The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-06

nights consideration was evidently of
a very complex and mysterious nature,
and they gnaWed and mumbled at it
with. such flerceness, and. withaI. such
selishness, l could only catch a flying
fragment of ii now and then, and that,
L noticed, was of the coarSest fiber of
intelligence, and Of Siangy flavor. Lis
tening with the most painful interest
L at last made out the fact that the
infection seemed 10 be in the interroga-
tive, and, with anxiety the most in
tense, l slowly came to comprehend that
they were DESTROYS of ascertaining the
exact distance between Two given
points, but the proposition seemed de-
termined not to round into fuller sig
nihcance than to query mockingly:
How fur is it, How fur is it? How
fur, how fur. how fur is it," and so
or to most exasperating limit. As
tnlS senSeless phrase was repeated and
reiterated in its growing harshness. and
unehanging information, the relentless
pertinacity of the query grew simply
agonizing, and when at times the car,
door opened TO admit a brakeman. or
the train boy, who had everything to
sell but what I wanted, the empha-
sized refrain would lift me from my
seat and drag me W and down the
aisle When the phrase did eventually
YTrithe round into form and shade more
tangible, my relief was such that I sat
Gown, and in my fancy framed a grim.
| unlovely tune that suited IL, and
hummed with it, in an undertone of
dismal satisfaction:
How fur-hoW fur
Is it from here
From here to Happiness ?''
When L returned that same refrain
rode back into the city with me, All
| the gay metropolis was robing for the
banquet and the ball. All the windows
Of the crowded thoroughfares were
kindling into splendor- Along the
streets rolled lordly carriages, so
weighted down with costly silks and
furs, and twinkling gems, and unknown
treasures in unnumbered packa ges,
that one lone ounce of needed charity
would have snapped their axles, and
a feathers weight of pure benevolence
would have solintered every spoke
And the cid rafrain rode with me
through it alias stoicai, relentless and
Interchangeable as fate-and in the same
depraved and slangy tone in which it
seemed to find an especial pride, il
1 sang. and sang again:
How fur-how fur
Is it from here
From here to Happiness"
The train that for five minutes had
been lessening in speed, tOiled pain
fully along. and as arose impatiently
and reached behind me for my over
coat, a CHEEKY voice cried, Hello, Capt
Want a lift? III hep you with that
benjamin =" and as I looked around 1
saw the grimy features Of my little
hero OF the brush and box
''Hellol'' said I, as much delighted as
surprised. Where did you drop
from?''
''Oh, collared this old hearse mile
or so back yonder," said the little fell
low, gayly, standing on the seat behind
me and holding up the coat. Been a
dom circus business on the steps out
there fer half an hour. You bet had
my eye on you, all the same, though"
You had, eh2" I exclaimed, gladly,
although ! instinctively surmised his
highest interest in me was eentered in
my pocketbook- You had, eh?" I re-
peated with more earnestness. ''WeI,
I'm glad of that, Charlie-or, what is
your name?"
'-Squatty." said the boy. Then MOTTO
ing the look of surprise upon my face.
he added, soberly: That amt my
'sure-enough' name, you know; that's
what the boys calls me. Sis calls me
Jamesy.''
We'll. Jamesy," continued, button
ing my collar and drawing on my
gloves, I'm mighty glad to see you.
and if you don't believe it, just go
pocket and you'll find out"
The little fellow needed no second
invitation, and as he drew forth
closely folded package the look of Gu
rios;ty upon his face deepened to one
of blank bewilderment
open it," said I, smiling at the little
puzzled face: open tits for you
20 here, Cap said the boy. drop
ping the package On the seat, and
holding up a rigid finger. you're a
givin' me this, amt you?"
I'm giving you the package, GER
tainly," said I. somewhat bewildered-,
open Tits a Christmas present for
you-Open it."
What's your idly o. layin' fer me-"
asked the boy with troubled and un-
easy air. I've been a-givin' you
square business right along, amt I %
Why, Jamesy," said /, as vaguely
comprehended the real drift of his
thought, ''the package is for you, and
if you won't open il 1 Will" and as I
spoke 1 began unfolding it, Here"
said 1, lis pair OF gloves, a little girl
about your size, told me 70 give TO you,
because I was telling her about you,
over where / live. and it's a clear
case, and I laughed lightly to my
self as / noticed slow flush creeping
TO his face. And here" said !. lis a
bang up pair Of good Old-fashioned
SOCKS, ana, II they II ut you, there an
old woman that wears specs and
mole on her nose, told me to tell you,
for her, that she knit them for your
Christmas present, and If you don't
wear them she'll never forgive you.
And here" 1 continued. lis a cap. as
fuzzy as a woolly worm. and as warm
a cap. I reckon. as you ever stood on
your head in; it's cheap cap. but I
bought il with my own money. and
money that 1 worked mighty hard to
get, because I amt rich; now, if 1 was
rich, I'd buy you plug; but I've got
an idea that this little, old. woolly cap.
with earbobs to ii, and a snapper to go
under your chin, don't you see, won't
be bad cap TO knock around in, such
weather as this. What do you say
now. Try her on once" and as spoke
1 turned to place it on his head
"Oomh-ooh," he mega lively muir
INJURED. putting out his hand. his closed
lips quivering little frowzy head
dropping forward, and the ragged
shoes shutting on the floor
Come, said I, my own voice grow
ing curiously changed; won't you take
these presents2 They are yours; you
must accept them. Jamesy. not be-
cause they're worth so very much, or
becsuse they're very fine. l continued.
bending down and folding up the par
eel. but because, you know, / want