Sandburrs and Others

TOO CHEAP

HENRY SPENY’S BENEVOLENCE

SUMMER was here and the day was warm. Henry Speny had been walking, and now stood at-the corner of Tenth Avenue and Twenty-eighth street, mopping his brow. Henry Speny was a Conservative; and, although Mrs. Speny had that morning gone almost to the frontiers of a fist fight to make him change his underwear for the lighter and more gauzy apparel proper to jocund August, Henry Speny refused. He was now paying the piper, and thinking how much more Mrs. Speny knew than he did, when the Tramp came up.

“Podner!” said the Tramp in a low, guttural whine, intended to escape the ear of the police and touch Henry Speny’s heart at one and the same time; “podner! couldn’t you assist a pore man a little?”

“Assist a poor man to what?” asked Henry Speny, returning his handkerchief to his pocket and looking scornfully at the Tramp.

He was a fat, healthy Tramp, in good condition. Henry Speny hardened his heart.

“Dime!” replied the Tramp; “dime to get somethin’ to eat.”

“No,” said Henry Speny shortly; “I’m a half dozen meals behind the game myself.”

This last was only Henry Speny’s humour. Mrs. Speny fed him twice a day. But Henry Speny knew that the Tramp wanted the dime for whiskey.

“Well! if you don’t think I want it to chew on,” said the Tramp, “jest’ take me to a bakery and buy me a loaf of bread. I’ll get away with it right before you.”

“Say!” remarked Henry Speny, in a spirit of sarcastic irritation, “what’s the use of your talking to me? There’s the Charity Woodyard in this town, where, if you were really hungry, you would go and saw wood for something to eat. You can get two meals and a bed for sawing one-sixteenth of a cord of wood.”

“You can’t saw wood with no such fin as this, podner!” said the Tramp; and pulling up his coat sleeve he displayed to Henry Speny an arm as withered as a dead tree. “The other’s all right,” he continued, restoring his coat sleeve; “but wot’s one arm in a catch-as-catch-can racket with a bucksaw?”

Henry Speny was conscience-stricken, but he would defeat the Tramp in his efforts to buy whiskey.

“I’ll go down to the woodyard and saw your wood myself,” said Henry Speny.

He told Mrs. Speny afterward that he could not account for the making of this offer, unless it was his anxiety to keep the Tramp sober. All the Tramp wanted was ten cents, and for Henry Speny to propose to saw one-sixteenth of a cord of hard wood on a hot day, when a dime would have made all things even, was a conundrum too deep for Henry Speny, as he looked back over the transaction. But he did make the proposal; and the Tramp accepted with a grin of gratitude.

There were twenty sticks in that one-sixteenth of a cord – hard, knotty sticks, too. And each one had to be sawed three times; sixty cuts in all. It was a poor bucksaw. Before he had finished the third stick, Henry Speny declared that it was the most beastly bucksaw he ever handled in his life. The buck itself was a wretched buck, and wouldn’t stand still while Henry Speny sawed. It had a habit of tipping over; and when Henry Speny put his knee on the stick to steady the refractory buck, the knots tore his trousers and made his legs black and blue. Then the perspiration got in his eyes and made them smart. When he wiped it away he saw two of his friends looking at him in a shocked, sober way from across the street. They passed on, and told everybody that Henry Speny was down at the Charity Woodyard sawing wood for his food. They said, too, that they had reason to believe he did this every day; that business had gone to pieces with him, and an assignment couldn’t be staved off much longer.

Henry Speny would have thrown up the job with the second stick, but the Tramp was already half through his meal; Henry Speny could see him bolting his food like a glutton through the window, from where he stood.

It took Henry Speny two hours to saw those twenty sticks sixty times. His hands were a fretwork of blisters; his back and shoulders ached like a galley-slave’s. Henry Speny hired a carriage to take him home; he couldn’t stand the slam and jolt of a street car. He was laid up three days with the blisters on his hands, while Mrs. Speny rubbed his back and shoulders with Pond’s Extract.

On the fourth day, as Henry Speny was limping painfully toward his office, he heard a voice he knew.

“Podner! can’t you assist a pore m – Oh! beg pardon; you looked so different I didn’t know you!” It was the fat Tramp with the withered arm. Without a word Henry Speny gave him ten cents and hobbled on.

JANE DOUGHERTY

What’s d’ flossiest good t’ing I’m ever guilty of?” said Chucky. There was a pause. Chucky let his eye – somewhat softened for him – rove a bit abstractedly about the sordid bar. At last it came back to repose on the beer mug before him, as the most satisfying sight at easy hand.

“Now,” retorted Chucky, as he wet his lip, “that question is a corker. ‘What’s d’ star good deed you does?’ is d’ way you slings it.

“Will I name it? In a secont – in a hully secont! It’s d’ story of a little goil I steals, an’ sticks in for ever since. This kid’s two years comin’ t’ree, when I pinched it, so to speak; an’ youse can bet your boots! she was reg’larly up ag’inst it. A fly old sport like Chucky would never have mingled wit’ her destinies otherwise; not on your life! Between youse, an’ me, an’ d’ bar-keep over there, I ain’t got no more natural use for kids than I have for a wet dog. But never mind! we’ll pass up that kink in me make-up an’ get down to this abduction I prides meself on.

“It’s nine spaces ago, an ‘d’ kid in dispoote is now goin’ on twelve. I’ve been, as I states, stickin’ in for her ever since, an’ intends to play me string to a finish. But to go on wit’ me romance.

“As I relates, d’ play I boasts of is nine spaces in d’ rear, see! In that day I has a dandy graft. I’ve got me hooks on as big a bundle as a hundred plunks, many an’ many is d’ week. I’d be woikin’ it now only I lushes too free.

“Here’s how in that day I sep’rated suckers from their stuff. It was simply fakin’, of d’ smoot’ an’ woidy sort, see! I’d make up like a Zulu, wit’ burnt cork, an’ feathers, an’ queer duds; an’ then I’d climb into an open carriage, drive to a good corner, do a bit of chin music, pull a crowd an’ sell ‘em brass jewellery.

“Me patter would run something like this: D’ waggon would stop an’ I’d stand up. Raisin’ me lamps to d’ heavens above, I’d cut loose d’ remark at d’ top of me valves:

“‘It looks like rain! It don’t look like a t’ing but rain!’

“Wit’ me foist yell d’ pop’lace would flock ‘round, an’ in two minutes there would be a hundred people there. In ten, there’d be a t’ousand, if d’ cops didn’t get in their woik. I’ll give youse a tip d’ great American public is d’ star gezebos to come to a dead halt, an’ look an’ listen to t’ings. More’n onct I’ve seen some stiff who’s sprintin’ for a doctor, make a runnin’ switch at d’ sound of me voice an’ side-track himself for t’irty minutes to hear me. Dey’s a dead curious lot, d’ public is; buy a French pool on that!

“W’en d’ crowd is jammed all about me carriage w’eels, I’d cut loose some more. I’d quit d’ rain question cold, an’ holdin’ up an armful of jimcrow jewellery, I’d t’row meself like this:

“‘Loidies an’ gents,’ I’d say, ‘I’m d’ only orig’nal Coal Oil Johnny. An’ I’m a soon mug at that, see! I don’t get d’ woist of it; not on your neckties. I gives away two hundred an’ I takes in four hundred toadskins (dollars) an’ I don’t let no mob of hayseeds do me, so youse farmers needn’t try.

“‘Look at me! Cast your lamps over me! I’m one of Cetewayo’s Zulu body-guard, an’ I’m here from Africa on a furlough to saw off on suckers a lot of bum jewellery, an’ down youse for your dough, see! I’m goin’ to offer for sale four t’ings: I’m goin’ to sell youse foist ten rings, then ten brooches, then ten chains, and then ten watches. An’ when I gets down to d’ watches, watch me dost; because, when I gets nex’ to d’ tickers I’ve reached d’ point where I’m goin’ to t’run youse down. I’m here to skin youse out of your money, an’ leave youse lookin’ like d’ last run of shad.

“‘But there’s this pecoolarity about me sellin ‘d’ rings. Each ring is a dollar apiece, an’ when I’ve shoved ten of ‘em onto youse, every galoot who’s paid me a dollar for one, gets his dollar back an’ a dollar wit’ it for luck.

“‘Now here’s d’ rings, good folks an’ all!’ – here I*d flash d’ rings; gilt, an’ wort’ t’ree dollars a ton! – ‘here’s d’ little crinklets! Who’s goin’ to take one at a dollar, an’ at d’ finish, when d’ ten is sold, get two dollars back? Who’ll be d’ foist? Now don’t rush me! don’t crush me! but come one at a time. D’ rings ain’t wort’ a dollar a ton: I only makes d’ play for fun, an’ because d’ doctors who looks after me healt’ says I’ll croak if I don’t travel. Who’ll be d’ early boid to nip a ring?

“‘There you be!’ I goes on, as some rustic gets to d’ front an’ hands up d’ bill. ‘Sold ag’in an’ got d’ tin, another farmer just sucked in!’

“So I goes, on,” continued Chucky, after reviving his voice – which his exertions had made a trifle raucous – with a swig at the tankard; “so I’d go on until d’ ten rings would be sold. Then I’d go over d’ outfit ag’in, take back d’ rings, an’ give ‘em each a two-dollar willyum.”

Now push back into d’ mob, you lucky guys,’ I’d say, ‘an’ give your maddened competitors to d’ rear of youse a chanct to woik d’ racket. I’m goin’ to sell ten brooches now for two dollars each, an’ give back four dollars wit’ every brooch. Then I’m goin’ to dazzle youse wit’ ten chains, at five cases per chain. An’ then I’ll get down to d’ watches, at which crisis, me guileless come-ons, youse must be sure to watch me, for it’s then I’ll make a monkey of youse.’

“An’ so I chins on, offerin’ d’ brooches at two dollars a t’row, an’ at d’ wind-up, when d’ ten is gone, I gives back to each mucker who’s got in, d’ sum of four plunks, see!

“Be that time it’s a knock-down an’ drag-out around me cabrioley, to see who’s goin’ to transact business wit’ me, an’, wit’out as much cacklin’ as a hen makes over an egg, I goes to d’ chains an’ floats ten of ‘em at five a chain. As I sells d’ last, I toins sharp on some duck who’s dost be me w’eel an’ says:

“‘What’s that? I’m a crook, am I! an’ this ain’t on d’ level! Loidies an’ gents, just for d’ disparagin’ remark of this hobo, who is no doubt funny in his topknot from drink, I’ll go on an’ sell ten more chains. After which I’ll come down to d’ watches, which is d’ great commercial point where youse had better watch me, for it’s there I’m goin’ to lose you in a lope! An’ that’s for fair, see!’

“Ten more chains, at five a trip, goes off like circus lem’nade, an’ I stows d’ long an’ beauteous green away in me keck. As d’ last one of d’ secont ten fades into d’ hooks of d’ last sucker, I stows d’ five he’s coughed up for it in me raiment, an’ says:

“‘An’ now, loidies an’ gents, we gets down to d’ watches!’

“Wit’ which bluff I lugs me ticker out an’ takes a squint at it.

“‘What th’ ‘ell!’ I shouts. ‘Here it’s half-past t’ree, an’ I was to be married at t’ree-fifteen! Hully gee! Excuse me, people, but I must fly to d’ side of me beloved, or I’ll get d’ dead face; also d’ frozen mit. I’ll see youse dubs next year, if woikin’ overtime wit’ youse to-day ain’t ruined me career.’

“As I’m singin’ out d’ last, I’m givin’ me driver d’ office to beat his dogs an’ chase, see! An’, bein’ as he’s on, an’ is paid extra as his part of d’ graft, he soaks d’ horses wit’ d’ whip an’ in twenty seconts d’ crowd is left behint, an’ is busy givin’ each other d’ laugh. No, there never was no row; no mug was ever mobbed for guyin’. Nit! I always comes away all right, an’ youse can figure it, I’m sixty good bones in on d’ racket.

“Naturally, youse would like to hear where d’ kid breaks into d’ play an’ how I wins it. I’d ought to have told youse sooner, but, on d’ level! when me old patter begins to flow off me tongue, I can’t shut down until I’ve spieled it all.

“But about d’ kid. One afternoon I’m goin’ on – it’s in Joisey City – wit’ me Zulu war-paint an’ me open carriage, givin ‘d’ usual mob d’ usual jolly. T’ings is runnin’ off d’ reel like a fish new hooked, an’ I’m down to me fift’ chain. Just then I hears a woman say:

“‘Fly’s d’ woid, Sallie! Here’s your old man, an’ he’s got his load! He won’t do a t’ing to youse! Screw out, Sal! screw out!”

“But Sallie, who’s a tattered lookin’ soubrette, wit’ a kid in her arms, an’ who’s been standin’ dost be one of me hind w’eels, don’t get no chanct to skin out, see! There’s a drunken hobo – as big an’ as strong as a horse – who’s right up to her when d’ foist skirt puts her on. As she toins, he cops her one in d’ neck wit’-out a woid. Down she goes like ninepins! As she lands, d’ back of her cocoa don’t do a t’ing but t’ump a stone horse-block wit’ a whack! As d’ blood flies, I’m lookin’ down at her. I sees her map fade to a grey w’ite under d’ dirt; she bats her lamps onct or twict; an’ d’ nex’ moment I’m on wit’out tellin’ that her light is out for good.

“As Sallie does d’ fall, d’ kid which she’s holdin’ rolls in d’ gutter under d’ carriage.

“‘T’run d’ kid in here!’ I says to d’ mark who picks it up.

“Me only idee at d’ time is to keep d’ youngone from gettin ‘d’ boots from d mob that’s surgin’ round, an’ tryin’ to mix it up wit’ d’ drunken bum who’s soaked Sal. D’ guy who gets d’ kid fires it up to me like it’s a football. I’m handy wit’ me hooks, so I cops it off in midair, an’ stows it away on d’ seat.

“Be that time d’ p’lice has collared d’ fightin’ bum all right, an’ some folks is draggin’ Sal, who’s limp an’ dead enough, into a drug shop.

“It’s all up wit’ me graft for that day, so after lookin’ at d’ youngone a secont, I goes curvin’ off to d’ hotel where I hangs out. While I’m takin’ me Zulu make-up off, d’ chambermaid stands good for d’ kid. When I sees it ag’in, it’s all washed up an’ got some decent duds on. Say! on d’ dead! it was a wonder!

“Well, to cut it short,” said Chucky, giving the order for another mug of ale, “I loins that night that d’ mother is dead, an’ d’ drunken hobo’s in d’ holdover. As it s a cinch he’ll do time for life, even if he misses bein’ stretched, I looks d’ game all over, an’ for a wind-up I freezes to d’ kid. Naw; I couldn’t tell why, at that, see! only d’ youngone acts like it’s stuck on me.

“Nixie; I never keeps it wit’ me. I’ve got it up to d’ Sisters’ school. Say! them nuns is gone on it. I makes a front to ‘em as d’ kid’s uncle; an’ while I’ve been shy meself on grub more’n onct since I asted d’ Sisters to keep it, I makes good d’ money for d’ kid right along, an’ I always will. What name does I give it? Jane – Jane Dougherty; it’s me mudder’s name. Nit; I don t know what I’ll do wit’ Jane for a finish. I was talkin’ to me Rag only d’ other day about it, an’ she told me, in a week or so, she’d go an’ take a fall out of a fortune-teller, who, me Rag says, is d’ swiftest of d’ whole fortune-tellin’ push. Mebby we’ll get a steer from her.”

MISTRESS KILLIFER

This is of a day prior to Dave Tutt’s taking a wife, and a year before the nuptials of Benson Annie, as planned and executed by Old Man Enright, with one, French.

Wolfville is dissatisfied; what one might call peevish. A man has been picked up shot to death, no one can tell by whom; no one has hung for it. Any one familiar with the Western spirit and the Western way would note the discontent by merely walking through the single, sun-burned street. When two citizens of the place make casual meeting in store or causeway, they confine their salutations to gruff “how’d!” and pass on. Men are even seen to drink alone in a sullen, morbid way.

Clearly something is wrong with Wolfville. The popular discontent is so sufficiently pronounced as to merit the notice of leading citizens. Therefore it is no marvel that when Old Man Enright, who, by right of years – and with a brain as clear and as bright as a day in June – is the head man of the hamlet, meets Doc Peets at the bar of the Red Light, the discussion falls on affairs of public concern.

“Whatever do you reckon is the matter with this camp, Enright?” asks Doc Peets, as they tip their liquor into their throats without missing a drop.

Doc Peets is the medical practitioner of Wolfville, but his grammar, like that of many another man, has lost ground before his environment.

“Can’t tell!” replied Enright, with a mien dubious yet thoughtful. “Looks like the whole outfit is somehow on a dead kyard. Mebby it’s that Denver party gettin’ downed last week an’ no one lynched. Some folks says the Stranglers oughter have swung that Greaser.”

“Well!” retorts Doc Peets, “you as chief of the Stranglers, an’ I as a member in full standin’, knows thar’s no more evidence ag’in that Mexican than ag’in my pinto hoss.”

“Of course, I knows that too!” replies Enright, “but still I sorter thinks general sentiment lotted on a hangin’. You know, Doc, it ain’t so important from a public stand that you stretches the right gent, as that you stretches somebody when it’s looked for. Nacherally it would have been mighty mortifyin’ to the Mexican who’s swung off at the loop-end of the lariat for a killin’ he ain’t in on; but still I holds the belief it would have calmed the sperit of the camp. However, I may be ‘way off to one side on that; it’s jest my view. Set up the nosepaint ag’in, barkeep!”

While Doc Peets is slowly freighting his glass with a fair allowance, he is deep in meditation.

“I’ve an idee, Enright,” says Doc Peets at last. “The thing for us to do is to give the public some new direction of thought that’ll hold ‘em quiet. The games is all dead at this hour, an’ the boys ain’t doin’ nothin’; s’pose we makes a round-up to consider my scheme. The mere exercise will soothe ‘em.”

“Shall we have Jack Moore post a notice?” asks

Enright. “He’s Kettle Tender to the Stranglers, an’ I reckons what he does that a-way makes it legal.”

“No,” says Peets, “let’s rustle ‘em in an’ hold the meetin’ right now an’ yere in the Red Light. Some of the boys is feelin’ that petulant they’re likely to get to chewin’ each other’s manes any minute. I’m tellin’ you, Enright, onless somethin’ is done mighty poce tiempo to cheer ‘em, an’ convince ‘em that Wolfville is lookin’ up an’ gettin’ ahead on the correct trail, this outfit’s liable to have a killin’ any time at all. The recent decease of that Denver person won’t be a marker!”