re overheard Scrabblegrab askin'
Curly what he thort his mother'd say ef she knew he was makin' his money
that way? The boy took on wuss an' wuss, an' now he's vamosed. Don't
b'lieve me ef yer don't want ter, fellers--here's the judge hisself."

The judge briskly advanced his spectacles, which had gained him his
title, and said:

"True ez gospel; and when I asked him ef he wasn't ashamed of himself
fur takin' away the boy's comfort, he said No, an' that I'd be a more
decent man ef I'd give up keards myself."

"He's alive yit!" said the first speaker, in a tone half of inquiry and
half of reproof.

"I know it," said the judge, hastening to explain. "I'd lent my
pepperbox to Mose when he went to 'Frisco, an' the old man's too little
fur a man uv my size to hit."

The judge looked anxiously about until he felt assured his explanation
had been generally accepted. Then he continued:

"What's he good fur, anyhow? He can't sing a song, except somethin'
about 'Tejus an' tasteless hours,' that nobody ever heard before, an'
don't want to agin; he don't drink, he don't play keards, he don't even
cuss when he tumbles into the river. Ev'ry man's got his p'ints, an' ef
he hain't got no good uns, he's sure to have bad uns. Ef he'd only show
'em out, there might be somethin' honest about it; but when a feller
jist eats an' sleeps an' works, an' never shows any uv the tastes uv a
gentleman, ther's somethin' wrong."

"I don't wish him any harm," said a tall, good-natured fellow, who
succeeded the judge; "but the feller's looks is agin the reputation uv
the place. In a camp like this here one, whar society's first-class--no
greasers nur pigtails nur loafers--it ain't the thing to hev anybody
around that looks like a corkscrew that's been fed on green apples and
watered with vinegar--it's discouragin' to gentlemen that might hev a
notion of stakin' a claim, fur the sake uv enjoyin' our social
advantages."

"N-none uv yer hev got to the wust uv it yit," remarked another. "The
old cuss is too fond uv his dust. Billy Banks seen him a-buyin' pork up
to the store, an' he handled his pouch ez ef 'twas eggs instid of gold
dust--poured it out as keerful ez yer please, an' even scraped up a
little bit he spilt. Now, when I wuz a little rat, an' went to
Sunday-school, they used to keep a-waggin' at me 'bout evil
communication a-corruptin' o' good manners. That's what _he'll_ do--fust
thing yer know, _other_ fellers'll begin to be stingy, a