The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-08-22
CONNOR.


To the Memory Of Patrick Counor,
This simple stone wAa eIected BY his Fsllcw-
Workmen.
These words you may read any day upoI
q white slab 10 a cemetel not many mile
from New York; but you might read the
hundred times without guessing At ID,
little tragedy which they indicate, with0u
knowing the humble romance which endes
with the placing Of that stone above the dus
Of one poor and humble man.
In his shabby frieZe jacket and mud-ladt
brogans he was scarcely an attractive obiec
as he walked into Mr.. Bawn's great tin and
hardware shop, one day, and presented him
self at the counter With an
"l've been tould ye advertised for hands
yer honor"
Fully supplied, my man," said Mr.
Bawn, not lifting his bead from bic account
book.
"Pd work faithful, sir, and take Low
wages, till could do better, and I'd learn
stady-i would that"
1t was an Irish brogue, and Mr.. Bawn Al
ways declared that be never would employ
an incompetent hand. Yet the tone attract
ed him. He turned brlskly, and with his
pen hind his ear, addressed the man, who
was only one Of the fifty who had answered
his advertisement fer four workmen that
morning.
What makes you expect to learn faster
/ than other folks-Are YOU any smarter 7"
"rli not say that" sad the old man,
but ia be wishing to: that 'ud make il
asier"
"Are you used to work p
7 ave done bit of it."
1 "Much III
(" No, yer honor III tell DO lie. Tim
7 O'Toole haen't the like OF this place but |
know bi. about tinS.'
You are too oId for an apprentice, and
you'd be in the way, | calculate, said Mr.
BAwn, looking at the brawny arms and bright
eyes that promised strength and int ;iigence
Besides, | know your ouutrymen-lazy,
good-for nothing fellows who never do their
best. No, I've been taking IRISH hands be-
f. e, and | won't have another."
sc The Virgin will have TO be after brirgin'
'cn over in her two arms thin," said the
man despairingly, :" for I've tramped all day
for the last fortnight, and nlyer job can |
get, and that's the last penny have, yer
homer, and us but half one"
As he spoke be spread his palm open with
al Eaglish half penny upon it,
T. He
rested by the odd speech, as he turned
upon bis heel, aud turned back again.
4" list Nora and Jamesey."
"Wao are they ~
The vans me wife, the other me child !"
said the man. %, masther, iist thry me
How'll bring 'em over to me If no one will
give me job2 want TO be airning, and
the whole big city seems against it, and me
With arms like thin"
He barred his arms to the shoulder as be
spoke, and Mr. Bawn look at them and then
al his lace.
'I'li hare you for week." be said ana
now as it's noon, go down into the kitchen
ana tell the girl to get you your dInner-a
hungry man can't work"
Aud with an Irish blessing, the new
hand obeyed, while Mr.. Bawn, untyIng his
apron, wen. up stairs TO his own meal.
Suspicious as he was Of the new hands
integrity au6 ability, he was agreeably dis
appointed. Connor worked hard and &C
tualy learned fast. At the end OF the week
he was engaged permanently, and sOoG was
the best workman in the shop.
He was a great talker, but not fond OF
drink or wasting money. As his wages
grew be boarded every penny, and wore the
same shabby clothes in which be made bis
| first appearance. 50 Beer costs money" he
said one day, sand iverv cint | spind puts
me Of the bringing Nora and Jamesey over;
and al for clothes, them have must do me
-bether 10 coat to me back than no wife
and hoy by me fireside, and anyhow its slow
work saving"
1t was slow work, but he kept at it all the
same. Other men, thoughtless and full OF
| fun, tried to make him drink-made lest
OF his saving habits, coaxed him to accom-
panv them to d aces Of amusements, or 20
share in their Sunday frolics. All IN vain.
Connor liked beer, liked fun, liked compan-
onship; but be would not delay that long
looked for bringing OF Nora over, and was
not name enough" 20 accept favors OF
others. He kept bis way, q martyr to his
great wish-living on little, working at night
on an extra job he could earn few shillings
by ; running errands in his noontime hours
Of rest, and talking to any one who would
listen Of his one great hope, and Of Nora and
little Jamesey.
At first the men, who prided themselves
on being all Americans, and on turning out
the best work in the city, made sort oi
butt of Connor, whose wild Irish'' ways
and verdancy we're indeed often laughabIe.
But he won their hearts at last, and when,
one day, mounting workbench, he shook
bis little bundle, wrapped in a red handler
chief, before Their eyes and shouted-''loJk,
boys, I've got the whole at last Whoroo
I've got il pail felt sympathy in his joy
and each grasped his great hand in ccrdia
congratulations and one proposed 10 trea
III round and drink good voyage TO Nora
They parted in a merry mood, mos ofth,
lSen going 20 comfortable homes. But pooi
CoeDor's resting place was . poor lodging
house where be s. ar d n crazy gaTret wilt
four other nen, and in the joy Of his hear
the pocr 70 low exhibited his handkerchief
with his bard earned savings tiej up In
hard Knot in the middle, before be put !
under dis pillow and fell asleep. when b,
awakened IN the morning he found his trea
sure gone. SOne villain. more contemplate
than most bad men are, had robbed him.
At hrst CoDnoF could not believe 10 leg,
BE searched every corner Of the rsona, shoal
his quilt snd blanket, and begged thos
about bin 10 'sqait joking and gvsit back
Bot At last be realized the truth.
ssIs any man that bad that its thsved fror
me 7" he asked In essathlese way. ssBcy
is any man that haf fR
And some one answered.
"No doubt Of IL, ConnOr. It's steia.
Then Connor put his head down on III
hands and lifted up his vosos and wspk
was one Of those sighs ehfch men never Al
Set. Is seemed more then be could bgaR, 1
have Mora snd bis child spul,r z % b. q