The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-07
DR.. Wix dentist, Broadway and Main
INGENIOUS SEGGARS, TWO.
How Two "Pards' Got "the Price of u
Drink" From n Well-Fed Gent"


He was proceeding along one of the
downtown Manhattan cross streets,
Brooklynward, in that condition of divine
afflatus producible only by the joint ac
ton of those three graces. Good Dinner,
Bottle-of- good ciaret and Good Cigar. The
alter ego of Good Cigar was under way
and was already promising the most
pleasant companionshp for that most in
spring of all strolls about New York, the
passing of the Brooklyn bridge.
On the landing in one of the darkened
stairways his eye caught the outlines of
| two figures. and the second glance show
| ed two men, poorly clad. Each held half
| loaf of bread in one hand, while with the
| other he broke off bits and supplied the
eN er- moving jaws. 1t was a sight famil-
| iar enough to the city bred man, but for
some reason the little scene fingered in
the memory of him of the good dinner
good claret and good cigar. For the next
twenty steps he saw nothing but those
poor devils standing there in the doorway
in their rags eating that loaf of bread.
They We're loafers. probably: thieves. per-
haps. and likely enough they had stolen
| the bread from some bakers cart. He
| recalled that half an hour he had rather
disdained bread But there was the cam
|
the claret and the demi tasse--Hang it all
such people and their distressing poverty
| ought to be kept off the streets.
Just as he reached this conclusion he
| heard steps approaching him rapidly from
behind and glanced over his shoulder.
| The glance showed him that the figure
was one of the two which had been
haunting him. Before he had had time
to decide fully what he would do if he was
requested to hand over his watch and
| his money the figure came alongside and
| a voice said, pleasantly enough:
Good evenin to yer, boss.
| Good evening" surveying the well-knit
figure and wondering what his chances
would be in a rough and tumble fight.
Il think you see me and my pard stand
in in that doorway back there when you
was passin' along, didn't yer?"
Yes; l noticed somebody standing
| there
'And Yer took notice that we was hav-
in our little snack together, didn't yer?
yes | saw you We're eating d loaf Of
bread between you. What of it?''
That's jest it. Wait, I'll tell Yer.
says to my pard when I see you passn
by. I says: Now there goes gent what's
got the price of a drink in his clothe.
fer YOU an me- l says. AN he wont ht
no ways mean about givin' it up, if he:
touched right | says. And pard says. :
guess yer right about that, pard,' h,
says. AN You Jest go an hit i'm, an II
be along presently he says"
This was decidedly something new. ant
our friend removed his cigar and surveyed
"pard" interestedly as he continued:
II want ter have yer meet nard. boss
Say There's the brightest Teller in al
Moo Yawk, there is, But he's a bit lame
is pard. an so I come along ahead. Blu
he's comm nowhere he is
The smaller of the two figures, some
what bent to one side and leaning heavil
on a cane approached and was duly pre-
scented.
Gent, this is parl: pard, gent"
"Pard' touched his battered hat re
spectfully. said Good evenin gent Yer
pleasantly, and then relapsed into 81
lence.
"As l was sayin.' said to pard that 70
was Il gent what had the price of a drinl
didn't I, pard?'
That's about right. gent
An so we concluded to brace yer fe
the price of couple of beers, an'-an'-
guess that's about all there is in it.
''Wen." said the gent. 'y cure an in
genuous pair of beggars, and I don't yer
well see how can refuse you. I suppos
you haven't the change for bill, hay
you?"
whats the figger?'-very gravely.
"A FLYER,
"No-o-o--leastwise not in these close,
with Just the suspicion of smile.
VERY we'll you Just come along wit
me aud III get the bill broken in this caf
on the corner and TX you out
Thanks. gent And the two foliowe
at respectful distance and Camped dow
in front of the saloon while the gent
went in and bought a cigar. When h
came out he handed a quarter to the prr
cipal speaker. with the remark: There
the price of several drinks for you an
; 'parl' for your combined honesty
Thanks gent, thanks. We didn't e>
pect so much: that's straight, did W
pard? An we're much obleeged to ye
amt we, pard."
1--WE are" said ''pard.''
Good eNcnin an good luck ter ye
gent"
Good evenin an good luck gent.
Good evening. boys" And the two di:
appeared through the swinging doors.
Brooklyn Eagle.