"I remember you very well," said the Judge. "You are my Excuse for
buying the Paper. While the Kids are busy with you, I look up Packey
McFarland and One-Round Hogan."
Just as the Celebrated Juvenile hit the Fresh Air the second Defendant
came into The Dock, taking long sneaky Strides and undulating like a
Roller Coaster. She was a tall Gal and very Pale, with Belladonna
Optics and her Hair shook out and a fine rhythmical Bellows Movement
above the Belt Line.
"She is a raving Beetle," explained the Prosecutor. "She wants to go
out doors every Night and count the Moon and pull some of that shine
Magazine Poetry. Every time she sees anybody named Eric or Geoffrey
she does a Swoon, accompanied by the customary Low Cry, and later on,
in her own Boudoir, which is Richly Furnished, she bursts into a
Torrent of Weeping. If you start her on a Conversation about Griddle
Cakes she will wind up by giving a Diagnosis of Soul-Hunger. She is
a Candidate for Padded Cell No. 1 in the big Foolish House. If she
continues at Large she may accidentally marry some poor misguided
Clarence, and then, if there are any Children, the Neighbors will
have to take care of them."
"Do you not recognize me?" asked the Prisoner in low musical Tones,
fixing a passionate Gaze on the Court. "I am the Heroine of a Best
Seller. If I did not have these large Porcelain Orbs and the Bosom
heaving in Rag Time and the Hair swirling in Glorious Profusion, do you
suppose that a Member of the Upsilon Pajama Sorority would sit up
until 1 A. M. with Me and a Bottle of Queen Olives and a Box of Chocs?
If I made up like an ordinary Sadie and talked Straight Stuff, do you
think I could last through Ten Editions? I may not be Human, but I
can raise the Temperature of every Flathead from Bangor to San Antone."
"You are dead right," said the Court. "We couldn't keep house without
you."
So she proceeded to exit, sneeringly, her Garments rustling and a faint
Aroma of Violets lingering in her Wake, just as it does in the Red Book
that sells for $1.50.
The next Prisoner was a big handsome Buck with his Clothes recently
pressed and many Gloves.
"I want a Life Sentence for this Guy," said the learned Prosecutor.
"He is so crooked that a Straight Edge would cut him in a thousand
places. He would bite an Ear-Ring off of a Debutante or blow open a
Family Vault to unscrew the Handles from the Casket containing Father.
He promotes phoney Corporations and sells Florida Orange Groves that
have Crocodiles swimming around on top of them. He is a prize Bunk,
a two-handed Grafter, a Short-Change Artist and a Broadway Wolf. Slip
him the Limit."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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