The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-10
Short Stories
 from Real Life.
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 Money was extorted from several rep utable citizens of Montgomery on Church Street yesterday afternoon by other equally reputable citizens of Montgom- cry.
 A human tollgate was constructed across a sidewalk and for more ithan an hour each passerby was compelled to give up a nicked before he could proceed on his pedestrian journey. Half dozen ur-. chins ranging in years from to formed a rope which extended across the side- walk and upon each person who ap- preached the demand was made:
 ''Give us nickel before you can pass"
 Christmas sheekels poured into their ht- tie coffer. which was represented by small yelIow-haired boy, the smallest in the crowd. He asted as treasurer and be- fore an end abrutly came to the game the young highwayman had a respectable sum of money in the pockets of his little trousers.
 Soon after the scheme had ben put into operation fat man came into sight bear ing many bundles. He approached the band of bandits and shied off to one side of the walk. The human tollgate shied at the same time.
 Give us a nickel before you can pass," cried the leader of the highwaymen.
 Why, dad bite your little skins" mutt tered the fat man, you are robbers, rob- bers, confound you"
 With this he dug into his pockets, let ting a bundle fall to the ground, and pro- duced 5-cent piece.
 One of the boys restored the bundle and the fat man went merrily on his way.
 Give us a nickel before you can pass" again demanded the leader.
 This time it was sweet-faced woman of affiuent appearance.
 You bad, bad boys she said. "Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?"'
 Give us a nickel before you can pass," parrot-iike repeated the leader and the nickel was forthcoming.
 pretty young woman went that way. She was in a hurry and she paid no heed to the demand. She was jerked al- most to the ground and discovered that the demand for money was imperative.
 Yer like ter have got away didn't yer? Give us a nickel" grinned a chubby faced cherup. Give us a nickel'
 T have no nickel,' declared the young woman angrily.
 'Then yer can't pass here. Maybe yer might go back and go round ther cor ner."
 A stylish pocketbook was produced and a shining nickel was laid into the dirty hand of the treasurer" as the young woman vowed she would never go that way again.
 The tax was levied upon numerous pe- destrians and the keepers of the tollgate were laughing in glee over the success of their scheme when a hard faced maid- en who had seen many years of the world trudged along.
 Give us a nickel before you can pass," cried thin voice.
 Give you what?' asked the ancient maiden sternly. "Fll give you this and this and this" she shrieked, bringing down heavy handled umbrella upon the head of the nearest boy and repeating the performance with each word.
 "I'll teach you how to rob the public, you little wretches."
 She grabbed the poor little treasurer of the tollgate. took him across her knee and swatted him three or four swats while the other boys rushed for cover.
 If the tollgate is operating today close watch will be made for hard-faced maid ems carrying umbrellas under their arms.
 An example of the humor that floats about a newspaper shop may be cited in an incident that occurred in a compos- ing room yesterday.
 An English-looking gentleman walked into the room, having wandered thither by reason of finding no one at home in the front offices.
 'I would like to look over the Noyem- Der files of the paper please,' he ex- plained to one of the printers whom he found on duty amongst the typesetting machines.
 "The November files?' queried the printer. seeing a chance for joke. we ain't got but one kind and they are lock- ed up. The machinist has gone to din ner'
 ''Oh. ah" exclaimed the Englishman. "He has, has he?''
 Then he cast a good, hard look at the face of the printer, who kept his counted nance as straight as a graven image. E
 "Machinist has got the files. has ahBT again calculated the Englishman. WdI. I'll be drummed!' sss
 And he bolted from the room. The pfibt-, or tried tn nverta ka him with .fha En.