Crowded Out o' Crofield; or, The Boy who made his Way

prevent her from being overlooked. All those who had called upon Mrs. Murdoch knew that Mary had had something to do with that extraordinary number of the

he comments of the public, there was something about the

ll up when s

. "I've studied the map of New York. I'd know just how to go arou

ad a comfortable night, and felt

"I'm ready to take a look at the Ea

vening at the sociable," she ans

studied the paper as Jack had studied the ma

ertonville is good; that about the logs, the dam, the burglary-a very extraordinary occurrence, by the way-it's a blessing the

, and he groaned and rolled ab

get up! Oh, but this is dreadful! She's pitched

ver. He dressed himself, and walked out into the kitchen. His wife had no

r much scared about you. You'll never die till yo

itedly. "If this work goes on, I sha

t number; Jack was down in the engine-room; Mr. Black was busy, and Mr. Bones was out, when a

ow him!"

won't forget!" remar

est. They had sticks, and they tramped heavily as they marched to the "sanctum." The foremost

Mr. Ed

, sir. What do

e Edito

m, looking him straight in

nough, it occurred to him that

"howld yer tongue! it's only a gir-rl! Don'

the hall, but the big man stood li

gasped. "Is old Murdoch

ill," said Mary. "W

o,-it's the Eagle, you know,-and there's no kind of dis

od at all; coom along, b'ys. Be civil,-Mike Flaherty will never h

g still in amazement. She was trying to collect her thoughts when Mr. Black marched in from t

frantically described as "the riot," and she was inclined t

ine, exclaiming, "Mr

exclaimed. "I saw them go o

'em off in no tim

airs, and there she sat a long time, replying to Mr. Murdoch's questions and remarks. She had plenty to tell, after all she had heard at the sociable, and Mr. Murdoch groaned at times, but still he thanked her f

e enough. Besides, Mrs. McNamara wasn't robbed at all. S

n and his ears ready to catch any bit of stray news,

ping upon a lapstone, and a tall man straightened up su

exclaimed under his br

t stay in Mertonville!" thought

it was so early that he a

e was so quick that Mr. Black

iedly, and up-stairs he darted, to break righ

dded to the many already fallen upon him and his Eagle. "Perhaps you

the city, and I'll go. I'm off

l buy you a ticket to Albany, and you can go down on the night boat. They're taking pass

uting, "We've got him again, Deacon! He's in town. He works in a paint shop-had paint on his face. O

lothes and packing up. When he came down, there was no ink upon his face, his collar wa

spirits; "and I can run the engine myself now I'm well. I can say in the next

. Murdoch had said that there was only time to catch the express-train, and they were saying good-by. Mary was cry

Mary. "But I'm glad you're go

"but I'll write. I'll tell you everything

it would be," he thought, "to have my own 'devil' arrested for burglary. The I

ers for a new story, but really she was trying to keep from crying

volunteers, dashed around Mertonville, searching every shop in which any sort of face-blacking might be used, and Deacon Abram

sely, as Mr. Murdoch and a neatly dresse

ving. You did me justice. We're after that sa

rm hard, "I'll mention your courage and publ

I've got some new subscribers for

indow, and Jack patiently looked aw

right in. Keep your satchel with

Mr. Murdoch, "

pocketing his ticket

e open window, just

under his breath, as he re-entered the Eag

central committees have both been here. Elder

u say?" the

"I told them you we

orty-six old subscribers have stopped their papers, but a hundred and twenty-seven n

aid Mary. "If there's a

hastily. "You've had work enough. Now you must

le office, to stir up storms for him. But Mary made n

hopeful state of mind, but soo

going right along; but I'm too much exhaust

the train was in motion, he forgot even Deacon Abrams and Mrs. McNam

'd get there some day, and now I'm really going! Hurrah for New York! It's goo

or capital, but he knew more or les

been railway men, he thought, from what they said, and it occu

seat, took the hitherto empty half of it, and began to talk with the men in front as if he had come on b

o have trouble in getting the right of way through Crofield. We'll

"There isn't much hotel left in Crofie

the gentlemen in front.

out the time of the fire. The old bridge is down. I he

l attention, and the one wh

gh the old Ham

mmond," replied Jack, "but i

her owners of property?" asked th

ck. "I was born there. You don't know about the people, though. They'll do almost anythin

first speaker, with a noteb

Ogden. My father knows every m

dow. "My name's Magruder; we three are directors in the new r

at to New York," said

tertain you at the Delavan House i

en the train stopped at Albany, Jack was talking f

next paper without any help from her, and even Mrs. Murdoch was almost glad

the sanctum so threateningly, went away beaten, but recounted their experience. They did so in the office of the Mertonville Hotel, and Mike

bright, in spite of his gray hair, stood in the

. "Did you hear 'em? I guess I know what we ought to do. Come on into Cro

ly, well-dressed man. "No

're needed. I dare you to come!" said the

the largest store in Mertonville, and here the li

General Smith," said the merchant,

ial of esteem,"-and three gentlemen

exclaimed the merchant, as he added up the f

roliman, the banker, laughing. "I won't ta

ll "chipped in," and General Smith's

the table that evening, and was examining

th a package," said Mrs. Murd

Mary, in blan

ssed to her, and co

en is requested to accept this silk dress,

MEN OF ME

usion, "I don't know what to say or do. It'

more than it pleased Mary. He insisted Mar

ss made Mary forget to w

d Jack was glad of it, for he had not had any dinner. His new a

Mr. Magruder took from h

Hudson River. I had forgotten that I had it. Don't you

p it?" asked J

agruder. "I was goin

bustle and business, considering how quiet everybody was, Jack thought, than he ever saw before. He we

ay," Jack said to himself, "and unt

ou to dine with us. It's a private party-h

d then he stood still and

l there," he said to himself. "I don't want any

ing a single blunder, but the moment he c

e exclaimed. "They must have made a mistake. Perhaps I

as if he had come out of a band

to a seat at one of the tables, and a bill of far

himself. "I'll try things I couldn't get in Crof

before him a plate

every one of them seemed to s

l of fare and selected such dishes as,

Jack was almost afraid he

around, and asked the clerk if Mr.

rk. "He is not yet through dinner.

. "I'll sit down and w

n returned. There were twice as many of th

long. After that you can do what y

him so richly furnished that he really wished it had been plaine

ound the table in th

, laughing. "Ogden, here's a map of Crofield and all the coun

oo; but Jack's first r

isn't sand and gravel in that hill acr

all wrong,

seemed to be one of the civil engineers, pet

ack. "Go down stream a

e costly cutting it, but we shall want the ston

or he had to tell all there was to tell ab

ved all your life in every house in Crofield and in Mertonville

join in the general laugh. "I wouldn't talk so much, but Mr.

e out again, and it wa

ed from him, however, and Mr. Ma

," he said. "Look at the city. I'll see t

expect-" b

missed knowing about that granite ledge. It's worth something to us. The ticket will be

"Good-evening, sir. Go

he door closed behind h

tractor. Brightest young fell

to himself to be a very small, green, poor, uneducated boy, who hardly knew where he was going next, or what he was going to do when he got there. "I don't

in spite of everything, was Jack Ogd

office," he thought. "I'm glad it isn'

r, and in a few minute

nd he awoke with the first sunshi

"It'll be ever so long before brea

something swung agains

n that pamphlet. I'l

e dinner and the talk afterward, had driven the pamphl

. Everything about the Hudson. Pictures of all the places worth seeing in New

at he was not eating up any part of his nine dollars, and it did not seem like so much money as it would have seemed in Crofield. He was in no haste, for he had no idea where to go, and did not mean to tell anybody how ignorant he was. He walked out of the Delavan House, and strolled away to the right. Even the poorer buildings were far better t

. "I'll know what it is when I se

e reached the street corner, at the top. Upon the corner, with his hands folded behind him and his hat pushed back on his head

ill you please tell me

im with a bow and a smile. "That's the New York

Miracle?"

ked the gentleman, wit

-Jack

.' That's a miracle. It can never be finished.

ings I don't know, Mr

built it they put in twenty tons of pure, solid gold, my lad. Di

emen and ladies who were standing still, a few yards away, lookin

hand on his shoulder,

the State Miracle. Many other States have other si

hy?" asked Jac

entleman was

to stay there a long time, and they're never the same men

aid Jack, turning away. "Thank you,

the others were stepping forward,

me back a

Mr. Guvner?

bad as the Capitol itself. You'll never be the sam

alked away again; but as he did so he heard a la

ov-er-nor. A ver

the Governor of the State himself, and I'm going to see the Capitol. I co