The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-06-26
Who is the Coming Murphy

We mean of course here in this city. |
Not to know the great, the original Muir
ply, is to argue ones self unknown. The
public life of the original Murphy. like all
other great things in the line of temper
ance, so called, originated in the state of
Maine. Perhaps no other state could
have given rise to temperance Murphy.
In no other state did we ever hear of an
original temperance Murphy spontaneously
originating. The great original was
originally a saloon-keeper. Hence he has
experience, he knows that whereof he
afhrms. In fact,his experience as saloon
keeper was somewhat more original than
is usual with that class. The original
Murphy not only retailed Tom and Jerry's,
punch and cocktails, but he embellished
his otherwise monotonous existence by
killing a customer. The offence was
great, and sadly he atoned for it. Behind
the bars and within the gloomy walls of a
dark prison house Murphy pondered and
reflected; he lamented his condition, he
repented of his errors; he even felt bad.
In the bonds of adversely and the agony of
contrition, Murphy resolved great
things. Gradually his vision became
clear, his conscience enlightened. his judg
ment strengthened, the whole man became
changed, and he resolved to atone for the
past by an honorable future. What so
natural as that he should turn to those
things which had been his own uudoing,
and that he should resolve to let his
future light so shine that men seeing the
evil of his Incorporate life should be led
to glorify temperate one? From that
day to this his fame has been shed abroad,
and grown increasingly bright. Every.
body knows Murphy. His name and hi
nsoUement, ere synonymous with temper
ance. Temperance now a-days is the
Murphy movement. Cities, towns
and country cross roads hasten to dc
his movement honor, to emulate his re
nown and to bring forth other and, if pos
sible, nobler Murphies, Hence our inquiry
who is the coming Murphy for Rock Island
We are at loss to conjecture VINO he is
Our city has always been noted for tn
general sobriety of its inhabitants, tn
scarcity of saloons, comparatively speaking
the quietness of its Sundays, and the piet
of its churches.
In all this, our reputation is the NOR
remarkable considering the influences an
example of our sister cities, especially GU
immediate neighbors. Moreover, are W
not river town, a railroad center, and tn
T recipient of troops of unknown stranger
: whom we are constantly taking in,-some
, times at the expense and to the great detr
ment of our strong and ardent Murph
, sympathies?
1t is a consolation to know that the Ii
. bors of the coming Murphy, whoever
, may be, will be light and pleasant Hi
: mission will be short in our midst, and, W
fear, uneventful. There is so little to d
; that at best the movement can only be as
simmer breeze, playful, faneiful, lovely
4 the senses, but evanescent and merel
passing.
q Welcome then fair stranger; reap th
scant harvest of a barren field, and the
HE thee pleasantly away to fairer felc
n and pastures new,
% P, S.-The great original Murphy NOV
ment, in three acts, will be given by t!
coming Murphy under Forepaugh's b
circus tent, Sunday next, at 2. NJ.
/ For particulars see small bills.
Breakfast and dinner sets, vases, cha