Wichita eagle., 1886-10-13
DOING CONEY ISLAND.
HOW A HUMORIST MANAGED TO GET
AHEAD OF THE PlCkPOCKETs.

HOW A HUMORIST MANAGED TO GE'
AHEAD OF THE PlcKPocKETs.
Starting Out With Sheep-Skin Wallet
Big Brass Watch Chain and Past
Diamond-sccing the sishts-Thc Bitter
Badly Bitten.
"f you are going down to Coney Island TO
the day." said New York newspaper man t.
me, "don't tempt 'em. 1t would be wrong. {"
"Tempt who's"
~The pickpockets, my boy. Coney Islans
Is their paradise. Leave behind you what
ever You don't want to part with for good
You've got western hay seed in your hair
and they'll spot you on sight"
@Do look G. een!"
"Well-ahem! Say, don't argue that ques
tion, but take my advice. They'd rob even
Inspector Byrnes down there"
left behind me some trinkets of no mar.
ticular value except to the owner, distributed
the sum OF So lin my seven or eight pockets,
and bought tickets at the foot Of Whitehall
street
In jaunting around New York had been a
liberal patron Of the fiend who sells lemon
crol5 al live cents package and puts prize
In the bottom Of every package. I had thus
accumulated sheepsEin wallet a big brass
watch chain, paste diamond pin and several
other valuable works Of virtu and art. 1 bored
the diamond into my shirt, pinned the watch
chain into my pocket and stuffed the wallet
with pieces of newspaper until it seemed to
bulge out with about 5000 in greenbacks.
wanted TO see what the old fraternity could
do when given a fair show
On the boat going down to Bay Ridge
very nice young man brought his camp stool
over near mine and remarked that it was
hot day. We settled that point inside of a
minute, and he was so pleased to find that l
didn't differ with him that he stuck to me
when we landed. Between the Battery and
Coney Island he made two attempts on that
watch chain, but didn't get it,
when we got down to Brighton he was met
by two pals They offered to take me into q
side show, where Joe-Joe, the dog faced Rus
san, ana dozen monkeys were holding
!or'h' and accepted. Among the crowd in
'nere were several other gentlemen of enter.
prise ana ability but they let me severely
alone was the property OF tho other ranr
we were standing. in front Of Joe-Joo, and I
was asking him few leading questions about
hlsslan religion and politics, when the man
on the right crowded me and the one on nv
left hshed for my watch and chain After
some little trouble he got the chain He was
after the wallet, when L moved away and
bafled him
was going OF TO see the rest Of the sights 1
alone, but they wouldn't have it that way
was not stranger, far, far from home.
and was 1t not a duty as well as pleasure
Tor them to mako things pleasant for mes So
1 went over with them to see some more mon
keys IN another show, and to hear q fat pirl
sing: "Gently Down the Stream Of Time.n
Inc monkeys stood on thor heads, and the
TAT girl tlilied her lay, and as the three
pressed me into q corner to get closer view
OF Peican-the only living pelican which
ever accompanied herself on tho harp. or
something OF that sort, some one got the =
stuffed wallet. plainly felt the hand which
TOOK 1t, but did not want to hurt his feel
ings
by this time L Was a little tired Of side
SHOWS, ana wanted to go out and sec the
marine railway. My three friends would not
permit me to so alone. ] might get run over
oy tho engine, or fall through the trestleworl,.
and they should always blame themselves for
t. We went away while the fat girl was
riiiiiAG her lay some more, but instead of
'oihg TO tho railway we got tired and sat |
'oWn on bench to hear some music II was
y an Italian opera company There were
wo hddles and harp, and the performance
'sS entirely satisfactory to the audience
Ifter couple Of airs had been rendered in
eait-lneltlng manner one Of my friends held
is ha0 upon his hand before my eyes and :
sked me If saw a hole In the crown. While
was anxiouSly trying to discover one to
E., cad f1,a
iamond pin. l knew the trick, and was
atcnlng hlS motion, but he got tho jewel out
cry deity. 1t wasn't half a minute after
lat before the three pretended to see some 4
ne on the walk they had an engagement
18th, and was suddenly left alone.
went over to the railway and made the :.
ip to Manhattan and back, and was leaning 81
,ainst post near the exhibition building #
hen ono OF the piclSpockets walked up to me 81
is brow was bsthed in gloom He looked Aj
,actly as did one day four years ago, when Ya
found myself in Richmond and remembered Y
at my wallet was under hotel mattress in q
ashington. Ee had the three stolen snide
tlcles in his hand and he held them ont to
e and feelingly said:
'Say, what kind of galoot are YOU. any
,w?r -
felt plzened mean, and l tried TO make
IN believe SO, but he flung the articles down w.
deep disgust and turned away with the re-
ark:
'lt is Just such western specimens as You
who have given everything beyond Can
a a bad name. There's your stuff. sir and
be hanged if you ere a gentleman"
called and called to him. but he would not i
urn to argue tho point with me-M. Quad
Detroit Free Press