Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-10-16
ONCE HE WENT ON a FRESH AIR rRiF
when Eind Hearted farmer Came for
the Little Fellow Again He Was Dead.

when a Eind Hearted farmer Came for
the Little Fellow gain He Was Dead.
His long, ,natted hair aud his flowing
chin wbiskers. W hioh were streaked with
gray and stained with tobacco Juice, his
ill fitting "store clothes" and the traces Of
tallow on his cowhide boots, showed plain
" that he was from the country. Deep
wrinkles in his weather beaten face. Il de-
Cided stoop about the shoulders and the
ENLARGED kuuo,el.s of his rough hands also
told of hard work. He held fast with one
hand to bag which bulged with big yell
low appies. His eyes had kindly expires
sion a. he stood on the sidewalk in Null
berry street, opposite police headquarters,
and gaped at window on which was the
sim, "New York Tribune Police Bureau"
After reading the sign carefully lac
walled into The bureau and inquired
"Young man, are you the boss of this ere
shebang"
al represent Tie Tribune here."
"That's right Glad TO know ye' I'm
loolSin for a little Teller what come to nay
place up in Delaware county last summer,
sent there by the Fresh Air fund Mother
and Susan, that's my darter sot such store
by that little shaver that they wanted him
back again this year. He sorter promised
err was readiu about the children goin to
the country and she says had better come
down and cit him My sakosl | didn't
know so many folks lived in Mulberry
street, or wouldn't ha' tried to find him"
"Did YOU have his address,
81 only know he belonged somewheres in
Mulberry street"
"What was his nameT
Jimmy Murphy"
"Ahl' The reporter once had arranged
to have that boy sent into the country.
"Was he siclly looking little chap, with
yellow hair and blue eycs?"
That's him! 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 chirped
up amazin. Then ne elm the apple tree
about forty times day, and it would ha'
done yer heart good to see him lay into
them golden sweets. fetched some in q
bag for him, Jest to let him see We had
some more Whyl he looked like a new
boy when he left us How is the little
critter?'
~ think you had batter come and see for
yourself"
The reporter led the old farmer TO a
space between two front tenement houses
in Mulberry street, and into a narrow
paved court in front Of a row of rear tene-
ment houses,
A woman answered the reporters in
quiry by shouting up the stairway, Mrs.
Murphy Here's a ginteman wants yerr'
The creaking Of door and the shutting
of feet Oh an upper landing guided the two
men to Mrs. Murphy's humble home. She
invited them into the room, which was
Try nd bod oh ia ,lar
all in one, wiped the soapsuds from her red
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 tbs
poverty of the place to say anything, and
the reporter briefly explained the objoct OF
the visit. Mrs. Murphy's hands carried
her apron to her eyes, and from its folds
came muffled sobs. Her grief was like
revelation. and it stunned the old man fol
q minute. Els jaw dropped and his eyes
became misty. Then he turned to the re
porter with hoarse whisper, THE LITTLE
runt is dead"
eff he had said darling that wore
could not have had sound so tender anC
expressive as had the one he was accus
toned to use in speaking of a sckly ans
petted animal Diphthera had sent jim
mic Murphy to better place than the ont
from which the Fresh Air fund had onct
temporarily withdrawn him." the reporte
said. Mrs. Murphy dried her tears and &C
cepted the yellow apples.
Mother and Susan IL be all freely dis
app'inted," said the old farmer as h
wrung the reporters hand at parting
New York Tribune.