Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-13
MY FAVORITE STORIES
BV Irwin CODb

There are several versions of this classic
but personally L am pledged to the one
favored by Donald Barr who lives over IN
Elizabeth, New Jersey. In his rendition
Barr puts the narrative in the mouth OF
mystic friend of his named George.
1t would seem that George customarily
patronized a certain bar wherein gathered
nightly group of men whose highest ambl-
lion was to be on their feet when all the
others were under the table, and whose
proudest boast was that they had never been
known to pass out of the picture" 10
those reprehensible ambitions George sub
scribed. But he was unique, in that even
at the climax of inebriation he persisted in
denying that he was drunk, repeatedly as
sorting that he was in full possession OF all
his faculties and that the OF head was still
Just as clear as a bell
One night they missed George. Nor did
he come the next evening, nor the next, nor
the next 1t was a month before he reap
Deared: and then he was so swathed in
bandages, so painfully hopping on crutches,
that they swarmed around him with excited
questiOnings.
How did I get this way?" said George.
well I'll tell you: Y remember that las
night [ was here? Drinkin pretty heavy
that night, but you know how it is with
me. When l left, the OF bean was as
clear as a bell. Actually, | might just as
we'll not a. had anything. Well, somehow
| knew the Brooklyn Boys were going to
show I'm that night; I sort of felt it, And
when I turned out the light an hoped into
the OF bed, sure enough there was two of
them one on each corner down by my
feet"
THE Brooklyn Boys?" somebody queried.
"Yeh, sure" said George. "You know 'em,
don't you? Little men about so high'-with
his hands he indicated a span of four or five
inches-"in bright yellow shirts.
well, as l said there they were, two of
'em. 1 laid still for awhile, pretendin' I was
asleep. an watched 'em lookin' at me and
then at each other, and noddin their heads
an sayn: That's him. That's the guy.
Then all of sudden l made spring at
them. But they got away one hoped
over the transom and one oozed out through
| the keyhole
well, l said to myself, that settles 'em
for tonight An l got back in bed.
"D'ye know. l hadn't been there minute
when l looked around and saw, there in the
middle of the floor, seven of those Brooklyn
Boys, all lookin' up at me and noddin'
among themselves and sayin': That's the
guy there-that's him.
"Well, 1 jumped out of bed like flash
but they were too quick for me- They all
scooted-under the door, over the door,
| through the keyhole an everywheres.
well, l thought then [ was sure finished
for awhile. But I'd no sooner got back ip
| bed when [ heard a sound and l looked
around and there was sixty Brooklyn Boys!
I knew they was up to something because
they'd look UP at me and then nod among
themselves and Whisper That's him, all
| right. Uh-huh, that's him.
All this time, understand, the OF head
was clear as a bell. 1 knew perfectly well
| what [ was doing.
$50 | jumped right at them-because
! that's the best way to get rid of the Brook
! Ign Boys y'know But they all got away
! every single one, and l got back in bed
| again, thnkin' | was safe now for sure
| Well, d'y'know WHAT"
''What?" asked somebody.
"Why, I hadn't but barely got back in
! bed when l looked down and there on the
floor was thirty-fve thousand Brooklyn
| Boys! And this time each one had a little
musket over his shoulder. Well, the leader
/ he lines them all up and waved his sword
| up toward me in the bed and yelled: That's
! MIN, boys! That's the guy, up thereH
| Then he yelled: Ready.
! Then he yelled: 'Aim!.
"Well, now, as | said. all this time the ol'
! bean was wOrkin' beautifully. I saw just
what they was up to and before that Brook
| lyn Boy that had the sword could yell,
] 'Fire' I'd jumped clean out of bed and
through the window
George paused and wetted his throat with
an appropriate liquid.
! "Of course" he added, my room is on the
third floor an l got sort O. banged up-as
you felas notice. But just think what might
| have happened if I'd been drunk ant
| couldn't a. made that jump in time!"