Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-03-23
A SAD PICKPOCKET.
"HooT" DoNEeAN's STORY OF HIS
 MOST RECENT REFLECTION.

Chances at 8 Free Lunch Counter-No
 Prosperity For Him Now.
 The pickpocket stood on the corner looking very disconsolate. His coat col lar was turned up, his hands were thrust down into his pockets, and his hat was tilted forward until the rim was almost level with his eyes. Silverstein, the puller in at the clothing store two doors from the corner, having held up in vain two sailors and one armed soldier, left his post to inquire the cause of the pick pockets woe.
 Whats the matter, Hoet?" he asked.
 Donegan, the piekpocket, known on the row as Hoot, glanced up at Silver stein, grunted out an oath, and then letting his head fall on his breast again relapsed into silence.
 "What is it, Hoot?''
 Silyerstein was growing curious. He had done light fingered work for time himself and knew something of the changing conditions of a mans life when he made himself an offensive en- emy of society.
 See that, Jew?" said the pickpocket, hauling searfpin from his vest pocket.
 It was short gold pin, topped with huge pearl of that rare virgin pink. It seemed to be valuable bit, and Sil- verstein's 8 eyes glistened as he looked at 1t.
 'fTake it to Cooney, ? he said in 6 whisper He's safe. ,
 The pickpocket laughed in hollow fashion "Too safe, :" he said. Then he strengthened up, threw his hat back on his head and said;
 "Silverstein, in these days Q man like me ain't got no license to live. Whats the skill of my hand, that can take most anything from a screw stud to a scarf pin from a man without his knowing it. against the brain of Q man that can make them things?"
 Are you nutty, Hoot?" inquired the puller in, edging away
 ''No, Jew, no; but listen to me. You know the hotels are my graft and this region down here my market. Well, was out spotting today, and finally along comes q feller that I sized up fer my meat. He was q dressy# guy, with all color ribbons on his hat and them spready soles on his shoes. He had big pink neelltie on, and in it this here pin was stuck From the size of Lis chain, I said to myself that the punlIin on the end of it must be bird, but when 1 see that pink pearl I decided to let the watch 90 and make for that
 Well, he was q nervous euss, and T couldn t get Q chance at him fer long time. followed him up Broadway and laid for him outside 8 restaurant while he took lunch. Then he met lady, and they took moro lunch together. When he came out, the two took a hanson. and I hear him say to the driver, Around the park. We'll, I follow the hanson to the park, and, seeing which entrance it goes in, lay around the cir ele for it to como out again. Two hours l waited there, Jew, and then I sec the hanson and runs off two pounds a-fol- lowing it down town. My man, he leaves the lady at house, then drives to the corner of Broadway and starts walking down slowly. Now, says l to myself. I've got him. But didn't get him. He meets a friend, and they go and play billiards fer two moro hours. Well, 1 was busting, I was so mad, but 1 made up my mind to stick. see dozen juicy chances go by, but I couIdn' leave that pink pearl. My eyes watered at think ing of it and my fingers itehed for 1t. By and by my man comes out, and he and his friend go in saloon, one of them places where you stand up at 8 sideboard I followed and just as my man lifts a glass up to drink 1 push against his friend. The friend pushes against him, and he turns around. I was waiting, of course, and next min ute the pearl was mine. It was long chance Jew, but yon know feller'll take them once in awhile, When the guy turns around, l was chewing sand wieh from the counter and baWling to the waiter for check.
 "Well, the guy misses the pin. Damn mo if know what put him on. You know don't mess @ job like that, Jew. My heart was a-going hard, Jew but I almost falls over when I see him put his hand up to the tie, feel around and then. snstead of hollering murder, police, T7teh and a dozen other things, just grin and say to his friend, Some suckers got 3 gold brick
 There was me with the pin in me palm all ready to drop it in the salad on the counter. When he don't make hol- Ter, though, 1 snakes her back in my pocket and in two minutes am on the way down to Cooney,
 ''I saw easy times and no chances fer 8 couple of weeks on the strength of that pearl, Jew, and when I tossed it over to