The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-02-16
By RALPH HENRY BARBOU'
COPYRIGHT 1910

| eight years old.
About the best thing that SWELL
had at that time was Big Joe Whalen's
friendship Big Joe was sane and
level-headed and an excellent anti
dote for the poison that was working
In Swell. They saw each other every
day. Almost always they played their
three games Of billiards before dinner
and always Swell went TO the theater
toward the end Of the performance
and sat with Big Joe in the little box
like office until IL was time 70 lock
up the house. Then they had a bite
together across the street in the little
downstoir cafe that Whalen patro-
nized. II was down there, under the
sidewalk, on a night barely a week
before Christmas that Whalen got
( SwelfS story out OF him for the first
time. Big Joe had been telling his
own life history; how ne had started
out thirty years before as barker for q
Wild West show; how he had bought
a half interest in a side show and had
later opened a dime museum in New
York; how he had lost everything he
possessed-$3, 900 worth of wax fig
ureS, scenery and furnishings-by a
nre which had swept away a whole
oiock or the Bowery; how he had
started anew the next day with a
rented sea serpent made Of paper and
cotton wool.
The place was six feet broad by
twelve deep" he said, and I paid a
dollar day for IL and had to settle
up every night 1 bought some Tur-
sewed every stitch myself. too: and l
stood outside and did my own bark
ing. was there two months. and
theh rented a bigger place and sunk
every cent l had TO my name For
two days 1 hadn't the price of q ham
sandwich. But I made Il 20. my bow
ana Two years later ! sold out for six
tnouSand and came hero to old Chi
I've tried two or three things since.
but they was always theaters of one
sort or another. And now I'm ale
Joe Whalen, and everybody knows
me around here. Some day. and IL
! won't be long. either, III be runn!n'
TOT alderman And when get there"
as nsSen eyes twinkled-"welL lad
oie' We watched the game and l know
| now 70 play il. And now tell me
ABOUT yourself, son. It's a close mouth
You keep. But I'm not asSin' Just 10
your line2"
eGse OF the table ana made a couple
OF quick passes over the cloth. Wha-
lens brows went up.
Shell game co YOU mean?" Swell
nodded. Whalen chuckled.
And III bet you're a good one.
! Thank God didn't try that with voui
But what you doin' here? This Amt
no place Tor your business. is it?"
Then Swell told now he had been
following the circus and working the
fairs. and how he had struck the city
with roll. only to lose il at faro.
/ Whalen shook his head.
| Gee, you was an easy come-on.
wasn't your" ne asked sorrowfully.
Take il from me, now; you can't
put money in the old sock and nirf
4 with the paste boards. That's dead
right, SON I know. I've tried it, Its
a rich mans game. and even them goes
! broke at IL every day. Take my ad-
vice and keep away"
/ Il am going to-" said Swell Il was
\ a fool. l know that. l got some LIQUOR
| INTO me and thought I was Little
! Memo 1 wanted to double my rol
/ 1ork-and settle down TO an homes
game"
! And what at?' asked Whalen.
| Well. there's a nice little billiard
and pool stand I've had my eye on FOL
two years and more" said Swell. VIVA.
len thumped the table with his big fist
| That's you!" he declared enthusi
, aStically. That's where you'd ough
TO De. nay boy!"
! And maybe It's where I would b<
soon II hadn't gone and blown m,
/ oof. Gee. II makes me sick TO thinl
| OF IT. Why. me and my girl Nigh,
be looking around for a nat now II
if"
Got your eyes on a girl. have YOU ,"
asked WhaIen with ponderous tocuIar-
ty.
She's my wife" said Swell thought
| fully.
You mean you're married7 ?" VIVA