The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-04-13
The Man About Town.

The Man About Town.
A young business man, who rides the fast
est bicycle, and has not as yet become a
Benedict, put up nice little practical joke
on one of the boys, last week. He went Ia
the phone, and calling the youth up, re-
marked in q somewhat excited tone of voice:
Please come down to the bank, right
away. Hurry"
He then rang off, and the youth bolted for
Sherwood's bank ON the run. He rushed
breathlessy into the bank, but the only ans
wer Otto Gondolf gave to his hasty inquiry
was broad smile, in which Tommy Farrell
Joined with great gusto. He then went
down to the First National Bank and waltz.
ing up to the.paying tellers window said
"Whst did you want me for, Charleyf'
Charles smiled-so did Arthur, and the
youth began to perspire. lie had not as yet
smelled rat, but when he emerged from the
National City Bank, where AL and Phil
Schoch had given him broad, warm smile,
he was warm under the collar, and breathed
vengence The bank joke was on him. II
was all right. But never mind. He would
see the business man and 60 him one better.
-
The youth has a friend of about his own
age. They are employed in the same office.
The friend went down and told the business
man how he could again catch the youth. He
said that the youth had bet another young
man that he (the other young man hadn' a
whole shirt on his back, and then sneaked
around behind him and cut n hole in his
shirt ana won the bet. But, said he, there
was another side to the matter which the
youth did not know of He, in case Of a
bet, would have half the shirt on his breast,
and part on his arms, and thus, technically,
would loose the bet The business man was
enthusiastic, and clamored to have the youth
brought in, so that he might play the joke
on him. The youth went down to Fiske u
Beem's, borrowed a shirt, stuffed 1t up un-
itE INV bhNAiuB VI Ftb'' hHh ia NOhiphHy
with his friend, accosted the business man.
They bet quarter. The business man be-
gan to explain the joke, but the youth stopp
ed him, by pulling the 'choie SHIRT out from
under his vest There was howl of laugh.
ter. The youth was even.
80
This joke CALLED the business man exceed
ingly. He painted for q chance to utterly
crush the youth. A brilliant idea came to
him. How 1t reached him no one knows
He came to the youth and said:
"There is an unsophisticated young man
who comes into my store. Let us play the
shirt trick on him. | will furnish the shirt.
Ha! hal ha! Wont it be immense"
But the young man again smelled amouse.
lie did not have that implicit confidence in
the business mans word that lie so conclusive
shirt of his own, and with the assistance Of
his friend it was soon placed upon his back,
so that il was wholly concealed. They then
went down to see the business man. He
stated a shirt under the coat of the youth
and then brought the alleged unsophistocat-
ed young man in to do the betting. The bet
WAS made. The youth pulled the first shirt
from under his coat. One sleeve was gone
The business man was in ecstacy. lie rolled
on the floor Tears rolled down his cheeks.
He was supremely happy He had made
the youth sick? No! The youth again
reached at his back He clawed out the
other shirt. II was whoie shirt Let us
draw the veil. The business man is discon,
ISOLATE. 1t was his own money which the
unsophisticated man had wagered.
*x*
! was down at the Sanicula spring the
other morning and just as l had finished
glass Of the sparkling water, q couple of
sweet maidens drove to the platform and
slightsd. One carried glass and caught the
water, while the other stood beside the horse
to prevent its taking French leave. The
Mics who manipulated the glass was Just
sweet sixteen. She wore pair Of tar gloves
and while in the act of rinsing the glass, the
stream was seized with some peculiar freak,
and her pretty gloves were soaked with wa
ter.
"Oh DEAR" she Dried, al have ruined
my giovesl"
know acted like a brute in not assist.
ing her, but am fond Of studying human
nature. Human nature at sixteen is ador.
able. merely remained silent and awaited
developments.
Do come here May" beseeched the
young lady with the wet gloves.
May came there. May tried It, May
made the same pathetic exclamation that