Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-12-10
SWIPES.
BY HOWARD SEGUE.

ewipes was, to use the vernacular of
the day, the kid around the telegraph
Office in the little town of Crompton.
Who his parents were-if, indeed, he
ever had anyways not definitely known
by the people of Crompton. No one
seemed to take sufficient interest in him
to look up his lineage, further than thai
almost any one of the villagers could tell
rou that he had been shipped to the town
some years before with four other boys
of about his own age-seven years
from the orphans home at Boston, with
the expectation of finding homes for
them among the farmers of eastern Ne
braska.
His four companions had only stopped
with the farmers to whom they were as
signed long enough to get fitted out with
clothing, when they silently left for
parts unknown. Rumor had it that there
We're missing from the various homes
they had left numerous articles of
clothing and jewelry, and one farmer
said that he had missed $25 that he had
carelessly left in his pocketbook on the
kitchen table the night of the disappear
ance.
Swipes, whose real name-so far as
he knew-was Harry Russell, did not go
with the other boys, but good many
said that if he could have had his choice
he would certainly have gone.
So strong was the talk in the neigh
borhood against the boys that Deacon
Bowles, who was ahard-fsted, avaricious
farmer. and who had taken Swipes to
raise" finally said:
Yes, indeed he must go! How do
/ know but what he is stayin' here as
a kind of decoy, to either steal every
thing on the place he can lay his hands
on, or murder the whole family some
night in cold blood?'
AS the deacon was o man of his word,
Swipes was unceremoniously bounced.
Being in a strange country, the boy
hardly knew what to do or where to go.
Had he been in the city he would have
known what to do at once. AS it was, he
finally concluded that he must reach
Denver in some way, where he would get
Exit" and go to backing boots or SELL
Jug papers, as he had done in Boston.
As Denver was a long distance away,
and the only practicable means OF reach
ing that point was by rail, he naturally
drifted to the station to inquire concern
ing the distance, fare and time of trains.
He met the station agent as he was start
ing for the livery stable with an impor-
tant message for Deacon BOwlcs, which
he intended sending to the country by
Especial messenger
When he saw Swipes he stopped alb
ruptly and said: Hello! you're the
very one I'm looking for. I've a mes
sage for the deacon, and you can save me
the trouble of looking up some one to
deliver it."
81 amt stayin' at his place now" said
Swipes.
"Since when?"
"This mornin'; he fired me-"
''Well, is that so? You won't object to
make half a dollar, will you, by TAX
ing this message to him?"
'No, sir; can take it," Saying which
Swipes took the message and walked
back to the deacon's.
Thought l told you to leave the
place!" shouted the deacon, as he
caught glimpse of Swipes through the
hedge, as he reached the end of q row OF
corn ne was blowing.
Guess they hain't no law agin a fellel
bringing a message to you, is they"
queried Swipes, as he handed the mes
sage through the hedge fence to the
deacon.
AS he read the telegram, the deacon
grew livid with rage, as was his custom
when things did not go as he wished
them to-. mo, indeed!" he exclaimed
'I'll not take the young upstart to keel
through vacation to have him poster ant
worry the life out O. me-" abiding to tn,
contents of the message, which was from
his wealthy nephew in the city, wh'
asked the deacon TO keep his son through
the summer vacation. The deacon ha(
kept him the summer before and, as
compensation for his trouble, had re
ceived hundred dollars, which was wei
come TO the Manifested old curmudgeon
"Well, why don't you goa" growle,
the deacon when, after reading tn.
message. he saw that Swipes was still
waiting.
II wan, hal. . dollar" rsioine,
6wipes.