The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-04-11
CONNER.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

sTo the Memory of Patrick Conner,
This simple stone is erected by his Fellow Work
These words you may read any day
upon white slab in a certain Catholic
cemetery not many miles from New
Y ork, but you might read them a hun
dred times without guessing at the lit
tie tragedy they indicate, with out know
ing the humble romance which ended
with the placing of that stone above
the dust Of one poor and humble man.
In his shabby frieze jacket and mud
laden brogans, he was scarcely an at
tractive object as he walked in Mr.,
Bawn's great tin and hardware shop,
one day, and presented himself at the
counter with an
"I've been tould ye advertise for
hands, yer honor
Fully supplied my man. said Mr..
Bawn, not lifting his head from his ac-
count book.
I'D work faithful, sir, and take low
wages till / could do better, land I'd larn
spady-I would that
1t was an Irish brogue, and Mr.. Bawn
always declared that he hated the Irish.
The speech confessed to incompetence,
and Mr.. Bawn had always declared that
he would never employ an incompetent
hand Yet the tone attracted him.
He turned briskly ,and with his pen be-
hind his ear addressed the man, who
was only one of the fifty who had an
swered his advertisement for four work
men that morning.
What makes you expect to learn
faster than other folks-are you any
better?'
'I'll not say that, said the man, but
I'd beawishing to ; that ud make it as
ier.'
Are you used to the work"
I've done bit Of it.
Much ?
: No, yer honor. TIL tull 20 lie. Tim
O'Toole hadn't the like of this place !;
but know q bit about tins
You are too old for an apprentice,
and you'd be in the way, I'd calculate,
said Mr.. Bawn, looking at the brawyn
arms. and bright eyes that promised
strength and intelligence. Besides I
know your countrymen-lazy, good
for-nothing fellows who never do their
best. No, I've been taken i'll by Irish
hands before, and I won't have an
other
The Virgin will have to be afther
bringing 'em over iu her two arms,
thin,' said the man despairingly, for
I've tramped all day for the last fort
night and niver a job can I git, and
that's the last penny I have,yer honor,
and is but half one
AS he spoke he spread his palm open
with an English half-penny upon it.
Bring whom over ? asked Mr.. Bawn
arrested by the old speech as he turn
ed upon his heel and turning back
again.
'Jist Nora and Jamesy.'
Who are they"
The vans me wife, the other me
child said the man. 'Oh masther, Jest
thry me. How'll / bring 'em over to
me if no one ill give me job? I
want to be airnin'. and the whole big
city seems against it, and me with arms
like thin. - E-
He barred his arms to the shoulder as
he spoke, and Mr.. Bawn looked at
them, then at his face
I'll hire you for week he said, sand
see what you are worth and now as
it's noon, 60 down into the kitchen
and tell the girl to give you your din
ner-a hungry man can't work
And with an Irish blessing, Conner
obeyed, while Mr.. Bawn, untying his
apron, went up stairs to his own meal.
Suspicious as he was of the new
hands integrity and ability, he was
agreeably disappointed. Conner work
ed hard and actually learnt fast At
the end of the week he was engaged
permanently, and soon was the best
workman in the shop.
He was a great talker, but not fond of
drinking or of wasting money AS his
wages grew he boarded every penny
and wore the same shabby clothes in
which he made his first appearance.
Beer costs money he said one day,
'and livery cent l spend puts off the
bringing Nera and Jamesy over; and
as for clothes them have must do me
better no coat to me back than no
wife and boy by me fireside and any
how it's slow work saving
Itwas slow work, but he kept at it
all the same. Other men, thoughtless
and full of fun, tried to make him drink
made a jest Of his saving habits,
coaxed him to accompany them to pla-
ces of amusement to share in their
Sunday frolics All in vain Conner