OCR Text |
Show ROMANCE AND REALITY. VKKITAI1LE UOCHIl DIAMOND I'HOfl THE I Hi KUd t I" SOCIKTY. Every old resident' of Kansas city remembers "Limply," the pale-faced, emaciated htlle vagabond of two or Hires years ago. Four years ago "Limpey" slept in hay lofts, in collars col-lars and empty freight cttra, and when he was "out ou the lay," either blacked boots or begged for food. "Limpey" was under the ban of tho police iu this city, and had it not been (or his crippled condition and cnn.-iniiplive appearance he would ha iv been sent to tho work house as a vagrant. While he was a resident u! this city he was a great peal to the police, as he was the leader of a moat incorrigible gang of young hoodlums, who infested the fall fairs in the west and defied the detection of detectives or tho eflbrts of the police to break up their gang. "Limpey" went away In June, 137G, and was lost to sight and memory mem-ory both until yesterday, when he reappeared re-appeared among hid old acquaintances acquaint-ances a man among men and married 10 the girl of his choice. "Limpey," or as he now calls himself, Dennis Uiirrighan, came to this city among a pary of little boys from the house of refuge in New York, and was diatrib-u diatrib-u teel with the rest to those who d haired to adopt children. "Limpey," being thin and lame, met with poor treatment, treat-ment, and was soon again a waif upon the Btreeta. In June, 187G, ' Limpey" made bis way to Denver, and from thence lo Deadwood, in the Black Hills, where he became interested inter-ested with a party of mountain miners. min-ers. Joe and Aleck Coagrove and Sanderson Milier, with whom he en gaged us cook, becoming part owner in all their discoveri-s. They were remarkably lucky last summer, reai-mm reai-mm between ;i0,000 and $40,000, of which"Limpey"received about $0,000 besides shares in various lodes located by his partners. He returned to Kansas city last Wednesday to pay a debt ot gratitude lo a friend of the days of his poverty. An old woman who kept a den in the old Globe house on the levee, and afterwards eked out a miserable existence with her little daughter in the old Bulterfield building build-ing on Grand avenue, had been a mother lo the refugee. He had never appealed to the old women in vain when he wauled either concealment from the police or shelter from the weather. In his prosperity Dennis did not forget old Mrs. Stein and her daughter. More than ouo letter had reached them within the past year, bringing money and comfort. They changed their home from squalid, poverty stricken rooms on Grand avenue to a small but respectable house on Oak, near Fourteenth street, where tu-y remained awhile, but removed to rooms on South Main street. To cut the story Bhort, "Lim pey" came back last week well "heeled," and so much changed in appearance that his old friends did not know him. His lameness has almost entirely lelt him, and he weighs twice aa much as when he left here. He was married on Friday night to Miss Mary Stein, iu the presence pres-ence of a select parly of friends. "Limpey" proposes to return to I Deadwood with b ia young wife and his mother-in-law. He is aa modest with his wealth as he was aagay and I tioubiesome ia his poverty. There is one feature about "Limpey V action which commends itaelf to notice. He did not forget the friends he found in the days of his adversity. The Timea wishes the strangely assorted couple success and happiness in their mountain home iu the Hills. Kansas City Times. |