Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-03-12
THE STORY OF A SHIRT,
BY GEORGE sYMONDs.

Jason Ferry had made q fortune in
Texas. He was one of the largestranch-
men in Tom Green County, but no one
would have imagined that he was other
than an ordinary vaquero, to have
looked at him.
He dressed in duckings, and since he
first donned wooden shirt as a COWBOY.
tens years previous, he had never worn
any other SOFT.
He lived in camp, and his food was of
the coarsest description, but his check
was good for hundred thousand dol
lars, and he had unlimited credit with the
San Angelo store-keepers.
The Texas Pacific Railroad had lust
been completed, and trains passed. dai.
~ through Jason Perry's ranch.
The little water station, which like
all new Western towns, was ambitious
of some day becoming a great city. had
been named Perryville, in his honor.
Its total population now however,
consisted of the section master and his
hands, q Mexican butchering outfit
which killed Jason Perry'a beeves and
loaded them into the refrigerator cars.
to be shipped to the Northern market
the telegraph operator, who was also
ticket, freight and express agent, and
Tom Bently, who looked after Jason
Perry's interests, and kept the little
supply store, where Jason's herders
bought whisky, tobacco and duckings.
The business of shipping beef North
was new enterprise, and Jason was
making great deal of money.
He was determined to extend this
branch of his business, and had written
to his agent in Philadelphia that he
might expect him on any day "to give
things boom," as he quantity expressed
it.
On this particular day he rods
down to Perryville dressed in his
best suit of duckings, and wearing a
Mexican sombrero, gaudily deco
ated.
While waiting for the train he took oc.
casion to give Tom Bently some instruc-
tons as to how business was to be con-
Quoted in his absence.
SLOW long are you going to be gone,
Jay?" asked the latter.
"About month";" was the an
swer.
''You ought to dress up little,' ~
suggested the clerk, who was arrayed
in suit of "store clothes" and wore q
white shirt.
''Oh, these are good enough for mep'
said Jason carelessly, looking down at
his duckings.
"Put on white shirt, anyhow,
jay! persisted Tom. II haven't get
any in the store done up but I've got
some nice unlaundried ones that came
in that bill of goods I got yesterday
from San Antonio. One of these will
be better than that old wooden one of
yours. You can put on q starched
collar-l've got plenty Of them-and
big necktie, and pair of cuffs, and
nobody will know whether your shirt
is ]aundried or not. You can get it
done up when you get to the settle.
ments."
cali right" said Jason, good
naturally. t'Get them out for me. 1t
will be the first billed shirt I've worn
since left the States"
Bently laid a shirt, cuffs, collar and
necktie out on the rude counter, and
Jason Perry, after he finished looking
over the books proceeded to don these evil
dences of civilization.
He was very awkward, as men usual
" are, in putting on the shirt and when
he pushed his big hands through the
sleeves, his fingers came in contact with
piece Of paper.
"Hello," he cried, holding up the find.
.'Heres paper, Tom. Does it belong
to you?"
81 reckon not" said the other, taking
the paper from his employers hand.
''It came in the Shirts
''Its got some writing on it, said
Jason. "Perhaps it's the bill"
"No," said Tom, spreading out the
paper. cts written by a woman
"By a woman!' repeated Jason.
''Read it,"
Thus hidden, Tom Bently read as fol-
lows:
II, Adele Storms, pretty, young, with goof
English education and more than ordinary in
teligence, am compelled by the stern DEGREES Of
fate to labor at shirt-making, from early in til.
morning until late at night, for the paltry sun
OF IS per week, when many who are intellectu
ally my Interiors earn three times as much
Dear! dear! will it ever end9"
'sAdele! That's pretty name," oh
served Jason, and he picked up the
paper. "Poor girl! wonder where
she lives?" -
''It don't give her residence. But
you'd better hurry on with your dressing
for there comes the train"
Jason Perry thrust the paper into bi.
pocket, and managed, with the assistance
of Tom Bently, to get dressed in tim.
to catch the train.
He reached Philadelphia, safely trans
acted his business, and then deter
mined to enjoy himself for day or two
seeing the sights.
A fashionable tailor had made him ,
suit of clothes and now that bis business
was all over, he put them on to go out
in search OF enjoyment.
The duckings that he had worn away
from Texas lay across the bed and b,
proceeded to transfer the contents of tn.
pockets to the new suit.
Among other things he pulled ou
the paper, which he had found in tn.
shirt. "
He read Adele Storms sollloquy agar
and then, turning over the paper, saw
that it had been written on shirt
makers blank, which was headed BY thu
business card of Jones, Smith & Brown
Philadelphia, Pa.
"Nhy, that was written right here il
Philadelp hiap he said. IT believe II
call around and see her. -
He blushcd like schoolgirl at tht
audacity of the undertaking; but whe1
ne read the note Q second time he wa