Page:The Country Boy.djvu/197

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THE COUNTRY BOY
189

everybody seemed to jump from the car and run for the ferryboat, and I noticed we were back to the turn-table. The conductor came through and said: “Oh, yes; you still want to get off at the Murphy Building.” I said: “Yes, if I can get there before dark I’d like to; but if I can’t, transfer me to a sleeper.” He said: “All right now, set your valise up in your lap so that when I see it I will know you get off at the Murphy Building.”

I saw him look in my direction once or twice, and I held the valise up at him; but he shook his head. Finally, just about dusk of what had been the most strenuous day of all my life, he put me off in front of the Murphy Building, and I lost no time in hurrying in.

Once in the Murphy Building the elevator man asked me first where I wanted to go, and I told him to see some people named Mr. and Mrs. Cline who lived somewhere on the top floor. So he took me up in the elevator, kind of showing off, I guess, by the way he ran it, as it didn’t seem over a second till we were at the top, the sixth floor; and for fear some accident might happen and I would get astray, he led me to the Cline’s very door.