
multitude of feet. The terrier, quick as q
flash, had bounced on it, and catching IL
by the neck closed bis teeth Viciously and
shook his enemy savagelv until life was
extinct. Then he dropped his ratship,
shifted 1t to see il it was dead, gave a bark
Of satisfaction, and trotted majestically
back to his lair. The gamin gave a yell
| of pleasure, kicked the rat into the gutter,
| and then adjourned once more to the graf
ing until another one of the pests had been
secured and the same performance gone
through with.
From bystander the reporter learned
that this sort of amusement was the de-
light of the street boys life, and that
every day they caught a number of rats
which were atterward killed by the fuzzy
terrier.