Evening journal., 1901-05-15
JOHNNIE FALLON,
THh BOY RANCHRR
Came Here From Texas and
Was Stranded
Worked Ills Way TO Philadelphia, Got
in Lookup and Now on
Way Home

on bet ! never let a Job pass me that
I can do"
That is the explanation given by john
ME Falon. aged Is years. OF Galveston.
Texas. TO Magistrate Pullngcr of phila-
dolphia. yesterday. for being stranded IN
that city, 1000 miles from home. without
a cent in his pocket.
Johnnie, a bit of human wreckage from
the great Galveston food. noatcd into tho
station house on Monday night. groggy
from knock-down blow administered by
"a brutal negro at the circus grounds,
where he had applied for job al riding
bucking bronchos. His services being re-
fused, he fell TO playing with a guard
rope with other boys. lie was told to de-
sist, and refusing TO obey. was fellcd.
Knife ln hand, Johnnie chased the negro,
finally falling TO the ground from ex-
haustion.
IF that had happened down In Texas.
thcred have been a dead niger" indig-
nantly exclaimed the ranch boy from the
Lone Star State
Magistrate and policemen quickly took
a liking to the sun-tannod lad. who wore
his SHIRT o9on at the neck and his pants
tucked into pair Of top boots.
Little by little the boys story was
drawn from him by the officers of duty
In the roll call room.
Dad was a cowboy" Johnnie said.
when pressed to tell or his antecedents
lie was drowned in Galveston bay in the
big flood. Mother was drowned. too"
The sturdy little chaps lips quivered
and his clear blue eyes moistoned as ne
drew from beneath his shirt rosary and
added:
Il took these from her neck after tho
flood Her body was floating in the bay
with other bodies. recognized her, and
they let me take the beads"
Johnnie explained that his mother and
father, who had but lately returned from
"a ranch IN the Indian Territory. at tho
time Of the awful hurricane which devas-
taxed Galveston, occupied small shanty
near the bays edge
~ was on a ranch fifteen miles from
Galveston, run by Frank Smith. who was
killed. Ten cowboys who worked for
smith, were killed, too. They went to
Galveston with cattle and left me on the
ranch" the manly little fellow said when
asked how he had managed TO escape the
fury of the tornado
return tramp to Galveston and his search
among wrecked buildings and floating
bodies in the inner bay for his parents. On
learning that he was homeless and an or
phan, without a relative in the wide
world the sun-browned lad set about
earning living as best he could. For A
time he worked for a Citizens RELIEF
Committee. receiving food I'm return. Sew
eral weeks passed and then he found en-
ployment with a horse dealer by the name
Of Smith, who six weeks ago shipped six
carloads Of horses to this city. Johnnie
agreed 20 accompany the dealer North.
being offered IS and money for food. He
cleaned and fed the horses during the
lrip, which consumed SIX weeks The
dealer, having disposed of the hnrse7. an
nounced that he was going back 10 Texas.
He told Johnnie that he must shift for
himself. as he could not aoffrd to paw
his return passage
Deserted In a strange city. Young FaI-
Ion tried In vain 10 get work. But a
ranch boys services were not rcquirei IN
Wilmington. and he managed 20 work MS
way on steamer to Philadelphia. arrlv-
ing here on Saturday last. Once more ne
did his best to obtain work, but in vain.
Boyish curiosity drew him to the circus
grounds with the result as announced.
Later IN the day the boy was taken 10
the city Han and placed in charge OF
detective Almcndingcr, who stated that
me little cowboy would be returned TO
Texas
That's where I belong" spoke up
young Fallon. Il can get Job on a
ranch if they viii send me back ne de-
clared with the air Of boy confident of
his ability to shift for himself.