Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-10
AFTER MIKE.
Ccrny Loses His Tobacco and Wants Re
dress.

Ccrny Loses His Tobacco and Wants Re
dress.
"J,em me t'roo de railin. / wanter talk
wild de Judge"
A small sized boy of eleven years, with
scant outfit of clothes and liberal allow
ance of freckles, stood impatiently pulling
at the gate that separates the public seats
from the business part of Jefferson Market
court The most noticeable thing about
him was a large bald spot on the top of his
head, which appeared particularly white
in contrast with the autumnal coloring Of
the bushy hair surrounding it. Officer
Connolly opened the gate, and the boy
walked up to Justice White.
Eyer honor" said he, II wanter git a
warrant for One Legged Mike"
"What has One Legged Mike done to
your" asked Justice White, smiling.
"He swiped me chaw."
"Did what?n inquired the justice, with
a surprised look.
"Swiped me chaw. Lifted me feed Are
you on?"
"Oh, you mean that he stole your lunch,
suppose"
Not on your life, judge. 'Twuznt no
grub. 'Twuz me chawin mixtcher seer
Me an Mike wuz pals, but we amt pals no
more. Any kid wot snatches me bald
headed when Pm sleepin amt no pal O.
mine. Dat's sure winner too"
Eyer see, judge, yesterday found a big
plug O. good chawin. 1t was kinder strong
alone, so l buyed two sticks O. gum an
chawed her altogether. Say, judge, did
yer ever mix terbacker'n gum? Well, she
beats seven of kind, an that's straight
tip. | was sittin down by the dock at
Clarkson street, where me an Mike does
most of our breathin, chawin away ter
beat the band. Mike, he comes UP hustlin
along on his one crutchy an sez he:
'Wotcher chawin?'
"'Dat's my biz,' sez /.
"'Gimme chanst to find out, sez he.
81 amt got no knife to cut it, sez l, an
I spit out an plugged a spider crawlin
along de groun.
"'Corny' sez Mike. Il kin beat dat shot
"'Not wild no ammynishun off'n dis
chaw yer can't sez l.
"'I'll git dat chaw yet,' sez he, shakin
his crutchy, an he went OIL mad an set
down ter watch some of desc here plumber
fellers wot wuz mendin somethin down
by de Cunard line pier.
"1 got sleepy, an crawled under pile
o. boards an closed me peeps. But first
chucked me chawin mixtcher in me back
hair fer safe keepin. Mex t'ingI knowed
one O dem plumber fellers had me by der
neck shakin me till cud feel me finger
nails comm loose.
'Pll learn yer ter swipe my tin shears
sez he, an he gim me biff in de jaw dat
knocked me face one sided. Wen l got
up felt kinder cold on me head. put
me hand up dere, an say, judge, 1 hope
ter die in a sOor pipe if de top O. my nut
wuzn't bald as de inside O. yer hand.
come purity near fallin down, was so parry
lized. Sez to meself, Dat plumber fell
Ter muster shuk you,' sez l. ter take der
hair often yer head like dat, Corny Nc
Ginn'
Den looked out on de dock, an see
One Legged Mike sittin dere workin his
mug like de walkin beam on a ferTyboat
and spittin out red hair at every chaw.
Say, judge, dyer catch on ter what dat
mug dona? He swiped dem plumber fell
lers' shears, an cut dat chaw off, Dere he
sat, chawin up my gum an my terbacker
and my back hair. N den got licked fer
swipin de shears.
''As quick as got dat idee inter me
t'inkin box wuz mad for keeps. wuz
sure. made jump for Mike, but he iUsU
dropped often de dock an swum OF. Dey
amt no use, judge, tryin to catch a one
legged feller in de water, and dat's safe
bet. Dey is tw:ce5 as strong in one leg as
anoder felier is in two, an dey can swim
like a tommycod. Wen it comes ter
swimmin, Mike was a sure winner, an /
knowed it. So / staid on de dock an l
sez, Come out here an I'll spoil yer COM
pleckshun,' sez |.
Mike lifted his crutchy outer der water
an he seq:
"'Yer baldheaded bedbug' Tink of his
given me dat, Judge, after him cuttin me
hair hisself. Wuznt dat a frost?
Say, but dat made me tired. went up
ter de Charles street station ter see de sar-
Seant, an sez, Sarge, want yer ter send a
copper ter pull in One Legged Mike fer
swipen me chaw.'
"Wot dyer t'ink de sargeant sez, Judge?
He sez: Say, young feller, yer talkin too
fast. Now run away an play Dat's de
steer he Civ me, judge. OATS straight
too-sure. L couldn't take no such CUFF
IS dat, so l come here to get the warrant"
''Let ne see," said Justice White when
Corny had finished his statement. II
think 1 remember seeing you here before
You said your name was McGinn, didn't
you?"
'Oh, no, yer honor, dat was my brudder
wat wuz here before. l amt never''-
yet that boy that was up before me for
stealing apples from stand on West street
a few weeks ago looked very much like
you. Just wait until have the records
looked into'
But Corny, who had been uncasily NOV
ing toward the side door, at this point
made dash through it, leaving One Legged
Mixes warrant to be procured at some
other time.-New York Sun.