WHISTLING JOE. 
Ul 
tlie corner. " Agreed," said Joe ; " here's the money, and 
there's the bullet. Now load the gun, and come on." The 
gun was quickly charged, and out they went into a neigh- 
bouring field, where Joe paced a hundred steps ; then taking 
his station with his legs astride to steady his reeling carcass, 
and waving his hat above his head, he called upon the man 
to fire. The malicious scoundrel took a deliberate aim and 
fired, and so nearly did he hit his mark, that the ball 
ploughed up the ground as it passed through Joe's legs. 
^^Now," roared Joe, " the dog's mine 3" and so the matter 
€nded. 
At any time, when " Whistling Joe" fell short of money, 
or was hungry from an over-night's debauch, he would 
prepare some sermulots, and broil them on the gridiron for 
his dinner. This I am most credibly informed was a 
common occurrence in the taproom of a tavern, where, 
with buttered sermulots, a loaf, and a tankard of ale, 
he would enjoy himself with all the satisfaction that an 
alderman does his turtle, &c., at a city feed ; and such was 
the apparent relish with which he ate them, that frequently 
the lookers-on have asked him for a taste ; and on being 
.supplied with a leg or shoulder, they have declared them to 
be very nice eating. " Nice eating," Joe would say, " to be 
sure they are. Why shouldn't they be ? For what animals 
are cleaner or feed nicer than they do ? The truth is, one- 
lialf the world are fools, an' don't know what's good." This 
denunciation was always followed by a satisfactory swig at 
the ale. 
As to the underground rats in towns and cities, " Whistling 
Joe" was of opinion, that although they may injure the 
masonry, or rather brickwork, of the drains and sewers ; 
still, if human life be of more value than bricks and mortar, 
let them, said he, preserve the one and repair the other. 
At the same time, let the authorities beware how they 
allow sewer-rats to be maltreated ; for until permanent 
plans can be devised whereby the drains and sewers shall be 
■continually cleansed by sudden flushes and rushes of water, 
they will find the rat to be that subterranean friend that 
saves them from periodical plagues, the result of deadly 
gases arising out of the putrefaction of animal and vegetable 
matter. But in the event of success in flushing, then comes 
