Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 145 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee — —_——_ _ } When I tread ther corriders uv fame an’ his- | trienic eulogerfication, I want ter be rigged up pothin’ short 0’ a President, or fust-class huck “Then come along into the park. We'll have a talk, and see the Centennial later,” Fox Avcordingly he and Boss Bob moved along toward the southern terminus of the grounds the, dirty, ragged boy making quite a contrast to the lirtle detective, with his suit of spotless duck, white silk hat, and gold-headed cane. " 'Spect ye see’. thet feller w’at got mad when ! was shinin’ his propellers?’ Bob asked, ac- coping a nt cigar from the Ferret's case. ‘ Yes, I noticed the chap—know him, in fact, He is New York J ohnny; the eae forger kidnapper, and villain at large. He’s boarded en. the State more times than he’s got teeth.” “Know’d he was a thurrerbred,” the Boot- black King declared. ‘“ Allus kin tell a hoss b ther kink in his karackter. So he’s N. Johnny is he? Humph! ’Spect thar’s —_ a difference between thet handle an’ Sir Filbert Franklyn Frothin’*ham. Guess so!” “Does he go under the latter name here in Philadelphia?” “ Bet he does! Puts on thet he’s an earl or a dook, er sum sech-like; an’ Lordy! ye ken’t tech him wi’ a ten-foot pole, he’s so scrumpshus, closed him up like a reg’lar clam, tho’,a few while ago. ‘Spect he’s cogitatin now, darker’n a teetotal eclipse.” The New York detective did not reply, and the two walked down Elm avenue until its in- tersection with Girard, when they struck off past the Siege of Paris building, toward the children’s play-ground, in Fairmount Park. Arrived here they took seats opposite each otuer, on the rustic settees. “Now we will compare notes,” Fox said, looking around and noting that there were no loungers in their immediate vicinity. ‘‘ There are a few questions [ would like you to answer, in as straightforward manner as you can.” “Allright. Spill ’em out, an’ I'll analyze an’ doctor ’em,” Bob replied, with a grin. ‘‘ I’m famous at answerin’ questions, when thar’s solid cash collatteral ahead.” “Yes. Money is quite an incentive. First l want to know whereabouts this New York Johuny stops?” “Danno. ‘Spect he sto ette’s, raost o’ ther time. thar, severii times,” - Where is Madam Fayette’s?” * Down on EKighth. street. “ Wuat kind of a place is it?” , yonee Milliner shop in front, female bar- ber-shop back, an’ boardin’-house Heerd say it’s nobby. Dunno what more.” “Humpb. All under the management of this about me, at Madam Fay- en him come out 0° Madain Fayette, eh?” “‘Spect so. Never was in it.” “ You must somehow contrive to get in it, and make a thorough reconnoissance, This New Yetk Johnny is suspected of having stolen © casket of diamonds and other jewels, recently, from an English lady, in New York, and as no place can be found where they have been ped, he may have them concealed, wherever 6 stays. Do you think you could somehow manage to go through the madam’s establish- ment “ Dunno. ‘Spect they don’t entertain boot- blacks, there; but if there’s enny virtue in cheek, Pll make a go of it. Know a gal who slings out fineries from behind ther counter there, an’ mebbe I can git up a boom wi’ her.” e Try it. Vil give you a hundred dollars if vou find the casket.” ‘‘ How big is it?—big’s a beer cask?’ “ Hardly,” Fox replied, smiling. ‘It is a small square box not much larger than an or- dinary collar box, is made of ebony, and baaeee with gold. Whois the girl you spoke ‘‘Oh! she’s Cora Castle, now, French milliner. Six months ago she used ter be Sally Toodles, pavement scrubber an’ supe fer an up-town manshion, but she had ese o’ tongue an’ lot’s e cheek, an’ riz Bes ’Stonishin’ how some folks will crawl frum lowly persitions ter ther pin- ah! perhep ba look through ¢ aps you can get a look th Madam o ’s establishment, by worki things right, then. Here are twenty-five dok lars, Use it for clothing and whatever you may e results,” And the detective handed several notes to the Boas King, which be pocketed with action, ‘Jota few pints to give you, since we're — and after trying your game, let me | i satis ee ee —_——— er re ee ee ae ee ee ards,” Bob said, scratching his head. ‘Ever eer of Judge Turnover?” « e mill-owner?” ** Yes—that’s him.’ Speen ie aR Py Is rich and miser- y “*Bet yer eysters on that! Tighter’n ther bug uv a live lobster, an’ got more money than "Lysses Grant.” ‘I believe that he used to be different,” Fox said. ‘I’ve heard that his wife ran away to Europe, years ag, taking her children with her, which the judge into a grim, miser- ly, unrelenting man.” ‘*Mebbe so. Well, this Turnover he’s feller superintendin’ his mill, called Mitchell. This Mitchell, an’ a gang of other are known to the médical | rofession as ot a ckey cha the Lifters’ League. They go an’ dig up bodies out o’ cemeteries, an’ sell ‘em to the doctors who want cadavers ter dissect, through an agent they call Patrick McFadden, undertaker an’ funeral isher. This McFadden keeps the ‘Morgue’ an’ furnishes the bodies ter physicians, when they want ’em.” “Well, well, this is an old New York dodge, I see,” the detective said, scratching his head. “Who are these other parties, connected with this man, Mitchell?’ ** One chap is McFadden, an’ another is called Franklyn. He’s Frothin’ham. Then there’s another called Beauvard, an’ Mitchell.” “JT know theman McFadden, and also Froth- ingham, alias New York Johnny,” the Ferret d. ‘*‘ Mitchell and Beauvard, however, are not down on my private Rogue’s Register.” ‘*“'*Spect Madam Fayette an’ Beauvard mebbe is the same,” Boss Bob said, with a grin. “I ken gineraliy smell er rat, ’specially if it bea furrin rat.” ; “Then you believe this French milliner to be i logene and connected with this band of ras- cals “Bet I do! Know sev’ril other os too, but they'll keep. Tell me w’at Ill do now, Foxy. [ll ’p’int ye as head chief o’ ther firm o’ Maloney, Nondescript and Fox, detectives. You'll stand ready to receive the p’ints and cases, as fast as 1 an’ Nondescript gathers ’em, an’ sell ’em fer solid cash collatteral. By that way, we can git up areg’lar Centenyal boom in bizness, allon our own hook. What d’ye say— we scare up the jobs an’ you take ’em, at par?’ “Very well. Go to work, and whatever suc- cess you may make, I will pay you for.” Boss Bob soon took leave of the detective, and jumping aboard a car, he rode back into the old city, leaving the car at Eighth and Market S : Seeing nothing of the Nondescript here (who had preceded him in leaving the Centennial grounds), Bob continued on down Market street to Sixth, where he stood for some time inspect- ing the outside lay of clothing of Wanama- ker’s great establishment. “Dunno whether I want black broadcloth, or sky-blue,” he muttered, shoving his hand in- to his breeches -pocket to see that his $25 was still there. ‘’ t ef I was to wear broad- cloth, folks’d take me fer Beecher, an’ ef I’d top off wi’ blue, they’d call me ’Lysses Grant, or Phil Sheridan, I'll sail in an’ buy out the hull establishment, an’ choose afterward.” uy von nice suit ‘** Hello, sonny. Want to e outside clerks. off clodings?” saluted one of _ “Sell ’em sheap.” “Oh! ot go soak ther Dutch from yer tongue,” the King of the Bootblacks replied. ‘“ Don’t 'spect I’m goin’ to buy any o’ ther duds thet these dummies hes bin wearin, do ye? Guess not! I’m comin’ ter buy ther ’stablish- ment outafter I dine. I’m Jay Gould, ye should know. Tra-la-loo!” And away the _ ggree strutted, his melodious + cnet ringing out in his one peculiar business “Black yer boots—make’m shine, Only costs ye half a dime.” Working his way back to Eighth street, be- tween jobs, he took that tho and con- tinued on in a northerly met ee er occa- or to inspect the tempting lay of shop ndows. He finally came to a (ey a pre- anewend tedity lncotemd rave taraidhing’ quote an rare of the feminine persuasion. “ Reckon this is Madam roe oe place,” the ee muttered, surveying fineries with a od. ‘* Allus kin tell a French milliner from er Yank, cause she hez a plaster o’ Paris bust o’ Rochambeau in ther windy. ‘Spect Cora Cas- now she'll take ter old tle’s in thar. Wonder Captain Ferret, the New York Det | friends, a ective. ms ——— anyhow? ’Spect she’ll deny she ever know’d me, like enough. That’s ther jigger wi’ oe, ls. Feed ’em on candy, and buy ’em You e Coligns an’ you're all hunky, till yer bank akkount is bu’sted—then luk out fer broom-han- dles, slop-buckets an’ scrub-brushes! "Spect I better goin an’ buzz Maddammorsel Cora, an’ see ef she’ll do ther high kink by me.” — With his blacking-kit ners hind his back he mounted the step, independently, and entered the millinery-shop. There were no customers present, but the pretty, saucy-looking Miss Castle stood behind the counter, her nimble, bejeweled fingers en- gaged in sorting over a batch of laces. She looked up with a faint frown of annoy- ance at Bob’s entrance, but the look turned to one of surprise as the Bootblack King approach- ed the counter and doffed his hat. ‘*Good-mornin’,” he said, assisting himself to a seat with the utmost indifference. ‘“ See’d you in heer, an’ thort I’d drop in, on account o’ old scores. Know me, don’t ye? ‘*No, I do not,” the girl replied, pepoeeding with her work, and not deigning him a secon glauce. ‘“‘My acquaintance, in Philadelphia, does not extend among the bootblacks.” ‘““Oh! et don’t eh? ‘Spect ye’re a furriner right over from France, ain’t ye?” Bob said sar- castically. ‘A feller could tell you was a hoss- eater by ther cut o’ yer jib. Spill us out a lit- tle genuine Rochambeau, now—fer instance, amour beau coup mais argent fait tout. Ha! ha! bet a one-legged salt-water clam ye ken’t tell what et means.” The gir] looked puzzled. “No, I do not,” she said. ‘It is not good French.” . “Yes it is—reglar old prime article, jest sech as all you hoss cannerbals use, every day. Tell ye w’at Vll do—I’'ll bet you ain’t no mad- ammorsell, no more’n I be, or Nondescript. Used ter know a gal by ther name o’ Sally Toodles, w’ot luked jest like you, ’cept she didn’t wear sech togs, ner French jewelry. Sally she otrisbidd> pavements fer a livin’, an’ I ’spect we’d eventooally hev cum tergether, but she slid off, an’ I lost track o’ her. An’ you’re Sally Toodles that waz—or I’m a cross-eyed eyster!” It was more of a conclusion than an in- ference, and Miss Castle flushed and colored. ‘* How dare you associate me with any of the vile creatures of the streets?’ she cried, with assumed indignation. “I would be greatly relieved if you would leave the store, you bootblack. ‘But 1 won’t swaller hints wuth a cent,” Boss Bob assured, coolly. ‘‘I never ’cept inver- tashions o’ thet kind, onless ther feller’s bigger’n I vege use 0” i up on ther magpie Oo er gnitary, y, fer ye cant squeeze srousd ther fact thet ye aire a Toodles, nohow. Castles aire a very fine thing ter shoulder, but Toodles wull hang by er person ther longest, ‘specially when ther male Toodles boards at oya, an’ ther female Toodles keeps a gin mill. Ha! ha!” ; The taunt caused neo girl to color again, and her eyes sna an . "You are ineolént,” the said. ‘It does not matter who I am, to you. ‘“Spect not, but then I allus like ter take fotergraffs,” Bob assured, with a smile. “‘’Ston- ishin’ how sum folks will climb the ladder o’ fortin’. Never ’spected ter see you riz so high. "Member ther time I put a lamberkin over a feller’s eye, cause he mistook his hg eset by tryin’ ter kiss you?—aw’ how [, after drivin’ o ther enemy, tried like a reglar Buffler Billiam ter kiss ye, myself, an’ got a scrub bucket crammed down over my head? ‘’Spect ye git big money, heer, Sally?” “Why will you persist in tormentin the girl cried. ‘‘If you do not let me shall have to call the madam.” : ‘*Call ber. Tell her thar’s a good-lukin’ fel- ler down heer who’s fell heir ter a big for- tin’, in Calerforny. Mebbe I an’ her kin strike er matrimonial trade.” ‘You got a fortune?’ the girl asked, incredu- lous!>. ‘On course I have,” Bob replied, important- ly, adding in under his breath, *‘ to get! “Then that makes a difference,” Miss Castle decided. ‘I do recognize you as Boss Bob, and will acknowledge that I was once Sally Toodles —but no loager so, however. What can I do for you, Bob one, I CHAPTER V. BOSS BOB’S BOLD VENTURE. Tae manner of the pry A Late Bh be 8 changed, now, and she put on her most winning emiles, which tickled Bob amazingly. JOO GOoOmic S me?’ : - (EO) then aad Lonel