The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-06-06
4 Fey OF q Thousand.


Captain Morehiser Of the City Police re-
lated 10 US yesterday little street incident
that was really retrl Shing to Us, and We have
10 doubt it will be so received by our read
ers, even with our imperfect style Of stCry
telling.
On Thursday evening, willie the Captain
was standing on tie corner Of Fifth and
Main streets, a lad about I3 years Of age
came up to him and desired him to point
out some one who he thought would employ
him. The Captain told him that lie knew Of
none. but proceeded at once to question the
boy, who, as lie Immediately saw, was a
stranger in Dubuque. The boy, in frank
and Strai ghtforward manner, informed him
where he came from, and that he was an or
phan, and without friends, and hence had
sought Dubuque to strive for livelihood.
While the Captain stood thus conversing
with the boy, a citizen connected with one
Of the bowling saloons Of the city came up,
and overhearing part OF the conversation,
offered the Lad employment at $1,000 per
month. The liberal offer the lad at first re-
ceived as joke, asserting that he had never
received higher wages than three dollars a
month and his board before in his life, and
he could not believe that the man was in
earnest. The citizen, however, assured the
boy that he was, as also did the Captain.
Then the boy entertained the offer, with PER
chance large fortune in prospective, and
raising his eyes TO the face Of his employer,
asked where he lived, and what were the
duties he wished him to perform. The an
swcr was given as TO the place, and the in
formation that he would have to set up the
pins on an alley. The boy hesitated a mo-
ment; during which time the man said that
he would have to work only from seven
o'clock in the morning till six in the evening,
to earn those wages. Our young hero, with,
in all probability, the ethics Of a departed
mother living in his memory replied,
''Sir, it is large wages, but it is not honor
able; | cannot work at it,"
That noble and heroic sentence stillcd all
further opportunities, and awakened an in
terest in our Chief of Police, who took the
opportunity to question him as TO how much
money he had to keep him until he should
secure employment. \ simple answer in
deed was given, bat it denoted how great
was the sacrifice, how cherished was honor.
Thirty cents, that gentlemen gave me to-
day, when l told them my circumstances,
and asked for work"
The Captain informed the boy that it
would require all the money he had 10 pay
for nights lodging, and proflered him a
bed in his Office. At first the Toy feared
this was stratagem to get him to the Gala
boose, for he had learned before of the Cap
tain that he was an officer of the night
watch, and the poor fellow begged not to be
put in among the drunkards TO spend the
night, but pleaded to be let 60 and buy a
bed After some time the Captain convinced
him that he was not to go to prison, but
should be free again in the morning. The
little fellow at last consented to partake of
the hospitality offered, and accordingly slept
| al night in the office, to the great satisfac-
ton OF Captain Morehiser.
| What has since become of the boy is
more than we know, but if he is still in this
| CITY, and if any one should meet him who
reads this, please inform him that if he vii
call at this office, he need not seek any fur
ther for work.-Du6aQue (Iosoa) Erpyess qno
! Herald