Omaha daily bee., 1891-12-27

One night as | was going along Pearl
street a man called to me from a dark
doorway, and | stopped and looked into
it and finally made out u very ragged
chap sitting on the first step of the stairs.
Look a-here-I want to have "a talk
with you!" he said, as ! asked him what
was wanted.
VERY we'll; come out here
Cant do it. If | should leave this
place some other chap would jump my
claim"
rs this where you ~sleep?"
Yes, unless the police get on to me
and throw me out. No Fifth Avenue
style about it. but it keeps off the dew
and the mosquitoes. Say, old man,
something in thy tones leads me to sus-
pect that thou art a fellow of my own
craft. Am | k'rect?"
whats your craft?"
I'm an old print. Come, now, hast
thou ever handled stick and rule? Dost
know a standing galley from m impos-
ing stone? Hast thou ever hustled for
Il have"
''Shake! I'd have bet on it. Just the
man I'm looking after. l was saying to
myself not five minutes ago that if an
old print would only come along and
stop to buzz with me | could forgive the
world for the way it has wronged mo
Are you broke?:"
mot quite"
'Out Of a sit?'
"No.n
Lucky dog! Say, old boy, I've
tramped this country from end to end,
I've made my string in almost every
office between the Augusta Chronicle
and the Galveston News. Pm on my
last take now; I've got slug 80 this time
for sure
Are you ill?"
I'm old, and broken, and played. I'm
out o. quads and spaces. I haven't had
Il dollar mark in the box for weeks and
weeks. I've got just abouta week longer
to live"
Il hope it isn't as bad as that"
ITS just hat way. Capital small
caps, and italics all played out, and
solid matter for the b%oneyard. Lets
reason a bit. | want to ask u favor of
you-a dying favor of an old print like
myself"
TN grant it,
"Gimme a half and don't ask me what
| want to do with it. Don't advise me.
Don't m ralize. DON'T double lead no
temperance lecture on me nor give me
paragraphs of philosophy in italics"
mere your HILL.
BLESS you, old man. How I'd like to
have met you five years ago, when |
could hold two gallons of beer at once.
Now, then, | appeal to your fraterna
sentiment" e
"Well?n
"When ! am dead slip in a line of
stars as atoken of respect for the death OF
n who has stood at the case for thirty
long years. It's the only tombstone nv
grave will have. Win you do it?'
| will"
''Shake! You are old long primer
loaded out! You are reprint copy! You
Justify to IA dot.'
Are you going?n
"Yea. Don't fling any ? ? ? ? after
me. Don't pity me, for it's too late.
The old tramp print has got Slug 30 and
it's no use kicking. So long, old man,
and may you always have u full case and
get tho phattest takes"
And so | drop in the line of stars, as |
promised him, for he is dead. | saw him
no more after he went OFF in the dark
ness, but the other night | happened
into the lodging-house where he
brcathed his last and from which a city
undertaken carried his remains to a
pauper's grave. They told me that he
vas little better han IL skeleton, with
sores and wounds and bruises to prove
how he had been kicked about, and that
in his dying hour there was no one be-
side him. He left no name, no sign
Vito, children, friends-no one will ever
even look upon that mound which hides
his mortal remains. Poor old print
May all his sins have been forgiven!
--