Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1888 — HIGGIN'S CONVERT. [ARTICLE]

HIGGIN'S CONVERT.

Detroit Free Press. Hiram Higgins was a very good fellow and he quite acceptably filled the office of clerk in a dingy den in the city. He was a great theorist, was Hiram, and although he was a model clerk and very deferential to old Skinner, the head of the firm, he did not think that thia world was at all well managed. He Was a Socialist and one of the chief spokesmen of their meetings. He even spoke at the out-door gatherings on the London streets on Sundays and his one obj< ct in life was the making of converts to his theories. He sometimes held animated discussions ou Socialism in the third-class compartments in which he came aud went to his place of daily drudgery; when he could find listeners. Ooc evening on his way home he got into the usual argument and quite demolished all that was brought up against his theory. He thought the wealth of this country shou d be divided up. Why should any man come to the office in the city at ten and leave at four and have 10 000 pounds a year while he worked hard at his desk from nine to six for only two pounds a week? He had old Skinner in his mind, although he mentioned no names. On one listener only did he srem to make any impression. He was evidently one of the unemployed who was in hard luck. His clothing wag lagged and bad, and it was quite plain that he was ready for the. great divide whenever Mr. Riggins or any one else could bring it along. He interrupted Higgins’ talk with such remarks as “’Ear, ’Ear,” ‘'Bloomin’ right ye are,” “Neverspoke a truer word than that,” “Steve ’em bloomin’ well,” “Right, says I,” etc., etc. One by one Higgins’ auditors got out at their different stations, until Higgins and his convert were left alone. “I’m werry much oblig’d to ye, I am,” he remarked, “fur the way ye laid into them blokes. I get off at the next stop. I’d like to hear the end o’ that argy’ment, I would. Perhaps ye wouldn’t come jrith a pore man to his digging and have a sap o’ bitters? I like to ’ear ye talk, I do.” “Well,”said Hiram, much flattered, “I wouldn’t mind a pint of bitter, with • friend. Although we have only known each other less than half an hour, yet I think we may call each 'other friends. All the world should be friends.” “Right ye are, ray mate, and ’ere we are.”

They got out and walked together in the direction the convert indicated. Higgins gave himself entirely up to his guidance, while he himself talked unceasingly and found his traveling companion a good listener. “And arn’t ye ashamed to be seen a walking along the streets with a seedy bloke like me, mate? An’ you a nice dressed gentleman.” “I’m no gentleman, my friend,” said Higgins, “and I am Drop 1 to be seen with yop. I work hard for what I get, and little enough it is, I can tell yeu.” “Too bloomin’ little, says J,” replied the convert; “but think on a pore bloke like me, *oo earn’t find no work to do.” “It’s hard,” sighed Hiram, “very hard.” “But it does me good, it does, to ’ear a gent like you argify.” “I’m glad to hear yon say that. I like to meet inquiring minds. And, by the way, I’m going to speak at the open air meeting next Sunday in Hammersmith. I would like to have you come.” “I’ll come. I like open air meetings, I dneg” □ The two had walked along through a mass of disreputable lanes and narrow streets until they were near river. Here they turned into a “no thoroughfare” and from that into a court and then up a dark stairway. - ——- “Mind yer feet,” sa : d the convert as he led the way, “thia ’ere blooming stair’s bad, it is.” They entered a small dark room near the top and-Higgins could see that the ’WfiHW looEa 6TOr "tta river. “I’ll strike a glim,” said tne convert, and he lit * bit of sputtering candle

that showeffdimly a broken-backed chair and a rough table, on which stood an emptv beer mug and the remains of some bread and cheese on a cracked plate. \ “Sit down there," said the convert, and Higgins sat down. The convert put the candle down on the table and glared across at his guest “Now,” he began, “talkin’s your lay an’ workin's mine. What you’re a talkin’ of Ibe a practicin’ of. An’ what’s the odds? Where’s the difference? They puts the irons on me an’ puts me in quod, they does.” “Have you been put in jail?” cried Higgins, indignantly. “Why didn’t ybu let the secretary know and we would have helped you with the (and.”

“No, you wouldn't; cause why? You as does the talkin’ looks down on us as does the practicin’." “Oh, not at all," cned Higgins. “I assure you that ” “But I says ye does, I do. Now, some blokes has One argiment an’ some has another. Talk’s yours; here’s mine.” The convert took from his pocket a short implement loaded with lead at the end, and with this he rapped ominously on the table. “You argify an’ a man answers ye. I give him one on his nob an’ ’e never Bays a word back, ’e don’t You says we’re brothers an’ so says I. Now brother, I says di wide." “WKatVtfiitf”

“I Said diwide, I said. Why should you have a watch .when I ain’t got none? Why should you have good duds when I ain’t got none? You works for ’em, eh? I says ‘Bah.’ An’ what’s more, 1 says diwide.” “I don’t understand you.” “Then your 'ed’s thick, says I. Come; off with that coat and put it on this ’ere table.” The convert rapped again with his bludgeon and Higgins took off his coat. “Now, my mate, off goes my coat. Now off with that’ere veekut Leave that ’ere watch where it is. Now oil goes my veskut Now off with the rest,” “Then you are a thief,” said Higgins. “Some of ’em calls it that—some calls itdiwidin’.” While Higgins was forced to put on the discarded apparel of the convert the other quickly got into the clothes of the Socialist. He putehis hands in his new pockets and counted with great satisfaction 1 pound, 8 shillings, 7 pence. “I’ll call the police,” said the indignant Riggings as he looked at himself in the tattered garments of the con vert.

“Ob, will ye?” cried he other. “Now you call.” He went to the window and thew it up. “Call, an’ per’apa that bargeman on the other side will ’ear ye an’ per’aps ’e won’t. Then I gives ye one on the nob and down you goes into the water. They picks ye up down Grihnage way an’ there ain't no papers to iden’ify ye. Then they buries ye sommers. Are ye goin’ to call the police? fur the night air’s bad an’ I don’t want to keep the winder open.” “No,” murmured Higgins, “I will not call.” “Jess as you please, - mate. Now we goes down together. We walks alone respectable like. You open your guggle, an’ that minit you gets one on the ’nob. De’ yer ’ear?” “I hear.” “Will ye do it?” “I will not speak if you will let me get safely out of this.” “Werry good, mate, werry good. 1 ” The convert walked him down the stairs and out into the court, hurrying him along so that he could not recogn zs the place if he felt inclined afterwards to “Split on a mate,” as that gentleman phtih Having thoroughly mixed him up in the matter of locality the thief suddenly darted down a dark lane, and that was the last Mr. Higgins ever saw of his convert. * Mr. Hiram Higgins did not speak it the open air meeting in Hammersmith the next Sunday.