Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-07-13
BORROWING BORES.
Persons Who Touch You in Many
Ways.

''IOucler-One VINO DOffOWS money,
cigars, cigarettes, umbrellas, diamonds,
rings, watches, horses, fishing tackle,
ETC., without the honest intention of re-
turning the same
This is not Webster's definition, but
the Chicago Blades. But the old man
does not live in the age of slang and
would hardly understand some of the
fly, fierce expressions OF
THE BOwery, where the say such
things
And do such things on the Bowery."
The world is full of touchers, who
touch all the way from a cigarette II
| $1,OOO,OOO. There is no limit in the
game. There are all kinds of tOuchers
with all kinds Of methods, and they
have made life so unpleasant for some
people that they are obliged to under
cover and protection most all the time
TOuchology is a science and an ar
combined. 1t requires elegance, tact,
bluff, energy and great activity Of
mind.
| There's the quicker TOUGHER, who
takes you by storm: My dear fellow,
/
hundred or so; must have it quick
Very Important; you'll save my life.
Thanks, old man; will return tomorrow,
sure" He's gone and he never comes
back, except for more. These fellows
are worse than highway robbers, who
hold you up in some dark nook. You
know the robber means to do you and
! n h11t
fellow comes to you under the mask
of friendship and you give up to oblige
! him.
The slow TOUGHER is different He
weighs you UP, waits for a moment
when your face is Illuminated with d
genial smile, and then says: Tom, it's
seldom I'm forced tO-but this time
am pressed for board, my tailor won't
stand me off any longer, my grand
mother has just died and l must at
tend the funeral, I played the bank
last night thinking l could make a
few hundred and I went clean broke
! Let me have a couple of hundred just
for Il week" If he gets it, he goes
where?-to the funeral? No, not on
your tin-type. He goes to the races to
play some favorite tips, or seeks some
hostelry where he drinks a small bot
tie and fills himself with the choicest
of good things, never thinking Of to-
morrow, for perhaps he has a few
more on his staff very touchable.
Some of us have been on the race
track. That's the spot for the touch
ers. Let me have $50 will hand it back
in a few moments; want to catch this
next race etc. He loOSes. Your
money is gone. You get experience,
Notwithstanding we all have to pay
dearly for.
Perhaps the pugilistic circle is not a
fine field for touchology. May be the
fighters are not well up on the toucher's
art Ask some of the wealthy follow
ers of the ring how much they have
loaned or rather given away to the
scrappers Most men have a soft spot
in some way, and scrappers are the
weak points very often. | know hard,
cold men who would not give a bum
10 cents to keep him from starving who
willingly give up hundreds to a fighter.
All, there's the girls! They touch so
gently and artistically. They dearly
love a pair of diamond earrings a box
of gloves,a horse and dog cart, or even
a new dress. There's a New York So
ciety girl whose presents from admir-
ing gentlemen amount to almost ST.
100000. She has tact and knows Just
how to size up her game. Four karat
earrings from one, rings upon rings
from others, horses, carriages, dogs,
paintings, silver, pianos, shares Of
stock, houses and lots, wines, silks,
yachts and stock farm, all have come
! to her by the art of touchology. This
seems like fairy tale but it's so all
the same, and as 1 do not wish to libel
her [ cannot mention her name.
Soon We'll have to form an anti
touching association for our protection.
These smart people will win way all
our goods and chattels and We'll be
left far out in the cold and be obliged
to become touchers ourselves.