The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-04
tcopyright, 1903, by Robert Howard
RusSell.)

IF Il wasn't for de police-and-gam-
blers' combine what o New 1ork
talk about? Noting, Say. ever since
7 was a. kid on de Bowery I've heard
nolice-and-gamblers. and e police
and-gamblers in de papers; and par
O clubs. reformers. kickers ana Wis
3tors has preached, scolded and put Up
all kinds of fancy and plain hollers
about police-and-gamblers, like II deE
didn't talk, and preach, and holler and
scold about EN-. dey'd bust. I guess dey
would.
But listen: if dere wasn't so much no
air blowing. dere wouldn't be no COM
bine Of police and gamblers. De rake
off dat now goes to de Captains, and
higher up would go to de City Jeans,
and de Aldermen would have 20 much
LONG green to spend dis City would nave
Paris beat to deaf as a show place L
ought to know: I've been TO Pans!
Hark: dere never wasn't no time in
de woild, since anything was doing,
when dere wasn't gambling. 1 know
dat. because Mr.. Paul told me so; and
what he doesn't know hasn't happen
ed yet.
YES. Chances" he says to me, "since
de foist pawn of civilization"-mean-
I when Adam hooked his whit
er fig leaf in de spring-"man has been
trying to shake something out OF de box
he did't put dere. De is" he
dat Noah beguiled de dull hours
in de Ark by trying to locate de pea
under de right shell. De
trait he says, using dose long woids
to get a run for his money, of de hu-
man beast is dat he's de only beast
dat will walk into a trap, knowing 1t is
u tran IF We sets a tran for de STU
pidest beast dat grows its own furS or
fedders. We tries to hid de trap. III
yon is next to me course. you see what
I'm steering at. You don't have to hide
a manIrap-just bait it."
"Wit a gold bait" I says. getting
next.
wit smoke" he says. wit a
dream, a dope book wit any old kind
Of a bait dat comes handy. Even de
promise of a promise, will do, Chames,"
he says. Don't de papers print ad-
yertisements of traps. where dey says,
We are a little busy dis week, and
haven't time to bate dis fine new trap
to which your attention is allied But.
ladies and gents. it's a trap. all right,
and de bait will be in sight just as
soon as we get time to hook 1t on IN
de meantime, get rich quick, or we'll
spring de trap and leave you on de
outside What h~appens?'
DE band begins to play" l says.
TT does says Mr.. Paul. 1T begins
to paly dat good old
IF you've got to Kill a sucker, get a
gun,
Get a cannon. get a halter!
Don't believe because he's groggy DAT
he's done
Get your poison; never falter!
When you tink you've killed your suck
er-when it's done-
Use a, razor. and revolver!
EA~I -I1~ hrJa 6nna hi" Tor
fair I says. whats lie use? A tout
comes along wit a couple more, INT de
man at de peek-hole gives EN- de gla
welcome"
Dat is" says Mr.. Paul. D demand
for suckers grows like a hound pup IN
all directions at once. But de sup
ply never runs short. no matter now
quick de raw material goes true de null.
A sucker and his money is soon parted:
and all de laws made in Albany, ana
Mulberry street can't prevent de part
ing. Why? Because de grafter lsnt
no more keen to get hold of de goods
dan de sucker is to get rid of de goods.
It's a good rule dat woiks bote ends
and de middle.
paul" says Whiskers. who heard
him say dat. I'm stOnished: It's WICK
cd 10 gamble. commissioner Greene
shouId be give de right to drive all
ambler into de Harlem River, and
sink a coal barge on top of en-.
sir" saws Mr.. Paul. giving me de
wink YOU speaks like a reformer. 1t
is wicked. indeed, to gamble L spoke
in jest. sir" r.
fadder-in-law. now, and he cuts Two
commons to Mr.. Paurs one: n MI.
paul is as polite to him as Duchess Is
10 Miss Fannie when Miss tF'annle Is
getting rid of a lot of old mats ana
gloves. ,a
Wen Mr.. Paul didn't say noting
while | pulled de plug out OF a pint, ana
RT1o1 deir glasses: but when he'd trun
a tautful Iip over de edge of his glass
10 see was it 81 same brand dat nldlild
used to buy. he says. careless Ihe; u
Whiskers How was de market To-Day
sir?' -.
Whiskers' whiskers was nearly hid
nv do glad smile dat shifted over his
mug like a show girls when she sees
Number One in de orchestra, n ne
says. I caught EN- bOte ways, today
going and coming
GOOD woik," says Mr.. Paul. Dare
was a chicken in de tree. en- :,
Two on en-" says Whlskers'
bought Zinc preferred at siNty-tree and
a half at de opening. and sold at five
at noon. 1t reached five and a quarter
which seemed 4 little IN We"
of something | heard, SO L sold Shoft
at dat. and covered before de close at
anu IId1I- NISdIlhS III IN 49,
tie TO de good of five thousand. ram
ME me dear" he says. you may order
de music room decorated as you was
wanting, and de new twenty-five hun
nred dollar rug for de library"
Miss Fannie smiled and says. Tank
you. papa" and shook her head at Mr..
Paul lot TO take a fall u of Whis-
kers. But he wouldn't see her. n
says. AS you was remarking, Sir. de
gambling fever usun be checked if it
has 10 be sunk in de Harlem Wit a
barge on top of il 70 keep ii cool"
quite So says Whiskers. People
must be protected from all temptation
to risk DER money in desc ne-faro-us
schemes of chance. People must be
taut dat ii is not only sinful. but bad
business. for to seek TO gain Wealt eN-
cept by hard, honest toll.
You is more dan right" says Mr..
Paul. You is all right. BY de a
ne says. what was doing in Zinc7"
ooh noting IpTch - V-pfSEerS saws |