The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-12
INCIDENT
AND OPINION
1.-THE REAL VIC MURDOCH"

who looks up and never down, always
has little joss house slowed away in
! his mind and il is full of idols.
Some years ago there came to Wichita
young man, brilliant and well born.
but improvident and dissipated. ard he
knew books by heart. He could turn
his hand to anything, and he was es-
pecially a brilliant writer. He could
initiate Thackery or Dickens and could
inject Shakespeare and all that. He vas
not original or creative, but his brilliant
conversation and charm of manner fas-
cinated young Murdoch. While Victor
worshipped. his Idol never gave a word
of commentator in return.
You don't drink and you must never
form the habit" he used to say between
his own cups. Or, You smoke too much:
let me kill myself that way. but you shall
not" Or. You go home Victor. and be
fresh for work tomorrow
Only good advice and commands; never
word of praise from the idol
One day while the two young men
were working in Chicago. the idol was
q
few weeks the paper which employed
them sent Victor to unveil a little mon
ument that it had erected to the dead
mans memory. At the side of the grave
stood a cousin of the dead man. 1t was
young woman. and she took from her
purse a mans visiting card. 1t bore tho
name Victor Murdoch"
II am the last living person who spoke
tC our friend" she said to Victor FIT.
teen minutes before he was killed h.
gave me this card, saying, There, ms
cousin. is the name of the brightest man
l ever knew.
AT last the idol had spoken and given
his friend one word of praise. but it was
from the grave.
He ldolized His Idol.
Still Victor is true to his idol and
idealizes him, although during all the
years Of their friendship Murdoch was
coming into fame and broadening in
mind while the other was idling in Dor
rowed plumage. Victor Murdoch is a
man who never loses faith.
'Ah, Victor" his grandfather observed
one day, what a tragedy when you
mature and find out the sham of this
world"
THAT was a good many years ago. and
the old man is in his grave now. but
1 have not found the world so very bad"
said Mr.. Murdoch last night.
The race of Murdocks are a bit hard
headed when they think they are getting
the worst of it," and sometimes they
assert their independence even in the
family. They never stoop to a contcn-
ton. but they set up in business for
themselves. and that is what young Vic
tor did once upon a time. He was only
p years old. but he was married and his
wife shared in his spirit of independ-
ence. He had been working on the Wich-
ita Eagle since his graduation from the
Wichita high school, and one day he went
TO his father for raise" He was get
ting 50 a week and he wanted SIS.
THAT would not be fair, Victor. to the
other boys" Colonel Murdoch said. L
can't promote you over older and more
useful men,"
The spirit of fair play is also in the
Murdoch blood.
IT am worth as much as the book
keeperr." the young man protested.
mo, Victor: we could not replace the
bookkeeper. but we could you. Be pa
tient and wait awhile. Live along with
your mother and me until you learn to
fly
But the boy wanted to get out and be
doing better He went to his mother.
Pull out and go to a bigger town."
she said.
The wife agreed with the mother. She
was only IS years old then, and had mar
ried when she was Is. but she possessed
the courage of womanhood and knew
that Victor Murdoch would succeed.
So the head of the Wichita house Of
Murdoch was astonished the next morn
ing 10 receive a note informing him that
his son Victor had resigned and would
try his fortune in Chicago. IL was des-
perate chance the boy was taking. but
the courage OF 1t all pleased the odd
man." and so Victor transferred his al
leeiance from the Wichita Eagle to the
Chicago Inter Ocean. He began at 81.
a week and he thought it was fortune.
He worked two weeks without drawing
his pay. One day in the third week the
city editor called him to his desk. You
are wanted in the business Office" he
said.
THAT is their way of firing men here.
the new reporter thought.
SAW THE BUSINESS MANAGER.
lis your name Murdock?" the business
manager asked.
Yes. sir
We'll, 1 just wanted TO look you over.
for YOU are a great curiosity. We never
heard of your like in Chicago before
You didn't come last Monday and get
your money. and now here is the second
week up and you haven't asked for IT,
Every other reporter in this town spends
his money before he gets it. Here. 'aNc
Your money and hereafter call for II
every week"
Yes. SIR replied Victor meekly-
That day Murdoch wrote his wife. Il
have s44. Better pack up and come TO
Chicago"
one of his early assignments in Chi
cago was TO write a Worlds fair story.
The exposition was opened with ball.
and the fashion OF the city was there
Murdock's assignment was to do the
man on the outside He astonished him
self In the crowd and saw the fashionable
persons enter the bd4A iebAAA HAt- AS'--N
the envious ard iil-natured comments af
the spectators while the rich equipagss
arrived and discharged their loads OF
wer-dressed men and women. The po-
ncemen used their clubs freely and kept
a passageway open. The spectators be-
san 10 jeer At tbs policemen and the
policemen talked back. Murdoch, who
was an irnpressionable youth. felt sym
pathv for the crowd and when he re
turned 70 the Office he was full OF it,