Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 209 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

he aed | ux) Mw A a. Ee, off l ever get rich i viil send you somedings to ' serve the purpose of passenger-stations along ¢ took a cabinet photo of a buxom negress, and /mapy of our railroads, with but one waiting 7 |! remember ine by,” Fritz left the Shrimp homestead that very | afternoon. He was only too glad to be given his freedom, for bis life had been ncne too easy there, and he was ambitious to make sometbing for and of Limself, He had no clothing to carry, but in a little carpet-sack he bad some apparatus which ap- pertained to certain little tricks im _ parlor magic, in which by natural gift he was an adept. Caroline had also hunted him up a servicea- ble pair of shoes, so that he need not start out bur efcoted. Lotta, who had always been bis firm friend, and had taken sides with bim, was the only one to foliow him to the gate. ** Fritz,” she said, *‘1 Late to see you go, but am well satisfied you will find it easier else. where than here. But I am determined you shall pot go on foot. Here is my pocketbook, containing the money I have earned. Take it as a gift from me, and purchase you a ticket for Philadelphia. When you get there, you will still have some money left. With it you ean obtain board and lodging until you can find employment; then, when you get to doing well, you can send it back to me, and no one will be the wiser for it.” ‘* But, Miss Lotta, you vas not afraid to drust me? Maybe I get sick und kick ofer der bucket—vot den?’ ‘‘Pshaw! don't have such a thought. | I an- ticipate a bright future for you, and know you'll be honest enough to send it back.” ‘Und you bet I vill, off I nefer do vone older ting in der vorld. Good py, Miss Lotta! You vas alvays kind mit Fritz, und he'll nefer forget you,” And with tears in his eyes, the big hearted German lad raised to his lips the lily hand that had felt for him in giving him the money; then turned and strode down the winding country road—the avenue that took him hence into a strange, active and exciting life. CHAPTER II, _ FRITZ IN FUN. Or his parentage Friiz had no knowledge. His first recollection was of being under the charge of a hard-hearted, unscrupulous old Jew pack-peddler named Hyman, with whom he had traveled about the country until five years before, when Hyman had madea bargain with Mrs. Shrimp to take the crude German Jewish boy and train him up in the way all Americans go, As betore stated, Fritz’s term of bondage bad been anything but pleasant at the farm, and he had ideas of Lis own that he would like to go back to Philadelphia, which was the home of Hyman, by the way, and make an at- tempt to start in the world for himself. In what way be should be able to do this, he had had no clear conception until Lotta’s friendly gift of the money; but now, as he trudged along down the old turapiked road to- ward the station, bright visions of prosperity loomed up before him, He would purcbase some trinkets and jew- elry, if pothing more, and start out peddling, until he could get something better to do. On his way to the station, he counted over the money Lotta bad so kindly loaned him, and round that there was forty dollars and fifty cents, ‘Dot ish a pile,’ he soliloquized, thougbt- fully. “I get a ride from here to Philadel- phia, and stardt into pizness, right avay off! Byme-by, ven, I get rich und spruced up like ash der odder nabobs, vid a white duck suit und diamond pin—den I coome pack und see Miss Lotta. Off der old vomau pe dead, den may be | marry her—nefer, unless she is dead. Too much strap flyin’ apoud der bremises. He soon reached the station, Waverley was a pretty little town, and hav- ing been there often on errands, Fritz soon fonud the depot. 'to enter the waiting room and purchase his | ed in grabbing his | Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective, 8 ' . 7 ---—— - a It was acommon wooden structure, such as | And from the hat, to all appearances, he ield it up to view, The yell of Jaughter that followed caused the drummer to use language more irreverent than polite, as he leaped forward and sueceed- offending bat, from the room, for both ladies and gentlemen. The train had not yet arrived which was to take Fritz to Philadelphia, but he made haste ticket. The room was comfortably filled with peo- ple who were waiting for the train, and the | keen eye of Fritz 1an over the assemblage, while he was puti\ing away his purse in an inner pocket, where he calculated it would not be easily rcached by thieves. young magician, “What infernal trickery is this?’ he de manded on gazing into the head-covering and beholding nothing there. ‘‘ What do you mean, | you Dutch blunderkead?” “Oh! noddinks! noddinks! I vas simply showin’ you how easy der smart snob can be Most noticeable, among others, were three | foolished,” Fritz answered, parties—one, a young woman who was en- The locomotive whistle now scunded, and deavoring to feed a fretful baby from a bottle; | put a stop to any further fun for the awaiting the others, two foppishly dressed young men, | passengers, with waxed mustaches and glossy silk hats, The crestfallen dandy and his companion and clothing immaculate, made a hurried exit, and were the first to get Judging by their appearance Fritz set them | aboard the cars, down as commercial drummers. He had Fritz, with bis sack in hand, awaited for the studied the peculiarities of men of their ilk | other passengers to get aboard, and while thus frequently, while out peddling with Moses | detained, noticed that the woman of the squall- Hyman, and at once recognized the calling of | ing infant had forgotten the baby’s bottle, these two, which lay upon the seat near where she bad They in turn seemed to consider him an ob | sat. ject of curiosity, for they at once began to It instantly occurred to Fritz that he eould poke fun at him, have some fun with the bottle, and he accord- “ Hello, Dutchy — going to N. Y.?” the | ingly slipped it into his pocket—for, aside from youngest saluted, sarcastically, being an expert magician, he was a ventrilo- ‘‘No, he is going to Phil., to embark inthe | quist of no mean order, Though nature had mercantile biz,” the other chimedin. ‘‘ Don’t | made made him stout and clumsy, she had you see the cut of his cloth—a walking tailor, | certainly endowed him with two valuable gifts. eb, Hans?” Boarding the train, Fritz was lucky enough ‘‘No tailor about him,” retorted the first | to find a seat just in front of the woman of the drummer. ‘“ He owns a jewelry shop with | squalling babe. three balls in front, on Chestnut!” Across the aisle from Fritz sat an elderly “T’ll bet we’re both wrong. That mouth | party whom the young traveler at once set indicates that he’s a pretzel manufacturer,” de- | down as acrusty old bachelor—for he wore clared the elder; then they both laughed | goggles, read the New York Tribune, and ap- heartily. peared of a very nervous temperament, as he Fritz colored a little, at first, but quickly re- | cast numerous frowns iu the directlon of the gained bis composure, fretting infant. “You dcn'd vas neider off you right,” he ‘*Dot is my game,” Fritz quietly muttered. said, quietly; ‘‘I vas engaged in der occupa- | ‘‘He pe sour vinegar, yoost like old vimmena tion of minding mine own pizness.” Shrimp, und 1 haff some fun mit him.” An expression of approval ran over the To do this be must wait until the lady with faces of those assembled, showing that their | the baby should discover the loss of the bottle, sympathies were not with the drummers, which occurred just as the train had stopped ‘‘Humph! the modern Dunderbuss ain’t so | for a twenty-minute halt at Pittston, where a slow, after all,” remarked one of the drum. | few of the passengers left the car, Iritz, the mers. ‘‘I say, my German Satan, what have | Jady and the bachelor retaining their seats, you got in your grip-sack?”’ **Oh! dear, what has become of baby’s bot- ‘“Dot’s my business; I carry my stock in | tle?” queried the lady, searching about among trade mit my sacbel, but you carry yours in | her bundles, ‘I do believe I left it in the your hat, I see.”’ station house at Waverley.” ‘*Ha! ha! what an idea! Here, you sauer- ‘That is too bad,” an elderly lady said, in kraut, what can you find in that hat?’ the | the next seat back, ‘ Perhaps some one has commercial man cried, taking off his plug and | stolen it?’ handing it to Fritz. She was one of the ignorant traveling class, Fritz took the hat, a merry twinkle in his | who regards every person as a blackleg and little black eyes, pickpocket, “ Vy, der ish lots init,” he said, fumbling ‘* Who could be so hard up as to appropriate about in the bottom of the hat, ‘In der first | sucha trifling affair?’ the lady asked, in sur- place, I suppose you vil give me all I find, der | prise. live stock excepted?” ‘*Oh! there’s a great many up to such mean ‘Yves, you are welcome to all you find cx- | little tricks, nowadays, I te!l you—it won’t do copt the hat and its liniag,” the drummer re- | to over-trust any one,” plied, beginning to feel alittle uncomfortable, | ‘* Very trae!” a pious, ministerial looking man for all eyes were turned in curiosity upon him | justin front of the bachelor seemed to say. and the ypung Dutchman, ‘*T can tell you where your bottle is, ma’am— * Vel, den Vl haff enough to start in mit | this man with the newspaper and goggles has der junk bizness, ven I get to Philadelphia,” | it!” Fritzannoguuced, withagrin, ‘Hello! vot ish “Thav’s a thunderin’ lie!” roared the bache- dot?” lor, leap. ag to his feet, And to the astonishment of all, he drewa, And he shook his fist very close to the nose pair of lady’s stockings from the bat, and held | of the pious-looking party, who stared in as- tuem up in full view of the audience, | tonishmeni. A roar of laughter was the verdict from all | ‘' You’re another!’ was the retert which but the drummer, whos vore roundly, Fritz, of course, was responsible for, ‘* You've. ‘Let me have my hat! Who in the devil got the suckin’-bottle in your hat, and you put those stockings in it?” he cricd, half be- | can’t deny it, I saw you conceal it there,” side himself with chagrin and rage, | “Did you? did you?’ the bachelor yelled, * Don’d pe in so mooch hurry,” Fritz return- | fairly dancing with rage... ‘‘Oh! you slan- ed, keeping the hat, “It is no uncommon oc- | derer, Vil learn you how to mind your busi- currence dot a feller vants to carry a keepsake | ness,” and he was about to deal the avtonished vid bim, off his traulein. Maybe ve find who party a blow in the face, when Fritz sprung der socks belongs to,” and he went on fum- | forward, and caught his arm, bling the plug. “ Ab! yes—here ve got der “Stop avile,” be said. ‘* Let melook in your photograti off der owner of der hose!” hat; perhaps der odder fellow is right!” — A LLL lconicoook