University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-03-03

say, DaDe, we nave you colJeG<
rah-rahs out. of your underweal
when It comes to slang" He spoke
to a University student. "You fel
lows talk about 'rough-necks.' Where
did you get the word? From the cir.
lows talk about 'rough-necks.' where
of the circus crew. He drives stakes
cleans up the horses; and when the
big parade is on and all the fancy
people are busting their stays to see
the free show he Is In the residence
part Of the city ST. ing up back-doora
and windows.
Farmers go to the afternoon
show; ;paint,powder end corsets go to
the evening performance. The rough
neck visits Sails room end joins him
self to her rock-hoops and diamond
rings, or pipes q rock quarry in q
slum-joint down town. which is to
say. he throws q brick through q
window in jewelry store and steals
a tray Of diamonds.
Next day all the james, muffs,
molls, fruzzies, breads and skirts,
which are only other ways of saying
women yap about the yegg, or, in
United States. talk about the burg
lar; and the rumble-promoters, rum
ble-sisters. the plain tattlers, have
enough to keep them going for q
month in stirring up mixes or rum
bles, better Fnown as scraps, by ly-
ing about what this and that dame
said about the affair. The rough-neck
however, is miles away; and unless
he has made q bloomer, or according
to the dictionary guy, failed to land
anything. is happy, whatever the
snuff-eaters may say"
The circus man peeled another ba-
mana.
"The rough-neck, though, has his
own troubles. Sometimes his key-oil,
nitro-glycerin you would call it, gets
him into a dust; and being armed
like a battleship. he takes cinches,
but no chances, and shoots. He gets
called up before a baldy. The mouth
pieces plead his case; he is tried by
a full deck, thet is, twelve juryman,
and is promoted to colonel with ten
stripes, which means that he beats It
to the pen for year for each slit in
the ends of his feet. The city dads
scratch their heads and conclude the
circus a bad proposition. Moreover,
the rough-neck seldom lasts long at
one job except in q coop capacity. He
Is sent to stack and chains, or, to
speak in Sunday school language, he
Is fired by being hit over the head
with a club and left with his cur
aims down until the circus pulls out |
IF the city.
"But mind you. kid, all circus men
ire not of the rough-neck type. Why,
'ne OF them died in the pen bece use |
,e shot at crook, missed. and took
banker in the gizzard. The bank
'r's last words were, Don't blame
him; he was doing his duty for the
AXE of an honest circus Prejudice
lgainst the circus professor convict
ID him."
Tho circus man felt in his pocket
or another banana.
"Nix, dice-box with windows in it.
What do you make of that? Well,
III tell you.It is just one rough-neck's
way of saying to another, Look out
or the plain-clothes man wearing a
lerby hat and glasses could talk
III day and you wouldn't understand
! work said.
"The rough-neck's biggest job is
aking care of the plain-clothes man.
Iere is Jim. Jim is suspected of be-
ng q stuffed civilian. There is
Tohn and Paul. Paul tumbles to
inns game. He says to John, Pipe
he headlight John takes a look
lnder the lapels Of Jim's coat for
igns of star. II Paul is not yet sat-
SIZED. he says. Stall the g,ob.' John
tumps his toe, falls, and catches
i'm aound the waist and finds out
or not he has a gun. John
'ets up and APOLOGIES. II he has
cit a gun on Jim, he says. Jig Thsy
hase it.
in another part Of tho town or
ircus grounds, they join q Keeser,
r, as George Washington would
ave it, they steal a suit case which
hey sell at q joint or dump; or may
e. they switch a phoney for q real
iamond with a rock pcddler in q
own-town SUM joint that has not
cen cracked. If the coast seems
lear. they may touch a gig for a
0ser and Dut in the kick To holn