The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-26


into his pocket and drew out half dollar
which he hsimbiy handed 20 Jack, and the
cowed hobos manner was as that of n
beaten cur, and Jack, FIRST p0ckcting the.
money, resumed his improving
lecture. sYou know" he said, s-that
e eslaay xasp pay ,n day swe T. w the biz
Will be our busy day. Here You are half
drunk at this early hour, and would will
| ingiy get wholly drunk ii | would allow
/ You 10 SO basely take the bread out of our
mouths" Jack pretended TO supreme
rage, and dashed at Paddy as though 20
destroy him, and Paddy whined his fear.
Ihel, impcrativeiy, and with clenched
| hand and waving right arm to emphasize
| his words. he said: Ito home and wash
! yourself. pat on clean clothes then eat q
heavy breakfast to sober yourself. and do
| you get ready for business
| Paddy tied in fear-inSpired obedience.
| And, Jack shouted after him, s'if you
| gct drunk today hefore business is over
will murder YOU Jack turned to me,
| and YVES shocked To- sec that he too had
been toying with the demon, rum, at so
! early an hour. Colonel, = he said and his
voice was thick with hespitahle welcome.
and his bright eyes smiled with his red
| lips. come have a drink with Hobo Jack. "
| which invitation most politely but firmly
declined. Jack said that Under the cirrum-
/ stances he would have two drinks which
he did. and which apparently refreshed
him greatly.
Charles, = he said. addressing the saloon
keeper, how much for the oil2 | found
the ease last night and will sell il to you
| far below value."
you stole il, = the saloon-kceper replied,
.'and will not buy, !" which blunt remark
created an embarrassing silence for y few
minutes. Presently the early morning
drunkartls crawled ont of hollow cedar
stumps and from under houses and wan
dered by devious paths to the saloon 10
drink cocktails and more cocktails
in hopes TO steady their jerking
nerves and TO quiet their rebeilious
stomachs. The saloon-keeper left us
aud Hobo Jack and | sat silently for a
short time and then drifted into prclimi-
nary conversation that became conlidcn-
tial. and which terminated in the remark
which is the initial sentence of this sketch,
and which here repeat II swipes things"
Hobo Jack said: "swires things ste.dsly,
and works u game, AMI good game II u,
too, on the Swedes on pay days and on
Sundays. ] make enough to live comfort
ably and To keep Paddy, too.
Explain the game TO me, Jack | said.
II VII If you will promise not 20 give it
away" he replied. | promised not to
betray him He looked Mt me earnestly
for an instant, and then said Colonel, Il
few months ago 4 gentleman. of Sedro
could live fairly well on the gripsaks that
he found. lie could keep well dressed,
even if the garments did not fit him. occ9-
sionaliy drummer for cigar rand tobacco
house would lose bag or small sample
trunk and the fortunate finder would be
we'll supplied with cigars. though some of
those cigars We're not good. Jack ceased
TO talk He shook his head and puckercd
his face rs he conjured up the taste and
smell OF that famous Skugit valley cigar,
THE Undcrtaker's Friend" several boxes
% which he found in one gsipsack that be-
iongSd to gentleman who waved his hands
wildly and palm uppermost around his
shoulders. when he discovered his
loss. Those were tough cigals. he said,
and then he resumed tie one-sidcd onver-
Fasion. 1T was easy in those happy days
OF The infancy OF Scdro to roll a drunken
workingman. There were no dance halls to-
sIs,sb money that should be kept in cir
collation.. Tin-horn gamblers did not then
infest the town aud rob honest, hard
working men ut brace gambling games.
town grew. Gamblers and dancing
girls locked in, and an alleged ho-
tel was built, and now it is y rcd-lettsr
day If We pick up gripsack. We are no
longer particular rs TO its size or quality.
Time wac when would not look i'm a bus
ness way at anything in the shape OF q
grip uni SIS it were made of alligator skin.
black, olcloth giip. And last week, Col
onel," hcle his voice fell to whisper and
his head hung in shame, last week /
swiped a Swedc's roll of blankets, and was
glad TO get them"
Jack, | am dreadfuliy ashamed OF you'll"
exclaimed. in mock astonishment.
"Wc'l, Colonel. l acknowledge that II
Ewas not nice, butn--he added briskly, and
az though to cause me 10 forget the blanket
biIsiness-"but next day | picked up
bundle of law books that some fool lawyer
Was tofing to Mount Vernon 20 enable him
90 make a bluff at u cheap judge before
whom he was to Try case that neither of
them knew anything about. This lucky
find gave me my idea. You may have
noticed Paddyss hcad?" he said,
looking at me inquiringly. i re-
called that close-cropped and shovel
Scared head and frankly acknowledged
that had noticed it and thought 1t was a
critical world. ut is a large, we'll
shaped head" Jack said, 'and when you
make Paddy put on u clean shirt, first
having thoroughly washed his face, and
scat him behind a table, he is a grand
looking man and far superior in appear
ance to any judge before whom ! have
beel tried on this Coast.
'sThe idea came to me with a rush. /
would establish u court over which Paddy
should preside. I would be constable and
sole runner-in of drunken Swedes and
make complaints against them, and collect
such fines as the judge in his wisdom and
mercy should sentence the prisoner to pay.
Arrived home, / explained the scheme to
Paddy. He fell in with it nc once. We
cleaned up the courtroom and piled
up the law books on the table.
Then / cut tin star out OF the
bottom of a fruit can and fastened it
under the lapel OF my coat and, after | had
fashioned a club, were ready for business.
We went 10 the saloons to search for
drunken Swcdes. You see.n he said IN
explanation of his apparent leaning to-
cannot talk English, they know nothing
of our laws, and. though hard-drnking
people, they are law-ahiding and respectful
TO officers who represent the law
1--WE quickly found Swede who had
bought semi-jag and who had money in
his pocket We watched him for hours.
during which time he passed from the
semi-jag stage to the wholly drunken con-
dItion that results from too free drinking
of poor whisky. Paddy hurried home,
leaving me to care for the victim. J talked
to him and cxtolled the excellence of
the beer that was drawn at the Sapp.
Presently the Swede staggered out of the
undesirable saloon lie had been drinking
in, and among the misunderstanding stumps
toward the Sapp. That vas my chance.
FASTENED after him, grabbed him by the
shoulder and said savagely, What do you
mean by getting drunk in this civilized
community? You have broken the law
Come along with me! 7 brandjshed my club
and made as though to strike him. /
jerked him and swore at him. He begged
me not 10 kill him, and walked as q totter-
ing child at my side. Soon | had him be-
fore the first judge, who with commendable