The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-15
vIrRIOL ANNIE'S LUCK.
A Bowery Reputation Made BY . Blue vial
and Ruined BY a Red BOTTLE.

The Bowery called her Vitriol Annie. She
said she vas n real lady: but she probably
wasn't. Nobody cared to dispute the asser-
ton. however. Such was her reputation that
any statement which she might choose 10
make was treated with respect. II was known
in all the choice resorts OF the Bowery that
Annie always carried in her pocket a small
dark blue vial. Hence her soubrquet. Of which
she was extremely proud. When things were
coming her way. that IL to say. when drinks
were plenty at some one else's expense. Annie
would indulge in "reminiscences. fondling the
small dark blue vial the while. These memories
Of happy bygone times usually dealt with
the extremely distressing chemical combina-
ton Of the contents OF the vial and some per-
son or persons. vigorously described. who
had incurred Annie's ~disapproval. They COM
monty ended up with the observation:
And the next day but one they took her to
the Blind Asylum"
On the strength Of her autobiography abe
soon became one Of the show figures OF the
Bowery. She was exhibited to summers as
tho official terror Of the thorouGhfare and
more tales than she could have invented In
q solid year we're added to her record by the
kindness Of public rumor. II was said that
the police did not dare to arrest her and that
BIO COulu NJ VII tllllC. Arh Vut " tOuRuc coz
resort In the city by simply walking In and as
serting thar she was q lady and would he thank
ful to have somebody pointed out to her that
sons bought drinks for her on the strength Of her
record and were proud OF the condescension
with which she accepted their treats. 1t was
riol Annie led the ideal life.
Now Annie's LUCY lay in her little dark blue
iul lamp. As long as she kept her hand on
that all went well Will her. But there came
a night when she driited INTO one Of the Bowery
concert halls which has q particularly brilliant
a Friend OF her childhood. Naturally he was
highly pleased TO see her and TO observe the
RRs sid IN ,S Se eonssrs sal Rr0RH, III aaEsa w hsT what sss
squawkv Vile, and she said she would drink
T Z quart xa BOTTLE dnIy OF A Mhiskey D and eat v the cork abs
didn't mean il. in. respect 10 the cork. The
Friend OF her Childhood didn't believe that
Annie made the mistake Of a long and sue
cessful career in forsaking the small dark blue
about the former and in half an hour was ieii.
ing the Friend Of her Childhood that her father
would undoubtedly have gone 70 Congress
from the SQuawkv vile district II the county
jail hadn't got him first. Then she wanted
This is where the Friend cut in and ruined
trated melancholy from six alleged whiskey
sonrs and had all the troubles he could bear. In
fact he was weeping on the table when Annie
those painful-memories ditties, The Friend ri
her Childhood hastily lifted his face from the
pool Of tears on the table and said:
SLOW up, there. what's that"
Thar said Annie with great dignity. "
That" said Annie with great dignity. That's
a thing one Of the girls In our boarding house
wrote. lisa popular song.
Not with me L amt "retorted the friend en-
What's the matter with it'"demanded Annie,
adanRer light showing In her eve.
What's the matter. with you9" replied the
Friend. You got a voice like q slate pencil"
From all sides then began, a mighty. exodus,
the place would be full Of iiesh-searing drugs
in three seconds, Childhood's Friend didn't
Join; He didn't know anything about the
the story Of her life, but hada't got that far yet.
As for her, the red bottle had supplantad the
blue vial In her mind. She lifted that large and
the head Of her friend. II was perhaps a breach
Of etiquette. but the extreme PROPAGATION must
he taken into account: ~ was also a breach Of
for the police. When the police came Annie
was dancing a war dance around and occasion
ally upon her PROSTATE victim; but she hadn't
vanced in force and took her. As soon az she
got TO the night air her senses came back TO her.
She made a determined Effort TO get TO the pocke:
there first and extracted the article,
Valuable evidence" said the sergeant at the
police station n%pprovinsly. f9r he knew Annie's
tiers and have IL analyzed."
Annie turned very white and made a side offer
of five to the policeman II he would be careless
enough TO let II drop and smash. lie naturally
ascribed her alarm to. the fear Of legal conse-
guences OF carrying vitroil. That Is where he
fell far short Of the soul p~ertlrrbstions that were
rackin9 Annie, She was trembling for her
reputation. When they. arraiRned her In the
police. court on tho following afternoon she
feared the, worst. The policeman was there
carrying the vial
What did the analysis show?" demanded the
Magistrate turning a ROWING brow upon Annie.
The policeman produced a paper and rend,
The contents ~ this vial are shown by an
alysis to consist Of four parts Of sallatannlc ink
10 enc Of Croton water" =
What does this mean?" asked the Magistrate
Of Annie.
Send me up for twenty years, Judge, " sobbed
vitroil Annie. Me bluf Ia called I've lost
me reputation can never 20 back to the
Bowery. Make IL the longest there Is, Judge.
dear"
Six months was aprortioned to Annie. There
will be high times on the Bowery II she ever
uIptrr har fona tlara aftar aha nata n,tf