The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-12-03
Only a lUaii

& ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Soy Oh Twelve, zlOUkeu
up eagerly into the laughing blue eyes
of a gentle nan who was trying to push
his way through tl,e masses OF human
ity that crowded and surged backward
and forward. like, breakers on a rock
bound coast, in theireagerness to catch
a glimpse of a bulletin board of the
Boston Post, which. bore the, first ac-
count of the election; of q certain Mr..
Mckinley, the Republican nominee fer
president. Mr.. Ralph Randall looked
down at the small morsel before him,
and, thrusting his hand Down into his
capacious pocket drew forth a. dollar,
which he placed in the hands of the lit
tie fellow, saying: Keep it, child; new
ser mind the paper; don't want any ];
and run home out of this choking at
mosphere; you will smother to. death
if you stay here. - And Ralph Randall
passed on, leaving the astonisfed boy
looking after him, with his large black
eyes open to their fullest extent. Say,
Jimmie, who is that fellow who just
gave rae the sinner? Mighty nice man.
III
must be rich.'' said he, in a confidential
whisper to his little friend, another
ragged urchin, bearing the cognomen
Of Jim. .'Rich? Well, 1 guess he is.
Why. that is Mr.. Ralph Randall, who
lives on Beacon street. Well, you: bet
your life he has got the cash. Him is
the Teller what they call the, Silver
King. My, amt he rich! Must be,
worth about a hundred, sighed Jim
ME, a hundred being to him a most
fabulous sum of money. Say, Jack,
We're you going homer" Eyes, JIM. Z
suppose will have to-. What's the use.
of getting silver dollars if you can't
keep 'e1n. Mike would kill me if he
knew had SO much money and didn't
give it up. Well, goodbye, old Teller,
see yer by-and-by," and Jack tucked
his papers under his arm and sped
through that famous refuge of hungry
neWsbOys, Pie Alley, and never stopped,
until he had reached a little hoyel in
the worst section Of the North End.
which was known to him as home"
What a mOckery it was to CALI such a
place by the sweet name of home.
But. such as it was, it was there he
lived, and Wept and struggled to sup
port the lazy drunken brute who called
himself his guardian. It was there his
cruel taskmaster had showered blow
after blow upon his frail little shout
ders, and he, poor child. never dared
open his mouth in protest
He was about to enter when he
heard voices coming from within, and
he cautiously peeped through the mud
stained glass in the one window of the
place, and beheld his master, Mike No
Ian, and his accomplice, man named
Peters, who had shady reputation in
the past. and it was said he had never
quite given up his old habits Jack
dreaded him, for he was no favorite Of
Peters, and many the cuff and blow
Peters hae given him out Of pure spite
alone. Suddenly the name randall
fell son his ear. Jack then nOise1eSsly
lifted the latch. and stole in and APP
piled his ear to the keyhole. Poor lad!
He did not know he was committing a
dishonorable act He, only knew some
thing was in the wind and a Mr.. Ran
;lal was concerned. A certain Mr.. Ran
dial. had only a short time before, Civ
en- him a piece of, money, and possibly
lie might be the MI: Randall tine two
men were then discussing. ''Be sure,
| now he heard Peters say: don't fail
~
Randall place when the clock strikes
twelve. Come prepared. and have the
shooting irons in good condition, be-
cause Mr. Randall is strong man, and
| there might be trouble. Nothing like
! being far-sighted, is there? i have got
the key to the safe. and-never mind
how I got it, amt that enough? Re
member Ralp ItandaFs back entrance.
Beacon street, twelve O'Clock, and look
sharp. I'll be there, q nd don't f9il me-
Poor little Jack, with his ear pressed
close to the key-hole, had no time to
change his position before he was
graSped and jerke6 into the center Of
| the room. Peters had risen andstartcd
| for the dor somewhat abruptly, and
| discovered the boy and laid violent
hands upon him. He would surely have
! killed him if Nolan had not interfered
! Jack was too good a prey to lose. But
blow afte.. blow was showered unon
the head and shoulders Of the lad ..I'll
teach you to pry into my affairs. you
| young brat" Missed Nolan, purple with
rage, while Peters stood nearby with
that sardonic smile laying around his
| mouth that showed at once the mans
| evil nature. 'sDid you sell your pa
pers? OF course you didn't. Speak
out, you idiot, or I'll strange you.
You won't, hey? Well, wait until to-
| night, and We'll see who is master here,
you or ]. III make you speak. All!
what's this? ] knew you were keeping
| something from me. A silver dollar.
| I'll be jiggeredn' he cried. as he spied
I the piece Of money still tightly
| clenched in Jacks hand well, come
along, or we'll be late: finish him to-
lanorrow,"' interposed Peters. Dropping
Jack. the two villains went out care
fully locking the door behind them, and
sauntered down the street Meanwhile
Jack lay thinking of what he had
heard He must warn Mr. Randall,
| and prevent the robbery, perhaps MUIR
der. But how was he to do il? He did
| not think long. In the corner of the
room stood an old ax that had do.e
service in chopping up wood in the
very coolest days to make fire in the
room Jack picked it up and went to
/ the window, which was covered on the
outside by a strong wire netting, and
with one or two strokes of the ak he
| chopped great hole in the screen,
which sent the glass flying all over the
room: He then dropped the AK and
craWled through the aperture he had
made, and fled as quickly as he could
4 .<.r,o,