The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-10-09
ng place was poor lodging house,


middle, before he put it under his
pillow and fell asleep. When he
awakened in the morning he found
his treasure gone. Some villain
. more contemplate than most bad
; men are, had robbed him.
At first Connor could not believe
it lost. He searched every corner
Of the room, shook his quilt and
blanket, and begged those about him
to quit joking and give it back
But at last he realized the truth.
is any man that bad that it's
thaved from me7' he asked in q
breathless way. Boys, is any man
that bad?'
I And some one answered. .-r
I No doubt of it, Connor. It's
stole
! Then Cohnor put his head down
on his hands and lifted up his voice
and wept. IL was one of those sights
which men never forget. 1t seemed
more than he could bear, to have
Nora and his child put, as he ex
pressed it. months away from him
again.
But when he went to work that day
it seemed to all who knew him that
he had picked up new deter.
mination. His hands were never
idle. His face seemed to say I'll
have Nora with me yet At noon
he scratched out letter, blotted and
very strangely scrawled, telling NOra
what had happened; and those who
observed him had noticed that he
had no meat with his dinner. Indeed,
from that moment be lived on bread,
potatoes and cold water, and worked
harder than before. 1t grew to be the
talk of the shop, and now, that sym
Ipathy was excited, every one want
ed to help Conner. Jobs were thrown
in his way, kind words and friend
lily wishes helped him nightly; but
no power could make him share the
food or drink of any other workman.
That seemed sort of charity to
him. Still he was helped along. A
present from Mr.. Bawn, at payday,
set Nora as he said, "a week nearer.
and this and that and the other added
to the little hoard. 1t grew faster
than the first, and Connor's burden
5as not so heavy. At last. before
he hoped it, he was once more able
to say, Pm going to bring them
over,' and to show his handkerchief,
in which, as before, he tied up his
earnings-this time, however, only
to his friends Cautious among
strangers, he hid his treasure, and
kept his vest buttened over it night
and day until the ticket was bought
and sent. Then every man, woman
and child, capable of hearing and
understanding, knew that Nora and
her baby were coming.
There was john Jones, who had
more of the brute in his composition
than usually falls to the lot of men,
even he, who had coolly hurled his
hammer at an offenders head, miss
ing him by hairs breadth, would
spend ten minutes in the noon hour
in reading the Irish news to Connor.
There was Tom Barker, the meanest
man among the number, who had
never been known to give anything
to any one before, actually bartered
an old jacket for pair of gilt vases
which a pcddler brought in his
basket to the shop, and presented it
to Connor for his Nora's mantel-piece.
And here was idle Dick. the appren-
tice, who actually worked two hours
on COnnor's work, when illness kept
the Irishman home one day. Connor
felt his kindness, and returned it
whenever it was in his power, and
the days flew by and brought at last
letter from his wife.
"She would start as he desired,
and she was we'll and so was the boy,
and might the Lord bring them safe
to each others arms and bless those
who had been SO kind to him.
That was the substance of the epis-
tie which Connor proudly assured
his fellow workmen that Nora wrote
herself. She had lived at service, as
girl, with q certain good old lady,
who had given her an education, the
items of which Connor told upon his
fingers. The radin' that's one, and
the writin, that 8 two, and moreover
she knows all woman can.' Then
he looked al his fellow workmen with
tears in his eyes, and asked:
DO ye wondher the time seems
long between me an her, boys ~
So it was-N0ra at the dawn of
day-Nora at noOn-Nora at night
until the news came that the
Stormy Petrel had come to port, and
Connor, breathless and pale with ex-
citement, flung his cap in the air and
shouted.
1t happened on holiday after
noon. and half a dozen men were
ready to go with Conner to the steam
er and give his wife greeting. Her
little home was ready. Mr.. Bawn's
own servant had put it in order, and
COnnor took one peep at it before he
started.
.She hadn't the like OF that in the
ould counthry,' he said hut she'll
know how to kape them tidy t
Then he led the way toward the
dock where the steamer lay, at pace
which made it hard for the rest to
follow him. The spot was reached
at last; crowd of vehicles blockaded
the street; a troop of emigrants came
tnronging up; fine cabin passengers
were stepping into cabs, and drivers,
porters and all manner of employees
we're shouting and yelling in the usu-
al manner. Nora would waIt on
board for her husband--he knew that
The little group made their way
into the vessel at last, and there
amidst those who sat watching for
coming friends, Connor searched for
the two so dear to him; patiently
at first, eagerly but patiently; but
by.and-by growing anxious and ex-
cited. p '7ees tf
She would niver go alone,' he
said. Shed be lost entirely; bade
her wait, but don't see her, boys, i
think she's not in it.
'Why don't you see the captain P
asked one, and Connor jumped at
the suggestion. In few moments
liz a<oo6 boforo n nortlv ruhicund