The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-02-23
OLD FRIENDS MEET.
They Were Delighted to See Each
Other But Foollxhly Drought
Up Old Times.

middle-ayed man was strolling down
Iwelft street the other afternoon,
when another man, of about the same
description, approached him from the
other direction. The aforementioned
man glanced casually at the other az
they neared each other, says the
Washington Star. Then he looked
again, while an expression of surprise
and wonderment stole over his face.
When they were just about to pass
each other he gazed searchingly at
the other mans face, and then he
broke out with:
well, if that scar under your left
eye amt on the face of 'Tubby' Rick
etts, Ill eat my hat, that's ALL"
The other man came to sudden
halt, and gazed wonderingly at the
face of the man who had addressed
him. Then an expression of recogni-
ton swept his features.
And" lie exclaimed, "if that
changed voice of yours isn't the voice
of Butch Williams, I'll be dog
goned!"
"'Tubby!'"
"'Butch.'"
And the two boyhood friends were
saving at each others arms as if
they were pump handles.
'Well, durn my hide" said the one
who had been recognized as Butch"
when they had repaired to damp
emporium to renew their youths over
high one or so, II haven't seen you
since--lcmme sec-I think it was
somewhere about the latter sixties.
How long you been in Washington,
anyhow? I've been here for 20 years
and more"
ooh, Pm just en- here visiting my
daughter during the holidays" re-
piled Chubby" "Yes, sir; think it
was about 81 that I last clapped an
eye on you, Butch So you knew me
by this little scar under my left eye.
hey? Pretty good memory you've got
for an old man. But how about my
knowing you, and you've got no scars,
either? I'D know you four miles Off
in fog, Say. dye member how I
got this SCARF"
"Well, you can just bet your life
remember how YOU got it," replied
"Rutch," oirhand. "We were all
swimming in the crick together, and
you dove and struck IL snag-remem-
Der il Just rs we'll as if ii were yes
Irrday YOU were in big luck you
didn't lose The eye"
"'rhat's right" said Clutch" well,
who the dickens nd have thought I'd
ever stack up against you here? Got
any famiy""
"hush. man, I've got married chill.
drcn. II"w about you"!" replied
Clutch"
"Why, I've been an old sinner of u
granddad for years past" said Cub
by" p"knm the other in The ribs,
and then they had another and sew
rral more.
"Wrll, Welt" said "lsu'cl,," after
they had been exchanging relnin-
isccnrrs an! having another for half
IN hour or 50. Its sure good for sore
eyes 4" have Il look at you again,
'Tubhy.' Member that last scrap we
timr we were out getting wal
nuts" certainly did hruisr YOU up
Who'll" heap hat time. ch, 'rubby?'"
"Whn, me-" said "'rnbby," his face
growing serious. 81 don't remember
i: that way at all, Butch My rccol-
lection is that put il I'LL over you
hat time. Don't You member that
YOU went home blubbcrn' with a
bInndy nose. and"
"No, don't remember anything of
the Sort interrupted "Butch."
"You'rc way off on that. | distinctly
remember that | lnmbustcd you until
you yelled that you'd had enough,
and
'"say," said "rubby," getting up
from the table, 81 don't like to have
you say hat when you know that it's
not so. You know dnrned well that
the only time you ever whipped me
was That timr down to the hollow,
when you had your whole gang along
with you, and"
lilo, listen to the mani" exclaimed
"Butch." sarcastcaily, also rising
from the table "Wcll, if you don't
beat the dickens! Why, there never
was time when couldn't wnllop
you until y"m didn't know north from
south or winter from summer, and"
Could, hcy"' put in "fubby," Wis
iIJIy angry. '"N , you Always tlu pie
it on pretty thick in your statements,
but If you think I'm going TO let you
stand there and drivcl that way. like
Il man in his second childhood, you're
Off your base, and"
"Who's driveling? Who's in his
second childhood?" wrathfully In
quired "Butch," shaking his finger
under "lubby's nose. "If it wasn't
that always knew you were slightly
Off your balance, I'd have word or
two to say to you that'd--"
"Say it, that's ALI"
ooh, run along home to your back
woods. You make me ache"
And then the pair of boyhood
friends stood and jawed at each other
for 20 minutes, and finally backed out
of different doors.
Even sentiment cannot triumph
over mans recollection of his
furnishings at the hands of another
| boy.
Gentle Art of Rejecting.