Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-10-08
ONCE He WENT ON a FRESH AIR TRlF



His long. matted hair and his flowing
chin whiskers. which were streaked with
gray and stained with tobacco juice. hi
i'll fitting store clothes" aud the traces oi
tallow on his cowhide boots, showed plain
ly that he was from the country Deep
wrinkles in his weather beaten face. Il de
cided stoop about the shoulders and the
enlarged knuekles Of his rough hands also
told of hard work He held fast with one
hand TO a bag which bulged with big vel
low apples His eyes had a kindly expires
sion rs he stood on the sidewalk in Mnl
berry street. opposite police headquarters
and gaped at a window on which was the
ggn. New York Tribune Police Bureau
After reading the sign carefully he
walked into the bureau and inquired
Young man. are you the boss of this ere
ihebangy"
a represent The Fribune here"
"Thats right Glad to know YET I'm
lookin for a little Teller what come TO my
place up in Delaware county last summer.
sent there by the Fresh Air fund. Mother
and Susan, that's my darteri sot such store
by that little shaver that they wanted him
back again this year He sorter promised
to come tew, but we haint seed him. Moth
err was readin about the children goin to
the country and she says had better come
down and git him. My sakesl didn't
know so many folks lived in Mulberr,
street, or wouldn't ha' tried TO find him
"Did you have his address,"
II only know he belonged somewheres in
Mulberry street.
"What WAS his namef
Jimmy Murphy"
Abr The reporter once had arranged
to have that boy sent into the country
"Was he sickly looking little chap. with
yellow hair and blue eyes?"
That's himl He looked like a ghost
when he came to our place, but mother fed
him on homemade bread and milk with
the cream stirred into it. and he chirpec
up amazin. Then he elm the apple tree
about forty times day, and 1t would ha
done yer heart good TO see him lay into
them golden sweets. | fetched some in
bag for him, Jest to let him see we hao
some more. Whyl be looked like new
boy when he left us. How is the little
critterf"
"a think You had better come and see fol
yourself !"
The reporter led the old farmer TO
space between two front tenement houses
in Mulberry street. and into a narrow
paved court in front of row of rear tene
ment houses
A woman answered the reporters in
quiry by shouting up the stairway, "Mgs
Murphy Here's gintleman wants yerP
The creaking Of door and the shutting
of feet on nm upper landing guided the Two
men 10 Mrs. Mnrphy's humble home. She
invited Them into the room, which was
parlor. kitchen, laundry and bed chamber
all in one, wiped the soapsuds from her rec
arms with her apron, and then hastily
busted off two chairs-the only two SHE
had--for the visitors. The old farmer
dropped the bag OF yellow apples on one
chair but remained standing
He seemed TO be too much dazed by this
poverty of the place 10 say anything, anc
the reporter briefly explained the object o.
the visit. Mrs. Murphy's hands carried
her apron to her eyes, and from its foldi
came muffied sobs Her grief was like
revelation. and il stunned the old man foi
a minute His jaw dropped and his eye
became misty. Then he turned to the re
porter with hoarse whisper. 1.-THE lttls
runt is dead
"If he had said darling that wore
could not have bad a sound so tender snc
expressive as had the one he was accus
toned to use in speaking Of sickly anc
petted animal Diphtheria had sent Jim
mic Murphy to a better place than the one
from which the Fresh Air fund had one,
temporarily withdrawn him." the reporter
said Mrs. Murphy dried her tears and nc
cepted the yellow apples.
Mother and Susan II be all freely dis
app'inted,n said the old farmer. as BIZ
wrung the reporters hand at parting
New York Tribune