The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-11-08
A SAD PICKPOCKET.
MOOT" DoNEGANs STORY OF HIS
MOST RECENT AFFECTION.

Day In Pursuit of Bogus Pearl-Long
Chances at 3 Free Lunch Counter-No
Prosperity For Him Now.
The piokpocket 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, Hoot?'' he asked.
Donegan, the pickpocket, 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?'
Silverstein was growing curious. He
had done light fingered work for a time
himself and knew something Of the
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when he made himself an offensive en-
envy of society.
''See that, Jew?' said the pickpooket,
hauling scarfpin from his vest pocket.
1t was short gold pin, topped with
huge pearl Of that rare virgin pink.
1t seemed to be a valuable bit, and Sill
verstein's eyes glistened as he looked at
it.
"Take it to Cooney," he said in a
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 man like
me amt got no license to live. what's
the skill of my hand, that can take most
anything from screw stud to scarf
pin from a man without his knowing it,
against the brain Of 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, I
was out spotting today, and finally
along comes Teller that sized up fer
my meat He was dressy guy, with
all color ribbons on his hat and them
spready soles on his shoes. He had big
pink necktie on, and in it this here pin
was stuck. From the size of his chain,
I said to myself that the punkin on the
end of it must be bird, but when see
that pink pearl / decided to let the
watch go and make for that.
"Well, he was nervous ouss, and
couldn't get chance at him fer long
time. followed him up Broadway and
laid for him outside restaurant while
he took lunch Then he met lady, and
they took more lunch together. When
he came out, the two took hanson;
and I hear him say to the driver,
Around the park. Well, follow the
hanson to the park, and, seeing which
entrance 1t goes in, lay around the cir
Gle for it to come out again. Two hours
/ waited there, Jew, and then see 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 1 to myself,
I've got him. But didn't get him.
He meets friend, and they go and play
billiards fer two more hours. Well, I
was busting, was SO mad, but I made
up my mind to stick. see dozen juicy
chances go by, but couldn't leave that
pink pearl. My eyes watered at think
ing of it and my fingers itohed for It.
By and by my man comes out, and he
and his friend go in a saloon, one Of
them places where you stand up at a
sideboard. l followed and just as
my man lifts glass up to drink I
push against his friend. The friend
pushes against him, and he turns around.
] was waiting, Of course, and next min
ute the pearl was mine. It was long
chance, Jew, but you know feller'll
take them once in awhile. When the
guy turns around, was chewing sand
witch from the counter and bawling to
the waiter for check.
"Well, the guy misses the pin. Damn
me if know what put him on. You
know I don't mess a job like that, Jew.
My heart was a-going hard, Jew, but I
almost falls over when see him put his
hand up to the tie, feel around and then,
instead Of hollering murder, police,
watch and dozen other things, just grin
and say to his friend, Some suckers got
q gold brick.
'There was me with the pin in me
palm all ready to drop 1t in the salad on
the counter. When he don't make hol-
Ter, though, snakes her back in my
pocket and in two minutes am on the
way down to Cooney.
1T saw easy times and no chances fer
a couple of weeks on the strength of that
pearl, Jew, and when tossed it over to
Cooney said, Give me $3.50, a quarter
value Cooney whistles at the pin and
picks it up. Then he begin to look
queer. Finally he dips the pearl In a
glass of water and, picking up knife,
s'help me, goes peeling off that pink
I color. 'Cooney,' yell, what are you
doing? Fish glue, says Cooney. And
he throws the pin back.
"Well, it was one of them fish glue
pearls. You've seen 'em-just bit Of
glass painted over with fish glue, just
ringers for the real thing, but worth
about 80 cents walks out of Cooney's
in trance. / comes over here, and I
amt moved fer an hour. Think Of it,
Jew, think of it, all day and a long
chance fer that thing Take it and give
it to yer gal the next time you go up to
Jones' woods. S'help me, if ever find
that guy I touched fer that I'll pick a
fight with him and lick him. Goodby.
I'm going home and get some rest. Chas-
ing hansoms is hard work. And the
pickpocket strolled down side street
the picture of melancholy. New York
San.