Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-06-14

gift as the Irishmen were bearing their
burden up the creaking stairs. She
at the foot, as well as her mother at
the head of the stairs, did not need to
be told what it was. 1t is a sound a
mourner never mistakes.
The men were talking loudly. One
OF them was swearing. Something
evidently had annoyed him, and as he
came to the landing upon which the
mother was waiting for them, he
swung the uncouth black box toward
her and said roughly: e
"See here, now, was there iver sich
a cussed thing seen afore The paint
haint been on an hour. Look at my
hands. If they have any more such
Internal work to do they may do it
themselves"
"You make as much fuss as if your
hands were sugar or salt. Water
won't hurt them, | guess after the job
is over the woman will give you some
soap," said the other man laughing
loudly.
dts nasty work" said Pat. "Catch
me at it again" And he swore
frightfully as he tossed the coffin
down on the table prepared for it,
and held out both his begrimed
hands.
"Stop your grumbling an d take
hold. The boat leaves in half an
hour, and we shall have to drive like
fury to get there now"
81 don't like to touch the thing"
said Pat, shrinking away from the bed.
Hold on, it amt long enough. 1t
wants four inches, good"
jam it in, then. Where the
odds ?"
"Into the light" little Eddie has
gone. Poor Mother, do not think of
him as being here now!
The two men approached the bed
and lifted the child As they did so his
mother bent forward to look into his
coffin.
Rough, unplained boards: not a pill
low, only some loose straw and saw
dust which seemed to have fallen in.
Oh such groan as broke from her
then, nothing had been able to call it
from her before.
The men laid Eddie down and
turned towards her. There she stood
with clasped hands, her eyes tight
shut, and her lips moving.
Was she saying prayers for the
soul of the dead boy? Pat thought
she was, and with a touch of true feel
ing in his voice, said
"By me sowl, ma am, it's bad, very
bad. | lost my little Pat, and I'd
rather heave coal through forty-eight
hours on stritch than 90 through the
like of it agin. An sure, it's the holy
mother must want heap of them lit
tie ones up there, for she is always af
ther them, poor darlins that they
are m
Pat held his black hands out toward
her now, without a thought of the
paint that was on them, In his Irish
heart, rough and coarse as it was,
there was built a little temple, and
shrined in it lay his dead boy; silent
tears were shed there; true prayers
were offered there.
Pat, drunken, dissolute, wicked
Pat was only father there.
ats too bad, indade it is" he con-
tinued, "and this box aint fit to bury a
dog in. [ bought a box lined with
white ribbins for my boy, rest his
dear sowl. An we had a matter of
candles, and the praists said many a
Mass for h e darlint. It's hard
enough barring these things and if ye
have a mind to wait, Mike, I'll be for
taking the dirty box away, and we'll
get one that's long enough for the bit
Of a child; better, sure he is, without
our help" and Pat looked askance at
Eddie, shaking his head.
you'll be losing the boat and your
time too"
-"Well, well, niver mind, Mike he'll
shape the aisier, and his mother, too
Bedad, if | could shut the eyes Of me
for the night. if little Pat was squazed
up so an3 | can't stan it"
So forgetting the paint, and know
ing full well that Mike had lost no lit
tie Pat and would not help him, tht
Irishman lifted the coffin almost reve
rently, as if the tears which were gliSt
euing in his eyes made it look holy t.
him, and carried it out.
Mike stared, but offered no resist
auce; nor was it till he heard him go
ing down the stairs, knocking tn,
coffin as he went, that he thought ol
following him.
, Ruth, still holding the flowers, wa
standing on the lower floor, waitin!
, for the men to come down; but whel
: she saw them with the coffin, sh
thought they were carrying Eddi
away, and for a moment the Who'll
scene seemed to grow dark and fad
S from her sight; but in another he
hand was On Pats arm, and she sale
/. quickly:
v ado not take MIN without his flow
e ers; dear little Eddie, he loved ther
n So"
d ave haint got him, miss. It's notl
o ing but this box. An sure, it's not f
:, for him, nor those swate flowers; br
we'll be coming back presently, with
e coffin that's good for a prince, an
l. we'll make him comfortable and plea
ant like, if it takes every cint Pat has
}. Ruth looked at him, but only sa
" Pat kneeling before his little tempt