Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-07-14
BORROWING BORES.

BORROWING BORES.
Persons Who Touch" You in Many
Ways.
'oToucher-One who borrows 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 t.
$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,
don't yer know, just short for a
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
travels in his true colors, but the false
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 moment
when your face is Illuminated with a
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 / must at
tend the funeral, I played the bank
last night thinking 1 could make a
few hundred and / went clean broke
Let me have a couple of hundred just
for a week. If he gets it, he goes
where? ITO the funeral? No, not on
play some favorite tips, or seeks some
hoste1ry 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 few moments; want to catch this
next race" etc. He looses. Your
money is gone. You get experience,
Understanding 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. I 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 a 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 do not wish to libel
| her I 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.