umble.

All the Bookies, Barkeeps, Bruisers, and the Boys sitting on the
Moonlight Rattlers knew him by his First Name and had him tagged as a
Producer and a Helva Nice Fellow.

Steve heard vague Rumors that certain Stiffs who hurried home before
Midnight and wore White Mufflers, were trying to put the Town on the
Fritz and Can all the Live Ones, but he did not dream that a Mug who
went around in Goloshes and drank Root Beer could put anything across
with the Main Swivel over at the Hall.

O, the Rude Awakening!

One day he was in a Pool Room working on the Form Sheet with about 150
other Students and getting ready to back Sazerack off the Boards in the
Third at Guttenberg, when some Blue Wagons backed up and Steve told the
Desk Sergeant, a few Minutes later, that his Name was Andrew Jackson.

Next Day he had a Wire from a Trainer but when he went to the old
familiar Joint, the Plain Clothes Men gave him the Sign to Beat it and
he turned away, throbbing with Indignation.

The down-town Books were being raided but the Angoras kept on galloping
at the Track, so he rode out on the Train every day in order to
preserve his Rights as a free-born American.

One Day just as he was Peeling from his Roll in front of the Kentucky
Club, in order to grab Gertie Glue at 8 to 5, Lightning struck the
Paddock and laid out the entire Works.

When the Touts and the Sheet-Writers and the Sure-Thingers came to and
began to ask Questions, it was discovered that the Yap Legislature had
killed the Racing Game and ordered all the Regulars to go to Work.

Steve went back to Town in a dazed Condition to hunt up the Gang and
find out what could be done to put out the Fire.

When he arrived at the Hang-Out there was a Flag at Half-Mast. The
Roost had been nailed up for keeping open after Eleven o'Clock!

A few Evenings after that he sauntered up to a large Frame Building to
look at a couple of Boys who had promised to make 135 Ringside.

A Cannon was planted at the Main Chute and the Street was filled with
Department Store Employees disguised as Soldiers.

Nothing doing.

The Governor had called out the Militia in order to prevent a Blot
being put upon the Fair Name of the Commonwealth.

With the Selling-Platers turned out to Pasture, the Brace-Box and the
Pinch Wheel lying in the Basement at Central Station, the Pugs going
back to the Foundry and all the Street Lamps being taken in at
Midnight, no wonder Steve was hard pushed to