The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-01-18

| and Barnie's hat was well lined with cop
per.
The collection finished, he took a seat near
\ the scribeS.
II amt rpuch on the melojour howl" he
said. with a significant grin. but / can toss
off a glass o. somethin' hot. I guess you
fellows is Yanks. amt you?"
He was told that he had guessed right.
Thought so. What'H you take?-on mel
| Can't give you sham. but I'm good for any
You're a Yank yourself, Amt you?" one
Of the scribes queried when the drinks had
! been brought.
! well, that's as may be-"
Name Carr. isn't it,"
The little vagrant gave both scribes q
searching look.
who are you blokes? D. I know your
One OF the scribes reminded him 4 previ-
Gus meetings In the States.
We'll. I'll be hanged! Say, come down to
my hang-out. win you? You've paid for this
stun: I'll get some booze an a candle. an
We'll chew the rag. There's a lot want
to know about old times"
We left the free and easy and Barnie
led the way toward the docks.
He insisted on purchasing some beer and
a candle in a shop In the last street before
turning into a maze of murky alleyways,
and then guided US to a great barrel or
hcgshead. hidden away among broken boxes.
discarded ship timbers and assorted debris.
""Tain't no parlor car, pals" he explained,
lighting the candle and setting 1t in a tin
socket in the barrel. but it fits me. an
that's all I want. Will you sit outside or
come in? Can't all get in, that's sure
The air was stagnant and warm to the
touch. and even in the open the lungs
labored. We sat on some pianks outside.
1t was some time before BARNES talk
turned naturally upon himself; he kept ask
ing about this pal and that pal, how things
were coming up over home.' who were
still holding cut in the "perfesh.' who had
gone under. which "coppers'' were in power,
which "stirs' were easy or hard, what good
touches had been made lately. VINO were
settled" and who free. and about various
other things connected with the life on
which his Imagination still dwelt with a GER
tain pride. At last, however, when the
scribes had nswered his queries as best
they could. he said suddenly:
II spose you want to hear my rag-chewer
nowT'
The scribes smiled and nodded. The little
mans shoulders twitched. he took a fresh
piece of "snipe' from his pocket. bowed MS
head for a moment as IL ashameo' iooheu w
again, and began:
ITS none too nice to tell; nut you oiokes
has known me when was top OF the heap
and you will understand.
"Course / could "a croaked myself. an
the whole thing 'ud "a ben off. but the
fact is / didn't have even nerve enough FOR
that. That last stretcher on the coast
dreamed me out. They used me hard. that's
where it is. an I didn't make any good
time either. / basted a guard for calm
: me a liar. an the warden didn't remember
to forgit it.. They tucked me away in the
dungeon ten times just fer luck like. 1
had a few thousand when they turned me
loose, but 1 spent 'em travelin'.
81 thought I'd brace up, p'raps. 4 I got
a change, SC 1 came over here. an for
a while I drifted all over the shop. If my
dough 'ud "a held out I'd be on the nooch
yet, 1 guess. I only had f2O when 1 got
back to London. but my nerve was no
pood an 1 tried for q job on the level, but
,twasn't no use. A bloke that's used up
svipin' amt UP to no kind O. work, good
,ro,rsa 7 could a., --,o a. 49,