V
8
hi
i'-
1
if
4
THE ALLIANCE -INDEPENDENT.
ROSES.
The South wind is softly slncinf?
To the roses here by the rill,
Violets and blue-bells are bloom in?
By the path to the old stone milL
The South wind is softly singing
To the rosas of evening still;
The whippoorwill's notes are falling
In the shadows there on thehilL
Roses, queen roses, tender and sweet,
Shatter them, dear, if you will:
When other fair flowers are blooming,
You will sigh or lhe rosys till.
A BRILLIANT STAR.
"Der ye want a boy?"
Boyd, gazing at the floor, saw the
most villainous pair of redOish-brown
checked trousers upon which he had
ever fastened his eyes. They were
topped by a waistcoat of rich figured
goods, a navy-blue frock coat, by far
too large for the small boy who wore
it, and a red satin putt tie that suc
cessfully concealed the Bhirt bosom.
No." began Boyd, curtly, "wa
don't " He stopped; in the small
boy's button-hole was a bunch of
fresh violets that gave him a most In
congruous aspect
Have you any references?"
"Naw. Never worked before," re
luctantly admitted the applicant
Boyd looked around warily. No
one was observing him. He passed
t boy pen and paper, saying, "Er
Write your name."
"Well Murphy." scanning the
writing that was not the unformed
hand he had expected, "If you wish
to try it for a week, you may. "
Murphy, with an alacritypleasant to
see, expressed his desire to do so. and
was straightway installed in the office.
This was the only kind of a boy
they bad not previously tried. The
boys who had been recommended as
having every known virtue had
miraculously lost them on entering
their employ, so Boyd reasoned he
was justified in thus engaging Mur
phy, though he felt a certain amount
of responsibility.
Mr. Jewett, coming out of his priv
ate office, met Murphy, who had
taken out the delayed maiL
What are you doing in here?" he
impatiently demanded, laying his
hand on Murphy's collar, gently lift
ing him over the gate.
Murphy adroitly alighted on his
feet saying. "W'y, I'm do noo boy."
You a e. are you?" laughed Jev
ett "Excuse me. but you see I had
not yet been introduced to you."
"Me name's Murphy." announced
the new boy, affably extending his
hand. "P'r aps y ill remember it in
de wages, " pointing to the gate
Terhaps I will" responded Mr.
Jewett As he passed Boyd's window
he sad. "Just keep an eye on your
protege, will you? He seems bright
and may do, but his clothes and
speech are against him." .
Boyd, kept not only one but two
vigilant eyes on Murphy, but relaxed
a little when he saw how he executed
his duties. Murphy washed and
filled ink bottles without directorders,
without thought to his gay attire.
He was at all times willing to do more
than was demanded, and the clerks,
marking it shrugged their shoulders
cynically it was too good to last.
On l riday" evening as Boyd was
passing Murphy's dek he saw him
insert some words in a letter, then
smilingly put it in its envelope. Boyd
dropped a heavy hand on the boy's
shoulder, asking sternly. "Why have
you been tampering with the letter.
Murphy?"
. Hain't been doingnothin'," averred
Murphy, with a calm mendacity.
Give rue the letter," Boyd com
manded so sharply that Murphy
passed over the missive.
The words in Murphy's hand were
two French words of the twenty that
comprised Mr. Tyndall's vocabulary,
without one of which at least he did
not consider his letters complete, and
which the stenographer misspelled
with invariable precision. Murphy
L-LL.L
had corrected them! Boyd was con
siderably taken back.
I read de letters ter get an inklin'
ter de business, and w'en 1 got dere
I wanted to see what dey meant and
hunted dem up in de dictionary," ex
plained Murphy.
'Just wait to take such an Interest
until you are given an 'nterest " sug
gested Boyd checking an incipient
smile. He walked a few steps and
then came back. "Murphy if you
come up to my rooms I could cive
you some clothes. Of course I don't
mean to insinuate anything against
those you are now wearing, but you
might like a change."
Ye mean it all right but no one's
oi' close fer me. Wait until termor
rer. den yill see a chadge."
Boyd, feeling he had something for
which to live, impatiently waited for
morning. With a smile of conssious
pride Murphy came down in apparel
that at once won him the title of Count
d'.Oi say. The clerks in the neighbor
ing offices dubbed him the dood of
California street Murphy bore his
honors with modest equanimity.
He was soon a recognized author
ity on all sporting matters, for he had
the records of pugilists, baseball play
ers and horses at his fingers' ends.
Every night he went to a different
show of some kind if not to Moros
co's or the Wigwam to a fight or some
thing e iually exciting. To hear Mur
phy, with his splendid powers of
mimicry, recall his escapades, was a
dream of delight and it became the
habit of several of the employes to
stay after office hours to watch Mur
phy dance and sing, for he could not
be prevailed upon to exhibit during
working houra
He developed the rinesse of a diplo
matist in his dealings with canvassers,
seekers after advertisements and beg
gars, impressing them with the use
lessness of invading the private offices.
It was through this skill the office
nearly lost him. Murphy espied a
burly man, with a newspaper package
under his shabby sleeve, making
toward Mr. Tyndall's office, and
headed him off.
"It's orders, sir, ter firs' sen' in ye
name. Will ye please ter give me
ye car'?"
"Me good boy." in a rich brogue,
"Why, shure. your name's "
Murphy," prompted the boy.
Of course 1 knew you. Your father
works in the park?"
"Yep."
"And your mother lived and died
down on Clementina street?"
"Yep."
"Your sister still works in the
fringe factory?"
Yep."
Tm not, above recognizing old
friends though 1 am a millionaire.
How de do. Murphy?
telling what you would
you didn't have such a
dress. Now. I'll go
Misther Mertin."
The clerks who had gathered
around allowed their suppressed
sni kersto grow into laughs as Mertin
disappeared. In order to sh w he
had no false pride, it was his p asant
custom to make believe he kne e . ery
clerk he addres-ed (outside of Lis own
store) but this time evidently knew
about what he whs talking. He asked
Tyndall how much he was paying
Murphy, and on being informed sail
he would be worth $ a month more
to him. Such was the history of
Murphy's raise. Murphy said he
would not have worked for Mertin for
double his present salary.
Dey recognizes as I'm a gen'le
man here and treats roe like it; and I
don't lower mesel' by working for
anythin' but a gen'leman."
Murphy paid dearly for the extra
money, however, for in the bits of
family history revealed by Mertin the
clerks found rare material. Each
morning some half-dozen men would
anxiously inquire after Miss Murphy,
hoping her health was not being in
jured in the close atmosphere of the
There is no
amount to if
foine taste in
in for I am
fringe factory, wh'ch in time became
a tom.to-can fa tory. Through all
the chaff Murphy retained his good
nature. But one morning the office opened
and Murphy failed to appear. Ton
o'clock came; still no sign from Mur
phy. "He didn't spot the winner and has
gone olt with the stamp-box,' ob
served the under bookkeeper.
Boyd turned upon him quickly, in
dignantly. You can't expect much, consider
ing his family, " somewhat shame
facedly. The routine work went on, but
tlnre was a gloom hanging over the
offica At 2 o'clock in came a mes
senger in whom they recognized one
of their quondam ofiico boys.
"Have you been on the way here
since early morning?' asked Boyd,
opening the note.
It was from Murphy. He had been
struck by a dummy on his way home
from a fight "but ye don't haf ter
sen no flowera fer I ain't knocked out
on dis trow," he ended.
They rushed for the newspapers
and eager eyes found the short ac
count of this new victim of the
deadly dummy." It gave his name as
Murtry. but such mistakes are com
mon. The boy had been removed to
his home; there was but small chance
of his recovery.
"He always fixed the letters when
I wrote Ogden. California," faltered
the stenographer, with a suspicious
mistiness about her eyes, as she
turned away.
All bad a good word to say for
Murphy and went about their work in
a half-hearted way. They read
Murphy's note twice over, hoping to
gain some comfort but felt thai he
had made too light of the accident
Shortly before 5 the office began to
look deserted. Most of the men wished
to get shaved before going to dinner
parties or theater; some went to pick
out suits while it was still light A
quarter past 5 found Boyd alone. He
closed up. then went to his florist's.
"Wiolets" were scarce that day, he
had to go into two stores before he
could get any. He took the Califor
nia street cars and. looking for
Murphy's number, rode so far he
thought his young friend already
lodged within the cemetery gates. He
stopped before a neat cottage, pulled
out Murphy's note, then rang the bell;
it was answered by a young lady.
"Excuse mo." murmured Boyd hat
in hand. "Iseel have made amis,
take. Can you tell me where a fam
ily named Murphy lives? The father
works in the park."
"And the sister in a fringe factory?
If you walk in, I think my brother
can tell you."
So Boyd followed her into a room in
which lay Murphy surrounded by an
admiring group composed of men
from the office. The table was laden
with violets 'enough for a funeral,"
said Murphy.
I am glad to see you so well,
Murphy," stammered Boyd
Murtry," laughed the bookkeeper.
"Uu gee Mr. Boyd, if I had cor
rected you that day you would have
thought my hand too illegible and
would not have engaged ma Besides
Murphy harmonized with my choice
language, and 1 had to talk that way
to live up to my clothes. I couldn't
afford new suita and a cousin with a
remarkably foine taste in dresa"
mimmicking Mertin," Kept me sup
plied "How about the fights and Mona
co's? ' inquired somebody.
He read of them in the papers
and planned what he would tell you
when he came home from night
school" put in the pretty sister. "I
did not like him to wear those clothes,
but we have to be economical for we
two are alone and he did not wish me
to work in the fringe factory, " she
added cruelly.
Naw," said Murphy, weakly, "not
while I kin take care of ye."
The cable company came down
handsomely for the injury done Mur
pby, and he has discarded the cousin's
clothes. Confusion reigns at Tyndall
(c l.ewett's there is a new office boy
pending Murphy's recovery. San
Francisco Examiner.
Toil SALU.
I offer my farm of 200 acres, two and
a quarter miles north of VVahoo, for
sale. A good two story house, four
rooms down stairB, three np, pantry
and three clothes presses, a good cellar
18x28; six acres of bearing orchard and
plenty of small fruit; two wells, one
wind mill, horse barn 30x36, room for
fifteen or twenty tons of hay: cattle
shed 82 ft. room for 44 tons of hay,
with stone foundation. Many other
improvements. Terms, one half cash
down or all, or to suit rurchaer. $40
per acre. II. II. Vebrei,L.
22tf Wahoo, Neb.
Tourists Trips.
Hound trips to to the raciflc Coast.
Short trips to tho Mountain Hesorts
of Colorado
The Great Salt Lake.
Yellowstone National Park the most
wonderful spot on this continent.
Puget Sound, tho Mediterranean of
the Pacific coast.
And all reached via the Union Pacific
System For detailed information call
on or address,
J T. Mastin, C. T. A., 1044 O St.,
K B. SLOSSON, Gen. Agt..
Lincoln, Ne
Subscribe for The Alliance-Independent
' .
15 PREMIUMS. 15
Van. Morehead carried
away fifteen premiums on
Ms poultry from the Boone
County Fair last week.
300 choice young chicks
or sale at Albion. Neb.
'&wj EocIoho stamp for reply.
THE OMAHA HAY PRESS
Manufactured by the
MARTIN & M0RRISSY MANUFG CO.,
OMAHA, NEB.
A Full Circle, All Steel, Rapid, Dur
able and Light Kunner.
ALL PRESSES FULLY WARANTED
SEND FOR CIRC ULAR.
Klil
ft
DOUGLAS
MANUFACTURING CO.,
St. Louis, Mo,
Shuck Sheller.
Only one made that successfully
shells corn'with the shuck-on as well
as off.
Send for illustrated circular. Mention
this paper.
PATENT
OR NO FEE-
A 48 page book free. Address
W. T.FITZQEBALD, Atfy-ftt-Law.
Cer. 8th nd F 8t WaMngto. D. C-