Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 709 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 The Curbstone Detective. ‘‘-Ver head’s level there, Jake.” The speakers were a brace of boys who were comfortably seated on the curbstone of a New York side thoroughfare. The boxes beside them and their generally dilapidated attire indicated that their business was that of ‘* polish- ing the understanding” But both were well grown, and looked too old for their business, ‘Tm layin’ out my hooks,” continued Jake. ‘Had some ecbin music yesterday with the cap’n of a fishin’ smack down there on the East River. Reckon it’s goin’ to bea go. ‘I’m goin’ to be a jolly fisherman,’” he sung. ‘‘That’s prime,” rejoined Harry. “I ain’t got nothin’ laid. It’s all blue ahead. But, it’s a-comin’, Jake. I kin feel it in my bones,” ‘¢The blazes you kin! What kind o’ feelin’ is it? ’Tain’t nothin’ like toothache, or sick?” ‘‘ Yer needn’t be sniggerin’, It’s in my bones, I tell yer. Ye’d be kind o’ s’prised ter see a bi lump o’ gold tumble right down ’fore me, t reckon.” ‘“Maybe I mought, and maybe I moughn’t; but I guess we’d go snacks if it did.” ‘‘ Well, ’twon’t be a lump o’ gold: I tell you that aforehand. But my fortune’s comin’, fer allthat. An’ ’tain’t fur off, nuther. Did yer ever hear o’ second sight, Jake?” ‘‘Nary time. ’Tain’t nothin’ like them there eyeglasses, is it?” ‘‘Tt’s a kind of eyeglasses on ther brain, that let’s a feller see what’s a-comin’. I’ve got it. Ther’s somethin’ a-comin’.” ‘*’Tain’t a cop’s club, is it? Or three months in the lock-up fur playin’ Zip Coon?” Harry turned ,iv disgust from his unappreci- ative companion, and looked out moodily over the scene before him, The street wasa busy one, Carriages, drays, and business wagons, dashed or dragged to and fro. In the center fran a line of street cars, the well filled vehicles rushing by at frequent intervals. The pavement was well thronged with foot passengers, some hurrying as if life and death depended on a moment, others loitering as if their only business was to kill time. The pair of curbstone ‘ operators” seemed stranded in the midst of a great stream of buman life, which ebbed and flowed constantly around them. As Harry sat looking moodily into the street, an event was preparing in which he had a more vital interest than he dreamed of. That change in the tide of his life and fortune of which he had spoken was at hand. | A street-car dashed past, well filled with pas- senzers, From the door of a business-house near by a man ran, hurrying for this car as if it was the last for the day. He was an oldish person, portly in dimensions, dressed in sober and respectable black, and hard- ly the figure for such a wild dash, He was in- fected with the true New York spirit, to save the minutes whatever became of the hours. Harry’s eyes involuntarily followed him, He caught the car, seized the side-iron with a fran- tic clutch, and got bis foot on the stepaftera ade that almost broke his hold. Breathing ard, the old fellow entered the car and took his seat. Harry’s eyes had noted something else. ' The jerk he received had thrown from his pocket a eavy leather book, which fell to the ground un- noticed by bim., " imminy! there’s that lump o’ gold now!” ejaculated the boy, springing to his feet and darting hastily into the street. In e minute he had the wallet. The car had ained some twenty feet in advance, Harry ooked after it, and was about starting in pur- suit when a clutch upon bis arm stopped him, He turned hastily. There was Jake, looking at him with an avaricious glance. “Snacks!” he ejaculated. ‘*That was ther bargain. I want my sheer.” ** In what?” ‘‘ That there pocketbook.” ‘Why, you blamed blue-p’int eyster, that pocketbook ain’t yourn nor mive neither! Yer don’t s’pose ’'m no thief, Jake Brown? I ain’t made that way. It’s that old coon’s, and I’m goin’ ter take it to him, you bet.” This short conference had allowed the car to get half a block in advance. Harry broke loose from the grasp of his comrade and dashed along the street, threading his way in and out among the vehicles as only a genuine gamin can, ‘‘ Blame bis. derned picter!” growled Jake, “he’s too thuncerin’ honest! Mought ha’ wait- ed fer the reward, anyway. I bet bigh that old coon don’t guv him the price of a shiver.” In this last conjecture Jake was right, as Harry was destined to discover, —_-__--,- o> «- ——_-———r—n—m—“m———_ On 0 ISO 0 Oe SS SC rl ele SS :"_—_0ec"S SO ee ee -OC OO— . - NN eee —— EE The boy continued his pursuit of the car, tak- ing more than one risk of being knocked down by a passing vehicle, whose drivers bothered them- selves very little about the fate of a bootblack. The car bad gained a block and a half from the point of the loss before Harry overtook it, and sprung upon the ‘platform with the agility of a squirrel, Into the car he dashed, heedless of the dubious looks of the conductor. The loser of the wallet sat there in calm ignorance of his loss, intently engaged in studying some financial calculations upon a sheet of writing paper. His soul seemed absorbed in the making of money, “Say, mister, didn’t you lose somethin’?”’ ejaculated Harry, with what breath remained after his plunge, ‘* Lose something?” exclaimed the old gentle- man, looking up.. ‘‘ Have you lost your bead, boy?” ** No, nor I ain’t found yours: and I wouldn’t be much better off if I had,” retorted Harry. ** Tf you didn’t lose nothin’ then I didn’t find nothin’, that’s all,” The old man bastily thrust his hand into the breast pocket of his coat, and a sudden look of consternation came upon bis face, ‘*My pocketbook!” be exclaimed. gone! ave you got it, boy?” ‘*Thought ye didn’t lose nothin’, and [I lost mv head,” ‘*Hand it here, instantly!” cried the old fel- low, angrily. ‘* Well, yer needn’t git on yer ear "bout it; that’s what I’m yere for. I didn’t race this car ‘most two blocks to catch a butterfly.” Harry produced the wallet, which be bad hitherto held bebind him, as he spoke, The old man’s face, which bad been a combi- nation of fright and offended dignity, lightened up at this spectacle. With a quick snatch he jerked the wallet from Harry’s grasp, bis eyes, as he did so, having all the avaricious look of a miser. A quick scrutiny at the fat leatker receptacle convinced him that it was his, Tightly clutch- ing it with one band, he thrust the fingers of the other into his vest pocket, fished up a piece of money, and handed it to the waiting boy. “ Here, my lad. And I’m much obliged to you for your honesty.” Harry looked at the coin in his hand. It was a ten-cent piece! A change came over bis face. He held it up that all inthe car might observe oS 5 ae ‘*D’ye see that, folks? Ifthat’s guv for re- ward it’s a mighty little pertater out of a big patch,” A laugh in the car followed this speech. A look of anger came upon the old man’s face. ‘“* If it’s guv to pay me fur honesty it’s too big. Honesty don’t take no pay.” Turning to the old fellow,he flung the coin disdainfully into his lap, **Guess you'd best keep this, mister. It won't pay for a dinner at Delmonico’s, where I gen- erally grub. An’ you mougbt want it to pay for your next plate of poor-house soup.” A shout of laughter in the car intensified the anger which had been growing on tbe old man’s face, At this last thrust he rose ina fury and strove to grasp him by the collar. He might as well have tried to catch an eel. Harry darted back, pursued by the infuriated old man, who kicked at him viciously as he leaped from the car. ’ The boy’s spring brought him to the ground in aheap. A look of satisfaction came upon the old fellow’s face, as he saw the impudent boot- black thus stretched on the earth. He returned into the car, oblivious of the fact that he had failed to return the wallet to bis pocket. It had been held in his hand during the scene of excite- ment. It was no longer there! The old gentleman regained his seat, breath- ing heavily and perspiring freely from his exer- tion. He mopped his face with his bandkerchief, and fanned himself for a moment with it, while from all parts of the car looks of scorn and con- tempt were cast uporhim. Evidently all pres- ent took the boy’s part, The car had gone two or three blocks before he recovered sufficiently from his excitement and heat to regain his usual judgment, Then his hand traveled involuntarily to his pocket, to roe if the recovered wallet was safely there. He started as if he had been stung by a hornet, while his face grew fiery red. ‘* By all that’s devilish!” he exclaimed, ‘‘ it’s gone again!” | A roar of laughter burst from al] in the car at this. There was not one there who was not glad to see the old fellow overreached. lr nn ne enn ————eEeEeeeeeeeeeeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEEeEeEEE—————— ‘You had it in your hand when you ran afté the boy,” said a young man in the corner. ** He has got it again, and you’re the worst sold old Plutoin New York,” ‘** Stop the car, conductor! Stop the car!” The old fellow bustled back, and leaped from the car before it was half stopped, in conse- qnence of which he emulated Harry’s feat of measuring his length in the dust of the street. A renewed laugh greeted him as be scrambled to his feet and hurried away. Evidently he had not left much sympathy behind him. All this was lost on the old miser. Only one thought filled bis mind as heran at full speed down the street, jostling against many indignant individuals, The loss of his treasure was all he could think of. Reaching the point of the recent affray, as nearly as he could locate it, be looked with an eager and frightened air around bim, Harry was nowhere ‘visible. No traceof the wallet was to be seen. For a block or two he sought it, asking questions of all be met. It wasall in vain. No one had seen the affray. None had found the wallet. Noone bad noticed the boy. After half an hour.of fruitless labor the loser gave it up, and walked away with a dreadfull downcast countenance, He had played and los Meanwhile what bad become of the boy and the wallet? Let us see, When Harry scrambled to his feot, after bis involuntary roll upon mother earth, it was with no pleasant feelings toward bis assailant. ‘The money-grabbing old curmudgeon,” he grumbled. ‘‘ Blame his ugly pictur’!, I’ve most knocked my nose flat gettin’’way from him, Bat, my eyes, didn’t I'salt bim heavy! I don’t b’lieve there never was nobody madder, Poor- house soup! That was a good one!” He burst into a gleeful laugh, and clapped bis knees with satisfaction, As bedid so his laughter suddenly stopped, his form became rigid, his eyes opened wide as they fixed themselves upon a spot on the ground, ‘* Here’s larks!” he shouted, after a moment in this attitude. ‘My eyes, ain’t this rich? Kick me fur a rooster if the old bunks ain’t gone and lost his pocketbook ag?in!” He stopped and picked up the wallet, which lay on the ground below him. A carriage pass- ing at that moment forced Harry to seek shelter on the pavement, but he carried bis treasure with him. ‘Shall I chase the car ag’in? Ob, yes, I'll chase it!” be said satirically, as be thrust the wallet into bis pocket. ‘I told Jake Brown as my fortune was a-comin’ today: an’ it’s come, I ain’t goin’ ter steal the old chap’s money, nary time; but he ain’t goin’ ter git it back fur no ten cents, I’m goin’ to make him advertise fur it, blame him. And be’s got ter offer lively, too, ‘fore I fotch in the plunder. I wouldn’t do this to everybody, but that old bunch o’ bones wants to be teached a thing or two,” Harry walked away with a swagger, toward the point where he had left his box. On reach- ing there he discovered that it bad disappeared while that of Jake’s, a much inferior one, ha been left in its place. A look of anger came into the boy’s face. ‘‘He’s hooked my box!” be cried. ‘* That’s like Jake Brown! He's got the blood and bones of athief in his hide, Butif I don’t take the worth of my box out o’ his thievin’ carcass ’fore sundown youcan hang me up on a clothes-line to dry! 1 reckon Jake Brown don’t know how high a tree he’s a-climbin’. I was goin’ snacks with him, blame him! You bet he’s got to take bis sheer now in a lickin’,” } Harry was as good as his word. First secur- ing his treasure in a safe place, he spent the rest of the day in searching for panion. He found him at last, in an out of the way place cn the wharves, and kept his promise, Before sundown Jake Brown was a thoroughly whipped bootblack. Of the two be was rather the larger and stron- ger, but Harry had double the spirit, and was, besides, smarting under a sense of injury. In consequence Jake went home that night with sore bones and an aching conscience, CHAPTER II. HONESTY THE BEST POLICY. Our story next leads us to the interior of a large, but dilapidated brick Luilding, on the East River side of New York, the residence of numerous families, who herded in here much too closely for health and comfort. Ina small and very sparsely-furnished room on an upper floor of this building sat Harry Hale, the youthful bootblack whom we have recently introduced toour readers. He was evi- dently at home here, for his coat was off and he ‘ m his thievish com-’ ~ — SO