Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-05-04
Climbing Life's Ladder.

N 1867 there came into Cincinnati as
stowaway on freight train a lad of
eleven years, who, firing of country
life, came here in the hopes of lettering
his fortune. Looking in the marvellous
store windows did not appease his hum
ger, and he approached a friendly-look-
ing little bootblack; who, with kit slung
to his back, was engaged in selling
papers, and asked the contemporary use
of his box so as to earn money enough
to buy something to eat. The boot
black with great generosity gave him
five cents with which to buy something,
and told him to wait around until the
papers were sold, when. with the twenty
cents that would be realized, they would
get square meal together. AT the cpl
curean feast the Cincinnati arab said:
"The first thing yer want is headquar
ters-a place where yer can close yer
blinkers at night without bein' pulled
by the police. Yer want to go to Their
Children's Home ON Third street and
give name that amt yer own, so if
yer don't like it yer can skip and they
won't find yer:''
The advice was taken with the eX-
ception of giving the fictitious name.
lie told the truth straight through. FOR
the succeeding nine years he lived OH
andon atthe Home. making himself very
useful to the institution, and at the same
time learning the trade of stone-cutter.
He was twenty-six years old when he
babe good-by to the officers of the home
and went across the river, where he OBJ
tanned immediate employment on the
Southern Railroad at his trade, at the
pay of four dollars per diem. Three
days afterward he was made foreman
of the gang at the pay of five dollars .
day. At the end of the month heavy
contractor on the road made him super
intenient, at salary of $500 month
and expenses. One month later found
him the owner of some horses and carts,
and doing sub-contracting, which netted
him in two years $4,000. He now,
ut the age of twenty-five years, felt
that the field was not large enough for
him, and he went West, where he took
contracts on the Union Pacific and on
the Denver & Rio Grande Railroads,
and in connection with this work con-
structed for capitalists two hotels at
Denver. Still restless, he pulled up
stakes and went to Texas, where, pur-
chasing one thousand Texas cattle. he
went with the drove to Chicago and dis
posed of it at a very handsome profit.
He now found time 10 take run over
to Georgetown, KY, on the Southern
Road, and there marry a buxom and
lovable country girl whom he took
with him to Colorado, where he bought
a large cattle ranch, that is at present
stocked with 1,600 head of cattle and
40 ponies. Indians being too thick
around his ranch, he has established his
wife and two bouncing children at Colo
RADIO Springs. He is now but twenty
eight years old and is worth $4,000.
Day before yesterday he walked into
the Children's Home and revealed his
name to the officers, who, it is needless
to say, are delighted over the phenom-
email success of their boy.
Nor is his the only case that reads
like romance. Eight years ago a
beautiful little girl of four years was
given to the institution by its depraved
mother, who was one of the city's
noted characters. The father, worth
less sot, disappeared. Within few
months the child was adopted by an
excellent family, living in one of Gin
cinnati's beautiful suburbs. Her foster
parents brought her up with every
care, and now, at the age of twelve
years, she promises to be an ornament
TO her home as well rs society. Within
the past few days the father, who had
not been heard of before in all these
years, appeared at the Children Home
and demanded the custody Of his
child. His request was refused by the
trustees, who have no desire or inten-
ton to see her bright life wrecked. His
demand to know where she was living
met with no better result, and he now
proposes to sue the trustees, who, it
may be stated, will stand the suit. re-
lying on the aid of justice in their
cause. CinciT,aati Journal