Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-05
The Sultan

INGOLBY'S square mead jerked for
i ward in stern inquiry and his eye:
fastened those Of Jowett, the horse
dealer. Take care what you're say
ing, Jowett," he said. Its a peniten
tiary job, if it can be proved. Are you
sure you got it right?'
Jewett had unusual shrewdness, some
vanity and humorous tongue. He was
a favorite in both towns, and had the
better of both in horse dealing a score
of times.
That did not make him less popular.
However, it was said he liked low
company, and it was true that though
he had money in the bank" and owned
a corner lot or so, he seemed to care
little what his company was. His most
constant companion was Fabian Oster
haut, who was the common property
of both towns, doing little of every
thing for a living, from bill posting to
the solicitation of an insurance agent.
For any casual work connected with
public functions Osterhaut was indis-
pensable. and he would serve as a doc =
tors assistant and help cut off a leg,
picnic, or arrange a soiree at meeting
house with equal impartiality. He had
been known to attend a temperance
meeting and a wake in the same even
ing. Yet no one ever questioned his
bona fides, and if he had attended mass
ut Manitou in the morning. joined u
heather dance in Tekewani's Reserve in
the afternoon, and listened to the Oleag-
inous Rev. Reuben Triple in the eve
ming, it would have been taken as
matter of course.
He was at times profane and I'M
pecuniouss and he had been shifted
from one boarding house to another till
at last, having exhausted credit in Leb-
anon, he had found a room in the house
of old Madame Thibadeau in Manitou.
She had taken him in because, in years
gone~by, he had nursed her only son
through au attack of smallpox on the
Siwash River, and somehow Osterhaut
had always paid his bills to her. He
was curiously exact where she was con-
cerned. If he had not enough for his
weeks board and lodging, he borrowed
it, chiefly of Jowett, who used him
profitably at times to pass the word
about horse, or bring news of a pos
sible deal.
ITS penitentiary job, Jowett,"
lngOlby repeated. II don't think Mar
ehand would be so mad as that"
Say, it's all straight enough,
Chief, answered JOwett, sucking his
unlighted cigar. ''Osterhaut got wind
OF it-he's staying at old Mother Thi-
badeau's, as you know. He moves
round lot, and he put me on to it.
] took on the job at once. got in
with the French toughs over at Manitou,
ut Barbazon's Tavern, and gave them
gin-we made it gin night.
lit struck their fancy-gin, all gin
Course there's nothing in gin different
from any other spirit; but it fixed
their minds, and took away suspicion.
II got drunk-oh, yes, of course,
blind drunk, didn't /? Kissed me, halt
a dozen OF the Quebec boys did-said
wns bully boy and hell fellow; said
was bon enfant' /; and said likewise
Ia my best patois. They liked that.
I've got pretty good stock of monkey
Erench. and l let it go. They laughed
till they cried at some Of my mistakes,
but they weren't no mistakes, not on
your life. IL was all done a-purpose.
They said / was the only man from
Lebanoa they wouldn't have cut up and
boiled. and they was going to have
the blood of the Lebanon lot before
they'd done. I pretended to get mad.
and talked wild. I said that Lebanon
would get them irst, that Lebanon
Noaldn' wait. but ID have It cut; and
toak on ny coat aud staggered about
-,biind...fair blind beosys tri4kAd
,<<r ph1 feol's feat rsirposely ~ X
t,bide \ jneh against ta< Haj ~ N