Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-10-12
A TRAMP AMONG SMELLS.
How John Cuilins Sat Down to a
Very Hlgh-toned Luncheon.

But the Gentlemen Did Not Like Hi
Company and He Had to Get OUT MIR
Williams Practical Joke.
Now York sun October 9TH.
The object OF the Hide and Leather
Club, whose house is at SO Gold street
is to furnish luncheon or dinner Il
members from noon to O'Clock 1t
the afternoon on every business day
and TO promote social intercourse. 1t
membership Is limited to 100, and it il
one OF the most exclusive clubs Of the
city. Some of the wealthiest leather
merchants in the swamp are members Of
the club, and they are all as well versed
in the niceties of dress and as well
skilled in the selection and discussion oi
bottles and birds as they are trained in
the tricks of the leather trade, all of
which may help to explain just why the
| little practical joke which Mr.. q. ID.
Williams of wholesale leather firm at
Al Spruce street played on the club on
last Friday kicked up such lively little
row.
Any member of the Hide and Leather
Club is privileged as we'll to send a
friend to the club for lunch as TO take
him there. This is accomplished by
means OF a small card, not unlike, in
appearance, d restaurant meal ticket,
which the member gives to the friend
he wishes to be entertained at the club.
The card admits the holder to the club
and provides his luncheon at the ex-
pense of the member who signed 1t. II
happened on Friday that Mr.. Norman
|. Rees, member of the club, gave to
his friend, Mr.. g: d. Williams, who is
not member, one of those cards of ad.
mittance, surprising that Mr.. Williams
would use it himself at the club. 1t
happened also that something prevented
Mi. Williams from doing so. After that
1t happened that John Cullins, one of
the most disreputable-lookin tramps
Park row can scare up, begged Mr.. Will
liams for few cents TO get somethin'
to eat with" Then a very bad thing
happened. Mr.. Williams said:
Il wont give You any money, but l
will give you meal ticket"
And with that the leather merchant
handed over to the tramp the ticket his
friend had given him to the exclusive
Hide and Leather Club.
Then the worst thing of all happened.
The tramp used the ticket.
While all this was happening a party
made up of members of this exclusive
club were seated around table in the
private dining room on the third floor
enjoying one of the best meals the
steward could provide. While they
were sitting there Mr.. Edward r. Ladew
OF the well-known Spruce street firm
OF Fayerweather q Ladew, dropped in
for luncheon. He is one of the best pa.
irons of the club and is known in sew
eral uptown clubs as one of the best
dressed men in town. He took seat
and carefully adjusted his light checked
trousers at the knee so as not to dull the
edges OF their knlfe-like crease The |
walters hustled about to serve one of the |
finest luncheons the house could afford, |
just as Mr.. Ladew was settling him. |
self for the discussion of his luncheon
John Cullins, tramp, presented at the
door the card of Mr.. Rees, which Mr..
Williams had given him, and was ad.
United. He went up stairs to the dining
room and planted himself in a chair
right next to Mr.. Ladew His trousers
were greasy and ragged, his shirt, made
OF bed-ticlSing, was ragged and dirty.
his old torn jumper was as grimy as his |
face and his hands, his dingy-brown-
once-black hat was as dlapidated as his
shoes, and he was smoking a short.
stemmed, powerful corn.cob pipe, whose
ldor was as penetrating as John Cullins
himself. Great Scott what a sensation
he produced. He was as cool as the
bottle served with Mr.. Ladew's lunch.
You fellows needn't be putting on
airs" he said to the amazed club mem.
oers. 'Pm as good blood as any of Won
md l have ticket, SO l just think III
lunch here with you. lisa pretty fair
place you have"
Cullins had the advantage of the club
men. The smoke from his powerful
pipe set them all to coughing, so that II
was several moments before thew recov.
,red sufficiently to make row. Before
my OF them caught his breath Cullins
aid:
you don't seem to like my pipo.
iere, waiter, fetch me one Of those
,igars. ] suppose some of you will nav
or it, seeing you don't like my pine"
by this time Mr.. Ladew had recoy-
red from his establishment and Cullins'
moke.
"Chuck that man out of here" he
allied to waiter. Sire him out,
quick p wv
"Be quiet now. can't your" said Cul.
ms. You're nice looking man.
ou'll not be enVying poor fellow a
lite to eat ?"
Mr. Ladew was in towering race.
lie ordered the walters to put the tram
nut, but the walters didn't seem to fancy
lie looks of the tramp's brawny fist.
ne steward heard the racket. and
own he came from the kitchen above
see what was the matter. He almost
alhtcu when he opened the door. and
ne club men were standing about
and calling on the walters
D put out the tramp, while Cullins was
lttlng quietly in his seat, putting away
! his short pipe, enjoying the perform.
nee very much,
The steward is a big, black haired
nan with long, flowing trim side wins.
ers that almost covered his chest. He
ad respect for the tramp's hard fist
M hesltated about yenturing too near.
'ullihs saw this and tried 10 coax him
p close.
Come, get out of this" said the
teward.
"Now, would you hurt a poor fellow
Ike me! said Cullins. II haven't done
gu any harm, and here is my card to
his club" '
The steward ventured little nearer.
nd Culiins, thinking he was in reach.
lg distance, shot out his right at the
leward's nose with a velocity that
iould have doored him had he not
edged the blow.
by threats to arrest, Cullins was
naily induced to leave the club, The |
.eWard tlea 10 both coax and bride