The Coconino sun., 1902-04-26
A Cold Honeymoon By IRVING BAcHELLER
Copyrighted. isoo. by Daily Story Pub. O.,

A h"u SohC uP lO cdH rTduCiSCo OH our way to New York by rail. The journey was rather too costly for the income I enjoyed, but alas! I had promised!
 You can get scalpers' tickets" a friend had said to me, "they will save enough to pay Pullman fare" l had small knowl. dge of scalpers' tickets Of their cheapness had often heard, but of their power to demoral- ize man and change everything that is his, from his name to his character, l knew nothing.
 I had taken a stateroom in which we were to have week of Our honey moon quite to ourselves. A little be- fore train time l went out to investi- gate the matter of scalpers' tickets.
 ''I can fix you all right" said the agreeable gentleman, who dealt in them. Here are two tickets good for man and woman. They will save you s20. First-class. and guarantee their acceptance"
 I looked at them hurriedly-there was no time to lose. Ii was saving worth while. Twenty dollars would nearly pay for the stateroom.
 I took them. He tucked them into an envelope. paid him the money and hurried back. The stage was about to leave and my wife was wait ing at the ladies' exit We got aboard with all haste and were shortly on our way to the depot. When we were on the train at last I looked at the two tickets. That for my wife had been issued to one Miss Bridget Mur- phy.
 Miss Bridget Murphy!" I softly exclaimed. "What does that mean?"
 studied the half-yard of coupons and the regulations of the company. The ticket had evidently been bought hy Miss Murphy. IL was good from Seattle to New York via San Fran cisco. She had used it to the latter point and then sold it. for some req son, to the scalper. The thing that worried me was the fact that the ticket was not transferable, according to the contract on its face. Miss Mur- phy must present it herself and in- dorse it in the presence of the con- ductor. If any other erdeavored to use it the ticket was forfeit to the company. The train was under way. excused myself and went to the smoking room. Sitting there quietly examined the other ticket. That was signed one Sam. Swackhammer. It was the handwriting of black smith and not easy to initiate. It had sledge hammer swing 10 it. The truth came clear to me after little thought. A scalpers' ticket was one a man paid for partly in money and partly in his hope of Heaven. Icould not afford to buy new tickets and, for the rest of the trip, must be Mir. Swackhammer and my wife lady of the name of Murphy. I presume my first name was Samuel. but the man had written it Sam. I must manage it somehow and quickly. took out my pencil and tried to initiate the clumsy signature. As soon as I got the swing of i, hrs'ened to my bride.
 She had happy smile and was look ing out of the window. She wished me to view the scenery. but saw my perturbation as she looked up at me.
 "Darling!" she exclaimed, "what ia the matter?"
 'Only this," said, "a mistake has been made, and until we get to New York your name will have to be Mur- phy."
 "Murphy!" she exclaimed. "what do you mean?"
 Well, got the wrong tickets some way" I said. "I don't know how it happened-I was in great hurry. We must make the best of it now. Just sign the name of Murrhy on your ticket. It will be all right. There it is, Bridget Murphy" said, holding it up to her.