Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-05-19
In on the
Ground Floor y:
BY WIN. H. OSBORNE

8 BY WIN. H. OSBORNE :
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
4. <(Copyrieht, 1901, by Daily Story Pub. COL
THE underworld in New York is di
vided into two great classes. First
those who get caught; second, thos'
who don't. The police department
finding it impossible to keep an eye OF
everybody all theatime, had come L
the conclusion that Britches Bellmar
belonged to the latter class. In theil
hearts they knew that Britches was VI
to many things; but when they cam<
to sift even one of these things to thu
bottom invariably they found them
selves wofully weak when it came tc
evidence.
Evidence" snorted Britches; 81
amt got no use for it. don't want
none of it around me. To - with
evidence"
Now, Britches Bellman, being citi-
zen of the underworld, had come to the
conclusion that for part of the time
at least, such citizen ought to reside
underneath the ground. He got this
idea. one day when he was passing the
County National bank. In front OF the
County National bank was a ditch
This ditch is called the subway.
''Gee!" said Britches Bellman
knocking himself on the side of the
head. Get down in that hole, just
where you belong" -.,
Now, If Britches hadn't been an ex-
traordinary kind of a man, he never
could have pulled off the little scheme
that filed his head. But he was any
thing and everything, from an A con
man down to the lowest kind of a
strong-armer. In high hat and a
frock coat he was superb; in bust
ness suit, he was all matter. of fact; in
a SLOUGH hat, he could scare the wits
out of belated rich old party by just
looking at him.
One day a genteel looking parsonage
called at the Office of the subway con-
tractors and announced that the Coun-
ty National bank (Which, by the way,
was backed by the democratic boss)
had concluded to strengthen its UNDER
pinning just Bit. He produced let
ter apparently on the letter head of the
bank, signed apparently by it's presi-
dent. He was courteously received, as,
Of course, any representative Of the
boss's bank would have to be, and he
left bearing with him the written di-
rection of the contractor to the section
foreman to permit the workmen of the
County bank to make any necessary
excavation in the subway. This gen.
teel looking parsonage, it cannot be de-
MED, looked extremely like Mr..
Britches Bellman. A day later a
rough. honest looking workman, wear
ing union button and dressed in toll
stained overalls, handed the letter to
the section foreman, together with an
other letter from the bank, stated
casually that he and Sam Parks had
known each other all their respective
lives, borrowed chew of tobacco, and
started in to work.
The work he was about to do he had
all planned out on sheet of rough
hole four by four from the subway in
to the foundation of the bank.
"The bank" he said to the foreman,
faint so much afraid of going up as it
Is of fallin' down. Its pins is weak, or
somethin'"
r In five hours the genial Mr.. Bellman
had made himself the most popular
man in the ditch. He talked to every
3ody, sympathized with everybody,
jollied everybody. -.
6. But he was good workman and he
understood his business. But he in
sisted upon one thing. Every nigh7,
when he left his job, he carefully COW
cred up the mouth of the hole he was
making with pile of dirt.
1 "Some fellow" he explained to the
foreman, might take notion to fin
ish up my job some night and go clean
/ through the bank, outside and in" The
foreman expectorateG.
q "Gee!" said the foreman, that's so.
Il never thought of it." He scratched
his head and grinned.
Il s'pose," he added, that might
take hack at 1t myself some night.
What dye Think"
Britches Bellman, honest workman,
shook his head. If you talk that
way" he said, smiling, "I'll have to set
q plain clothes man on top of you. l
got to take care of that there bank,
and no MISTAKE" He caught the other
by the arm Say" went on Britches
Eellman cts blamed good thing you