Detective Bob Bridger — page 213: what you’re looking at

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

206 DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. » “Yes.” ‘‘One as knows.” “One of the ‘trippers’ that took you off on the rail ?” “No. Do you think I’d take such information from a ‘fly cop?? Not much! But I see your knees is gittin’ a little weak, Jack, and so I'll illustrate the business by tellin’ you a little story. You all know Dutch Hen, that’s tendin’ bar to-night for Ted ?” ‘‘Of course.” ~~ “Well, five years ago, Dutch Hen married a girl—do you _ know that?” “ Certainly.” “Well, she was awful jealous of Hen. But she had no reason, for he loved the very cobble-stones she set her number twelves on. However, she was jealous, and a woman’s a woman at all times and forever as near as 1 can find out. Well, all run on so-so, till Hen was married a trifle over four years. Somehow or other they had thena pretty, rosy bit of a servant-maid lookin’ after the three- year old baby, and it seems that one day when his wife was out Hen came in, and, after huggin’ and kissin’ the baby, wound up by kissin’ Sarah, the maid. He didn’t mean no harm though, for he loved and respected his wife, even if he was a bartender. However, after a while, when the wife came in and took the little prattling boy onto her lap, what does the little cuss do, but, lookin’ first cunningly at Sarah and then at Hen, says he: “*Dot somefin’ for to tell 00, mamma.’ “Now, mind you, if the little rascal had done or said no more the thing was already out of the bag, for both Sarah’s and Hen’s faces were as red as fire, and the wife’s eyes - were just a-shootin’ out daggers at the two of them. Hen grabbed up the basket the wife had brought in, and jerked out of it a couple of oranges and a package of candy that were lyin’ on top of the groceries. Butit was no go. For as he tried to divert the little villain’s mind by crammin’ the stuff into his hands, that only convinced the wife all the more that Hen was a guilty man. ‘“*“What has oo dot to tell mamma?’ asked the wife. ‘‘The little scoundrel’s eyes glistened, and he pulled his mamma’s head close to his lips, and eyed the trembling victims near in glory. In vain did Hen pull out his knife and make all sorts of hideous faces behind his wife’s back at him. “*Papa tissed Sarah!’ said the little imp, and then he roared in baby laughter. * comicbooks