The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-29
THE DE MOTT STREET KID.
M. Quad Makes New Acquaintance
on the Bowery.
RID HADN'T JUMPED OFF BROOKLYN


stand on the Bowery, when he lifted up
and then regarded me with a cunning
leer.
whats wrong?' asked.
'Nuthin wrong, Gully, but I'm on to
you bigger'n house. "
''How do you mean?'
"I'm on to yer purfesh. If you hahn It
one O. dem noosepaper galoots, den Til
chaw me hat and stand ON me head"
"Why do you think so?"
''From de trotters, Gully. Easy as
beatin de Third avenue cable cars. See
how dem heels are run over? See how
de toe of dat right shoe is worn of
where you scrapes it under a desk ?
Why, do very way you've got EN- laced
up would give you dead away to blind
man. Cum right down on de ground,
Gully, and own up.
I introduced myself to him, and he
grinned and chuckled and said:
81 don't make a mistake once in 90
times. Well, now I'm called De Mott
Street Kid, and dat's VINO I am. I
haven't jumped off de bridge, same as
Steve Brodie, but IN de kid what's on
hand to save human life every day in de
week. De record has reached 20, but I
hope to boost her ten higher in de next
year. "
''How do you manage to dc tips
asked as he began work on my left shoe.
Jest born il me, Gully. I'm asleep
in me bed when dere's cry of Fire +
In two minits I'm on de street and
maxim fur de confagrashun. If it's a
tenement, I'm up stairs as soon as de
police, and I gathers up de helpless ole
women and inherent kids in my arms
and Gums down by de fire escape. See
dis ticker, cully?'
He pulled out a silver watch worth
about So and handed it up to me for in
spection.
SIS it a souvenir?'' I asked.
f'Fnr shure. Presented to me as a
TESTIMONIAL fur saviu de life of an ole
woman in Elizabeth street last winter.
Dc value hain't much, but as a souve-
neer I'm wearin it next to me heart. See
dose street car tracks out here, wild de
cable boomin along between de boss
cars? I'm a-workin away yere on a
shine when sum ole man or woman or
toddlin kid tries to cross over and gifts
giddy. Dere's yell from some galoot,
and away goes to de rescue and pre-
vents a tragedy. See?'
eyes. I see. You are what is called a
born hero?''
''No mistake on dat, Gully, but I
don't let my head git swelled on ac
count of it. Haven't never cut any Of
me ole chums bekase I'm hero. How g
biz in de noosepaper line?''
every fair. -
"Dats what like to hear. Tell you
what, Gully, if it wasn't fur de moose
papers we'd be way back in de smoke
as people. If I hadn't taken to dis
yere blackin, 1 might hev bin an editor
meself. Ar you swipin up sunthin from
dc east side?'
Eyes, I'm on the lookout. -
cts a great field, Gully, and hun
dred of you couldn't work it bare. Ar
you soft in de heart, ole MANI"
"Wel1, rather
81 could read it by de bulge of yer
feet. Better git over dat, Gully. Dat
was what allied me fur de fust year I
worked dis stand, and I couldn't make
a cent. De tales of woe and distress
cum in yere like snowflakes, but most
of de galoots was beatin me bad. 1 jest
hardened up me heart, and I'm teIlin
you de poor of New York didn't suffer
any more dan before. Don t hand out to
'em, Gully. You kin take my word fur
it dat dere's 20 fakes to one genuine
case"
Whenever I give, I try to have it
fall into worthy hands, - said in reply.
''Dat's de idea, Gully. If you are down
dis way and Teller strikes you fur coin,
jest walk him around to me. I'm dead
L czI i - 4
corner. -
''But don't you get taken in once in
awhile?''
eur shure. OATS to be expected of
a kid in me position who's got so many
things on his mind dat he can't allus
stop to investigate. Did you hear about
how dey put up job on me in Hester
street?''
"No"
Greg lar put up job to get hold Of
me ducats. Fust cum de report dat de
ole man in family on de seventh floor
is dyin of consumpshun and dat Russell
Sage has sent him down check fur
hundred bones to alleviate de situashun.
Next folders de report dat de ole woman
has broke her laig and dat Chauncey
Depew has offered to act as nurse and
put down sugar to de toone of two hun
dred. Den gifts de news dat de four
kids are dyin of newmony and dat
Sage and Depew hev gone back on DER
words and trowed de fam 'ly down. Dat
starts me up, Gully. I close up bizness
and take walk, and when visit de
family and find 'em all in bed and
nuuhin to eat, no coal and no doctor. me
heart purceeds to expand.
'And you alleviated their distress?''
said.
''Say, Gully, takes out me check
book and fills in a check fur cool five
hundred and hands it over, and wishes
1 could make it thousand. 1 goes mo
way, but IN half an hour me suspishuns