The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-03-18

Tin Can, a look of sweet content
meht In his eye, was munching a de-
licious colored supplement of a Sun
day newspaper that he had unearthed
from an ashpile on the east bank
OF Gowanus Canal. A sharp wind
from the west that kept his whiskers
In horizontal position and nox-
dous aroma that always arises from
the Shiny, sluggish water when the
tide runs out didn't seem to concern
him In the least. Slowly he chewed
and chewed until the last vestlge of
the lurid sheet disappeared inward,
and heaving , deep sigh of satisfac-
tion he trotted up the street, spurning
as he went dainty morsels that an or
dinary goat would hardly pass up, no
matter how packed his interior might
be.
Up near the tall tanks on Douglass
street Tin Can paused, and while to
the casual observer 1t wasn't notice
able, smile spread over his face. He
saw familiar figure, and he galloped
up the street to meet him-Paddy
Sweeney, his lord and master.
"W'ere yuh been, Tin CAM" yelled
Paddy, as he threw his arms around
the goats neck ""I was lookin' all
over fer yuh an was bout t'inkin'
yuh was lost WY doesn't yuh stay
by de stable, were yuh belongs?"
Tin Can didn't reply, but lowered
his head for Paddy to scratch it.
He stamped his fore hoof impatiently
when Paddy ignored The invitation
and then darted across the street to
investigate the worth of a tomato can
that lay in the gutter.
! Come here, Tin Can, tells yuh!"
roared Paddy. "Come here an listen
tuh wot l has tub say tub yuh. l
needs yuh tub help me tuh git hunk,
does, so doncha be fadin'."
Tin Can retraced his steps to the
sidewalk and listened meditatively.
"Yuh knows, Tin Can, dat yuh an
me is from de Point-Red Hook
Point-a long ways from dis place"
Paddy began. AN de blokes round
here is wot dey calls Creekers. Dey
gifts hep tub were | comes from an
tuhday dey gives me a trimmin'. /
kin lick amy bloke me size in dat
school up de street, Tin Can, but dere
amt nottin' doin' wen a bunch gifts
at yuh. An dat's wot dey does tub
day. Dey gifts me in de school yard
an tree O. dem all at onct does me
up. D'yuh see dis sinner l gits?"
Maybe Tin Can understood, maybe
he didn't; but at all events he trotted
at Paddy's side as the eleven-year-old
lad headed for the white schoolhouse
on Douglass street above Fourth ave-
nue.. The last surviving member of
the Can family, Tin-that's his given
name-has long enjoyed an enviable
reputation as a fighter. His father
before him was the most artistic and
scientific butter in the Point and Tin
inherited to no small degree his sire's
capabilities. There were several gen.
erations of the Cans in the Sweeney
family, and as far back as old man
Sweeney can remember they were all
there with the butt good and strong.
So it is little wonder then that Tin
should know how to use his srontis-
piece.
1t was during recess in the yard at
Public School 1873, on Douglass street,
Brooklyn, yesterday, that the Creek
ers decided to put 1t to Paddy
Sweeney, and they put 1t to him very
properly. The only grievance they
had against him was that he was a
Pointer, but when one knows the
hatred that for years and years has
existed between Creekers and Point
ers one will not pause to wonder why
Paddy got his. He put up a good
fight when the melee started, but the
odds against him were too great and
after he had got black eye and
bloody nose he cried 'nuff, much as
1t did hurt his pride.
Then he beat it over the fence and
went in quest of Tin Can to enlist his
aid In getting hunk. The dismissal
bells were ringing ia the classrooms