Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 941 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

’ —_— -———_— ~_— ——————— nn Strolling idly along lower Broadway, with his hands deep in his pockets, he Was apparently at peace with himself and all the world, and was taking in the sights as he went along singing: ‘*Swate Kitty Callaway, Me heart ye'’ve stolen all away, Wi'd ye'r rosy cheeks an’ dimples, And eyes like twinklin’ stars. Sure I am in a pickle, All because ye are so fickle; Do ye really care a nickel ur thot jigger on dhe cars?’ At that moment the bright look. van- ished from his face, and a scowl took its place as he glanced at a passing cable car. * By dhe token, av dhere aint thot same jigger now!” he exclaimed. “Spake ay dhe divil, and he is bound to appear. Look at dhe wax on his mustache, w'u'd ye! As if he hasn’t got twin patches in dhe sate av his breeches!” And as the car passed the youth shook his fist at the rather spruce-looking con- ductor, who was all unconscious of this expression of affection, and the object of this displeasure went on his way, while the street stroller, who had come to a standstill, let his thoughts take shape. “And thot'is her Nelson, is it? Sure, it must be dhe name thot has caught her fancy, fur, on me soul, his shape never: would! Oj wonder ay thot is all the name he has, or has he another wan before or behind to it thot is aven more high- sounding nor thot wan? Oi would loike to paste him once fur luck, sure as me name is Larry!” He soon strolled on, his hands still deep in his pockets, and the look on his face boded ill for his rival. He whistled a little, and presently broke out singing again as his muse ran away with him for another prance in the foothills of Parnassus, to this effect: <i ‘“ Swate Kitty Callaway, This is phwat Oi have to say— Ye have hurteted me feelings Wi'’d dhe way Ol've seen ye flirt; But yure Nelson will regret it, Fur av he does upset it, You can bet thot he will get it Phwere his collar fits his shirt!" “* Hello! Loony! What's that you are singing about? What is the matter with you to-day, my lad?’ “ Phwat is dhe matter wi'd me, Mister Murphy? Sure, dhere is enough dhe matter, and av Oi mate dhat thin-legged gossoon phwat rings up fares on thot car just beyanst, he will hear somethin drap, you bet!” “Why, what has he been doing Larry ?” Ve * Well, it is enough he has been doing, d’'ye moind. It is thrying to cut me out from me best gurrel he is!” ; “That is bad enough, truly; but, if she wants him let her have him, and maybe it will be a good, riddance for you. I know plenty of men who wish they had been cut out.” , : “Thot will do, Mister Murphy. You don’t’ know Kitty Callaway, or you wouldn't be afther saying that, no more ye would, She is dhe swatest gurrel dhat ever stood in two shoes, and Oi am bet- ting me hat on thot same. Avy ye was to see her it would turn yure head.” “The same as it has turned yours, eh?” with a light laugh. » “Avy me head is” ay. 8 strap-pulle® 1 a Well I don't blame you, my lad; I have never been afflicted that way my- self, so I don’ oH catia ger about it. I am an-‘old bachelor, and likely to remain one, I guess. Enough of that; have you succeeded in striking a job yet?” , “Never a job can I get at all at all, + — — to you, ‘turned me heart isn’t, av dhat gossoon- *t drop out he is. and usually, pretty soon.’ Mister Murphy. AIJl dhe same, it is great- ly obliged Oi am to you fur dhe help ye have tried to give me,” “And 1 am sorry it has not amounted to more, my lad.” * Begorra, so am I!” “ Well, Keep a stiff upper lip, and every- thing wiil come cut lovely after a while. Where were you going?’ “Oh! just takin’ a walk town, dhat was all, sor.” “| will keep my eyes open, Larry, and if L see any opening anywhere, or hear of a chance, I will put yous onto it. But who is this [Nitty Calaway you seem to be so taken with?” “Sure, she is a lass thot sells poseys just up dhe strate here a pace, and she is a posey hersel’ by dhe same token!” “T will judge of your taste the first time I see her.” So they parted. down Broadway, tinued his siroll tion. ‘* A foine gentleman is Mister Murphy,” the lad muttered to himself. ‘‘ He is as foine a mon as ye could foind in a day’s walk, so he is; and av anybody eould find me a job he ought to be dhe wan, seeing thot he is a detective.” Which was true. Horace Murphy was the professional popularly known as the Bowling Green Detective. about. dhe The while in man went on the youth con- the opposite direc- He had achieved his first suecess in connection with some .steamship line whose office was on Bowling Green, and from that time had been a popular special for that section. ¢ Just how he had become acquainted with Loony Larry does not matter. Men in his line pick up a varied and numer- ous acquaintanceship. ) And as for Larry, he was a character, decidedly. : | He was a native of Limerick, and a typ- ical son of the Emerald Isle, full Of keen native wit.’ ! | He had been some months in New York, had rapidly acquainted himself with American Ways and customs, and had been quick to pick up the current slang. , Being something of a rhymster, the boys with whom he had been thrown in con- tact had dubbed him Loony Larry. Be- sides that, he was Called the Wild Irish Kid, to which he in no wise objected. He had been quick to make friends, after landing penniless and alone in a strange city. P .Deteetiye Murphy continued on _ to Bowling Green, where he entered the of- fice of one of the principal steamship companies. et “Is Mr. Hedgewood in his private of- fice?” he inquired of a clérk. “Yes, he is in,’ was the answer. * Want to see him, Mr. Murphy?” ’ “Yes; just ask him if he can spare me a little time.”’ The clerk stepped to the door of a pri- vate office, exchanged a few words with the man within, and returning, motioned the detective to enter. | Murphy passed around behind the rail- ing and Grossed to the private office, where he entered in his quiet, respectful man- ner. | “You, Murphy?” asked Mr. Selim Hedgewood, looking up from his desk. “Yes, sir; I received your note, Mr. Hedgewood, and have come at the earliest possible moment.’” . “You are always prompt, Murphy. The Bowling Green Detective’s Drop. ee a ee a ee ee eC “And now we have another case for you, Which will take some little time, perhaps, but which seems to be of un- ” usual importance. * What is it, Mr. Hedgewood?” “We have got to find a missing pas- senger.”’ 4 5 ‘* T hope the passenger didn’t jump over- board,” said Murphy. “Ll may haye a difficult job of it, if he did that.” “Ha, ha! Yes, I should say so. Well, it is for you to learn what became of him, and if you are satisfied that he did get lost overboard we will not require you to recover the body.” “Then I think I may safely undertake the work, Mr. Hedgewood. Please give me the particulars.” 4 “I will do that straightway. A _ gen- tleman named Samuel Powers called upon me yesterday to make jnquiries concern- ing a young man named Lawrence Bran- nagan, supposed’ to have sailed from Queenstown upon our steamship Atlan- | tie some six months ago, and who has And, the best of it is, we never call on in vain. When we ask you to doa upon its being done, a , thing we can rely “Well, yes; I have been somewhat lucky, Mr. Hedgewood.” . . ye little nixie, ye?’ never reached his destination.” * Rather strange.” . “Yes, it is strange, indeed; but that is not the strangest part of it. This man Powers hints his belief that foul play of some kind has been done, and if that is the case we want to get at the bottom of the business. We cannot have our reputation sullied by anything of that kind, you know. The passenger list shows no entry of any such passenger, and yet Powers is positive that he sailed.” “Has he any proof of it?” “Yes, a good deal of circumstantial proof, but nothing positive. You had better go and see him; this is his ad- dress. He will tell you all there is to tell; then you can set to work. If you can discover, young Brannagan you will put him into possession of a large fortune which is coming to him, but which, otherwise, is to go to a rich uncle here in New York, one Michael Brannagan, who, according to this man Powers’s account, is not above suspicion.” CHAPTER ILI. | J A CLEW AND A SPAT. Detective Murphy, leaving the office, Started up Broadway. | He intended to take a car, but running over in his mind the points of the case upon which he was about to begin work, he walked. farther than he intended, and did not realize it until a cheery voice hailed him. “Hello! Mister Murphy!” the voice ealled, “ Stop a little till I spake wi'd ye, rad av ye plaze.”” isis a} and there was Murphy looked around, Limerick: Larry, The youth -was standing by a little table laden with boutonmieres, behind which was seated a young woman whose complexion rivaled the flowers she was selling. j Detective Murphy took in the situation. at a glance. way about whom he had heard Larry singing, and Larry was paying attention to her to while away time, evidently an agreeable occupation. Murphy dodged out of the stream passers-by and approached the stand. _ “Mister Murphy,” said Larry, proudly, ‘let me be afther introducin’ ay ye to Miss Kitty Callaway, the swatest gurrel in all New York, and be dhe same token no swater would ye be foindin’ in Lim- erick, Cork, Galway or Dublin, ayther, an’ ye took a day’s walk around the town. Sure, she is— Och! phwat are ye doin’, The young lady had cut short her Eomicbooks lov- co + of ‘t re . 7 . ° - FO a ey EO —— - : 4