{"id":528,"date":"2023-08-04T10:15:21","date_gmt":"2023-08-04T14:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/?p=528"},"modified":"2023-08-04T10:15:25","modified_gmt":"2023-08-04T14:15:25","slug":"the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/","title":{"rendered":"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Some years ago a sport called McCormick kept a flourishin\u2019 faro bank in West Twenty-seventh street, and he had an iron dog in front of his door, a large, handsome iron dog, elaborately painted, which served at once as an ornament and a sort of a sign. Strangers in town got to know the place by the dog in front of it. There used to be a joke goin\u2019 round, \u201cbeware of the dog,\u201d and chaff of that kind. Altogether, in its way that iron dog was a kind of local Institution. It so happened that a retired tradesman, a deacon of a church, lived two or three doors from McCormick\u2019s gamin\u2019 house. He had two maiden sisters, ugly lookin\u2019, prim, but really tender-hearted old maids, who, havin\u2019 no men of their own to look after, considered it their mission to look after the moral and spiritual condition of the friendless young men of the metropolis. The deacon and especially his sisters, were interested in various schemes for suppressin\u2019 theatres, and abolishin\u2019 the use of whiskey and tobacco, and other easy and practical (?) undertakin\u2019s, and it can be readily understood with what horror they regarded the proximity of the gamin\u2019 house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Well, one New Year’s eve, some of the rollickin\u2019 members of the Blossom Club, embracing among other kindred spirits Sheridan Shook, Sol Sayles, Tommy Lynch, Ned Gilmore and Foster Dewey\u2013who were always ready for a lark\u2013at about eleven o\u2019clock happened to pass McCormick’s place. Here an idea struck \u2018em, and struck \u2018em hard. I think it was either Tommy Lynch or Ned Gilmore proposed it, but at any rate it was seconded at once, carried unanimously, and went into effect immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Rushin\u2019 up the steps quickly but cautiously, they removed the iron dog from his familiar post, and transferred his dogship to the front of the irascible deacon\u2019s door and left him there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      That evenin\u2019 there were two countrymen in town, two farmers, brothers from Central New York somewheres, who had been seeing the sights, and who, of course, wanted to \u201cbuck against the tiger.\u201d They had been told about McCormick’s place, and had been posted about recognizing it by the iron dog in front thereof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      About fifteen minutes to twelve or so, the two brothers, havin\u2019 put in the early part of the night at a theatre, determined to put in the balance at the faro bank, and sought out McCormick’s, and found it, or at least the iron dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Recognizin\u2019 the much talked of sign, the brothers confidently walked up the steps like men who had their passports in their pocketbooks, and pulled the bell. They were admitted readily enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      That evenin\u2019 bein\u2019 New Year’s eve, the good sisters, altho\u2019 their brother, the deacon, didn’t favor the scheme, had conceived the notion of holdin\u2019 an \u201cold fashioned\u201d watch-meetin\u2019, to pray the old year out and the new year in, as is sometimes even now done in the churches. The good ladies had accordingly invited not only some of their own friends, but had distributed some invitations at several \u201cmissions\u201d or \u201chomes\u201d for young men, and it was thought, naturally enough, at first, that the two farmers, who looked like the strangers and countrymen they were, and who were both young, had come in response to these invitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They were therefore admitted and shown into the plainly furnished parlor, where they found a number of serious-lookin\u2019 men and women assembled\u2013sittin\u2019 in silence\u2013solemn, unbroken silence, it having just been proposed by some \u201cbrother\u201d that the last fifteen minutes of the old year should be devoted to silent meditation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A faro bank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Awed and amazed by this stillness, the two countrymen sat down and stared stupidly around \u2018em. Anythin\u2019 more different from their preconceived notions of a faro bank could not possibly be imagined than the scene now and here presented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Where was the supper? Where was the layout? Where were the faro table and the roulette wheel? Where were the attendants and where was the dealer? Above all, what on earth were these women doin\u2019 here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The last question bothered the countrymen most of all. At last, the elder of the brothers solved it, to his own satisfaction at least. He had read in some paper about a gamblin\u2019 house run by women in New York. They had happened to hit upon this identical place\u2013so the elder brother assured the younger in a whisper. Yet certainly the two maiden sisters of the deacon looked as unlike boss gamblers of either sex as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      It was all a mystery and a conundrum, and the two countrymen wrestled with it till the clock in the hall struck twelve, and the rest of the assembled company rose, and shakin\u2019 each other by the hands, exchanged the compliments of the new year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The younger of the two maiden sisters, seein\u2019 the countrymen standin\u2019 in a corner, came up to \u2018em, and extendin\u2019 a hand to each, said, pleasantly, \u201cA happy New Year to you, also.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cThank you kindly, ma’am,\u201dstammered out one of the farmers; \u201csame to you\u2013but\u2013but\u2013\u201d And here he broke down. \u201cMy brother,\u201d said the other farmer, \u201cmeant to say that he’s very much obliged to you, to be sure; but\u2013but when do you open your game?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cOpen our game?\u201d repeated the good lady, in bewilderment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cYes, ma’am\u2013your game,\u201d said the farmer, gettin\u2019 nettled. \u201cMy brother and I ain’t very fine to look at, maybe, like the city chaps you are accustomed to see in such a place as this\u2013\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201c\u2018Such a place as this\u2019!\u201d interrupted the lady, rollin\u2019 up her eyes and bridlin\u2019 up, but the countryman continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cWe’ve got the stuff, though,\u201d producin\u2019 a well-filled wallet and displayin\u2019 a roll of bills, \u201cand we are ready to win more, or lose it all\u2013accordin\u2019 as the keards shall determine; but we want a squar\u2019 game, ma\u2019me. Neither my brother or me will stand any of your skin games, will we, Sam?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Sam shook his head vigorously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cCards!\u201d cried the horrified old lady, lookin\u2019 as if she was ready to fall on the floor, as she really was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cYes, \u2018cards\u2019–if you are so particular about the word. Why, one would think you never heard of them articles before.\u201d She looked for all the world as if she never had, and even the countrymen began to get the glimmer of an idea that there was some mistake. \u201cAin’t this,\u201d he asked direct at last\u2013\u201dain’t this a gamin\u2019 house?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cA \u2018gaming house\u2019!\u201d shrieked the good old lady, and forthwith fainted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A scene of confusion ensued, during which the brother and deacon came to the front. He was very fat, pompous and asthmatic, and at first mistook the two countrymen for thieves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      He was mad enough, while under this impression, and wheezed himself into a fever of wrath, but when he got a glimmerin\u2019 of the real state of the case he got madder yet. He gasped for breath\u2013he could not speak for rage. Finally he wheezed out: \u201cWhat do you mean by takin\u2019 this abode of peace and virtue for the very home of the devil?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d retorted the countryman addressed as \u201cSam,\u201d \u201cby misleadin\u2019 strangers by that cussed dog of yours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cThat dog of mine?\u201d wheezed the Deacon. \u201cWhat\u2013what dog? There is no dog about this\u2013this house. My sisters and myself hate dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cThen what the devil do you have one on your steps for?\u201d asked Sam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cOn my steps\u2013on the steps of\u2013of this house?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cYes, right in front of your door. Look here,\u201d said Sam, leadin\u2019 the now thoroughly bewildered deacon to his own doorstep, followed by his family and friends, and pointin\u2019 to the iron dog that crouched their motionless, and unconscious of the mischief he was makin\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The deacon rubbed his eyes and then punched himself, to see if he was awake, but the cold night air and his wheezin\u2019 convinced him that he was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The deacon had lived long enough in the neighborhood to know all about McCormick’s iron dog, and had regarded it as the very symbol of Satan, and here he was on his own pious and respectable doorstep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      He could scarcely speak for mingled rage and asthma. But at last he managed to wheeze out a sort of explanation to the farmer that this was a trick of his wicked neighbors, the gamblers (for he attributed it, naturally, to McCormick) to annoy him, and that they had mistaken the place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cIn short, old man,\u201d cried Sam, \u201cwe have come to the wrong shop for a game of faro.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      They had, indeed, and having listened to a lecture delivered by the now recovered maiden sister on the sin of gamblin\u2019, the two countrymen made their lame apologies and withdrew, havin\u2019 vainly endeavored to induce the asthmatic deacon to tell which of the houses in the block was the real McCormick’s, after all. But the deacon was no \u201csteerer\u201d or \u201ccapper.\u201d He didn’t get any commission or percentage on the game. So the baffled countrymen went elsewhere to enjoy \u2018emselves, leavin\u2019 the deacon to wheeze and to resolve on goin\u2019 for that wicked gambler neighbor of his for damages the next mornin\u2019, or the day after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The night passed on, and about two or three o\u2019clock in the mornin\u2019 some of \u201cthe gang\u201d were thinkin\u2019 about goin\u2019 home, when one of the party\u2013I think it was Shed Shook\u2013felt a little conscious-stricken about havin\u2019 played the dog joke on the deacon, proposed to remove the dog once more\u2013at any rate to take it off the good deacon\u2019s steps. His argument prevailed with the boys, who were good-natured in their larks, and at last a carriage was called and driven quietly near the deacon’s house. The dog was carried into the carriage and was driven off in charge of a delegation of the boys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      And then one of the boys made it a point to call upon McCormick and to let him know innocently that his dog, his pet dog, was missin\u2019–had been stolen, probably. And shortly after another of the gang walked in upon McCormick and assured him that he had with his own eyes seen his dog that night on the deacon\u2019s steps. And to this he pledged his word of honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Now McCormick was fully aware that his neighbor, the deacon, had done all he could to drive him out of the neighborhood, and hated him accordingly. He took it, therefore, for granted that the deacon had put up this job of the dog on him to annoy him, and he made up his mind that he would call upon the deacon and give him a piece of his mind bright and early the next mornin\u2019, and get back his dog\u2013perhaps press damages against the Deacon besides. Why not?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      So before the deacon could get out of the house on New Year’s day to see about his wicked neighbor, the gambler, the latter was already pullin\u2019 the door bell of his pious neighbor, the deacon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The wheezin\u2019 deacon saw before him in his hall a rather fine, but fast-lookin\u2019 man, with a big diamond pin, and the general appearance of havin\u2019 been up all night. He did not know the gambler personally; had never seen him face to face; so he waited for his early bird of a caller, who insisted so on seein\u2019 him, to introduce himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cThe first four words of the \u201cintroduction\u201d were enough. \u201cMy name is McCormick,\u201d said the gambler, gruffly. The asthmatic deacon gasped and leaned against the wall for support. The gambler continued, still more gruffly, \u201cI have called upon you to ascertain by what right and on what ground you have dared to remove my dog.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cYour dog!\u201d gasped the deacon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cYes, my dog,\u201d reiterated the gambler. \u201cThe ornament of my door steps. Where have you hidden that dog? What did you want to take him away for? Don’t you know there is a law against meddlin\u2019 with a man’s property? Don’t you know it comes under the head of stealin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A church deacon and a moral man \u201csteal\u201d a gambler’s dog! It was too much. He merely wheezed worse than ever, and stared at the gambler with all his eyes, and couldn’t articulate a word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cWhere have you hidden that dog, I say?\u201d asked the gambler, impatiently. That question gave the deacon strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cHidden, hidden,\u201d he wheezed out. \u201cWhy that\u2013that animal is not\u2013not hidden. Whoever moved\u2013moved it, certainly didn’t\u2013didn’t hide it. Haven’t you\u2013you eyes, and didn’t you\u2013you see it\u2013there, right in front\u2013in front of my\u2013my door\u2013as you came up\u2013up the steps?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cNo, I didn’t see it as I came up the steps,\u201d growled McCormick, \u201cand you can’t show it to me either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The asthmatic and astounded deacon hereupon walked to the front door with the gambler, and was about to point to the very place where the dog was, when, lookin\u2019, he saw the dog was gone. He rubbed his eyes, and kept on rubbin\u2019 and wheezin\u2019, but the hateful dog had gone as mysteriously as he came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A sort of explanation now ensued between the gambler and the deacon, in which it was demonstrated to the sport\u2019s satisfaction that at least his pious neighbor, the deacon, had not stolen his dog, though that dog had been placed that very night before upon his steps\u2013by whom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      That was the question that neither deacon nor sport could answer. So, vainly fuming\u2019, and makin\u2019 the air blue, McCormick went back to his place, and the next day there was an advertisement in the papers offerin\u2019 a reward for the recovery of the dog, and a still larger reward for the discovery of the dog-thieves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A few nights later, one dark, stormy, snowy, windy, regular winter’s night, a carriage drove, in the height of the storm, near to the McCormick gamblin\u2019 house, and some men bore from the carriage up the steps of the gamin\u2019 house an iron dog, which was deposited at one side of the entrance. Then the carriage drove off, neither it’s arrival nor departure havin\u2019 been noticed from within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Some ten minutes later, Dick Hunteen, an old rounder, who had been drinkin\u2019 heavily of late, accompanied by a friend who had been kindly hintin\u2019 to him that if he didn’t look out he would have an attack of delirium tremens<\/em>, walked up the steps of McCormick’s faro bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sheldon “Shed” Shook, in later years<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      As he did he uttered a yell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cWhat’s the matter with you?\u201d cried his friend. \u201cHave you got the shakes already? Do you see snakes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cNo, I don’t see snakes yet,\u201d answered Hunteen, shakin\u2019 violently, \u201cbut I’ve got got \u2018em all the same, for I see dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cSee dogs,\u201d cried his friend, \u201cwhat on earth do you mean?\u201d But just then he himself saw \u201cdogs\u201d too, or rather a dog; but such a dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      He had a blue head, and a red body, and a green tail, and pink eyes and yellow hair\u2013a rainbow dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      You see \u201cthe boys\u201d had got a house painter to touch up the dog durin\u2019 the time they had charge of him, and with all this extra paint upon the animal, as a sort of interest for the loan of the animal, they had deposited him upon his master’s stoop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Dick Hunteen stopped drinkin\u2019 for a while; but McCormick never exactly found out who had first taken and then touched up his iron dog\u2013though he had his suspicions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Some years ago a sport called McCormick kept a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[57,34,60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-anecdotes","category-gambling","category-practical-jokes"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882] - Harry Hill's Gotham<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882] - Harry Hill's Gotham\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"      Some years ago a sport called McCormick kept a\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Harry Hill's Gotham\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-08-04T14:15:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-08-04T14:15:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/irondog.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"jpkntz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"jpkntz\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"jpkntz\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cd2f0dde5b4b02ea6b8aee0280832f64\"},\"headline\":\"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882]\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-08-04T14:15:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-04T14:15:25+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2943,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cd2f0dde5b4b02ea6b8aee0280832f64\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/irondog.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Anecdotes\",\"Gambling\",\"Practical Jokes\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882] - Harry Hill's Gotham\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/irondog.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-08-04T14:15:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-04T14:15:25+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/irondog.jpg?fit=200%2C166&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/irondog.jpg?fit=200%2C166&ssl=1\",\"width\":200,\"height\":166},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882]\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/\",\"name\":\"Harry Hill's Gotham\",\"description\":\"Sketches of 19th Century New York City\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cd2f0dde5b4b02ea6b8aee0280832f64\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cd2f0dde5b4b02ea6b8aee0280832f64\",\"name\":\"jpkntz\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/index.php3_.jpg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/index.php3_.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/index.php3_.jpg\",\"width\":542,\"height\":760,\"caption\":\"jpkntz\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/index.php3_.jpg\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/jerrykuntz.org\\\/harryhill\\\/author\\\/jpkntz\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882] - Harry Hill's Gotham","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882] - Harry Hill's Gotham","og_description":"      Some years ago a sport called McCormick kept a","og_url":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/","og_site_name":"Harry Hill's Gotham","article_published_time":"2023-08-04T14:15:21+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-08-04T14:15:25+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/irondog.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"jpkntz","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"jpkntz","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/"},"author":{"name":"jpkntz","@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/#\/schema\/person\/cd2f0dde5b4b02ea6b8aee0280832f64"},"headline":"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882]","datePublished":"2023-08-04T14:15:21+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-04T14:15:25+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/"},"wordCount":2943,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/#\/schema\/person\/cd2f0dde5b4b02ea6b8aee0280832f64"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/irondog.jpg","articleSection":["Anecdotes","Gambling","Practical Jokes"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/","url":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/","name":"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882] - Harry Hill's Gotham","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/irondog.jpg","datePublished":"2023-08-04T14:15:21+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-04T14:15:25+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/irondog.jpg?fit=200%2C166&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/irondog.jpg?fit=200%2C166&ssl=1","width":200,"height":166},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/the-iron-dog-and-the-deacon-published-dec-31-1882\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Iron Dog and the Deacon [published Dec. 31, 1882]"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/#website","url":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/","name":"Harry Hill's Gotham","description":"Sketches of 19th Century New York City","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/#\/schema\/person\/cd2f0dde5b4b02ea6b8aee0280832f64"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/#\/schema\/person\/cd2f0dde5b4b02ea6b8aee0280832f64","name":"jpkntz","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/index.php3_.jpg","url":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/index.php3_.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/index.php3_.jpg","width":542,"height":760,"caption":"jpkntz"},"logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/index.php3_.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/author\/jpkntz\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=528"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/528\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":532,"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/528\/revisions\/532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerrykuntz.org\/harryhill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}