The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-01-13
NORA AND JAMEsY.
CseFSo the memory of Patrick
81 Conner. this simple stone

Cse%9o the memory of Patrick
Conner, this simple stone
was erected by his Fellow Work
men,"
Those words you may read any
day upon a white slab in a cemete-
ry not many miles from New York;
but YOU might read them hundred
times without guessing at the little
tragedy they indicate, without
knowing 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-Iaden brogans, he was scarce
Ii an attractive object as he walked
into Mr.. Bawn's great tin and hard
ware shop, one day, and presented
himself at the counter with an
'.pve been tould We advertised for
hands, yer honor
eFully supplied, my man." said
Mr.. Bawn, not lifting his head from
his account book.
"Fd work faithful, sir, and take
low wages till l could do betther,
and I'd Iearn-I would that"
It was an Irish brogue, and Mr..
BaWn always declared that he never
would employ an incompetent hand.
Yet the tones 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 answered his advertisement for
four workmen that morning.
''What makes you expect to learn
faster than other folks-are you any
smarterY'
"Tll notsay that" said the man,
''but I'd be wishing to; that'ud
make it aisier."
''Are you used to the work."
"Tve done a bit of it.
%Much?"
mo, yer honor. I'd tell no lie.
Tim O'Toole hadn't the like o. this
place; but l know bit about this
''You are too old for an appren-
tice, and you'd be in the way, / cal
culate," said Mr., Bawn, looking at
the brawny arms and bright eyes
that promised strength and intelli-
gence. Besides, I know your coun-
trymen-lazy, good-fer-nothing fel-
lows, who never do their best. No,
I've been taken in by Irish hands
before, and I wouldn't have anoth-
er."
The Virgin will have to be al
ther bringing EN- over in her two
arms, then, said the man, despair
ingly, 'for I've tramped all day for
the last fortnight, and niver a job
can 1 get, and that's the last penny
have, yer honor, and it's but a
half one"
AS he spoke ne spread his palm
open with an English half penny
upon it.
'.Bring whom overY' asked Mr..
Bawn, arrested by the odd speech
as he turned upon his heel, and
turned back again.
"Jist Nora and Jamcsy."
"Who are rheyP'
"The vans my wife, the others
me child,' said the man. "Oh, mis-
ther, jist thry me. How'll / bring
'em over to me ifno one will give
me a job? 1 want to be airning,
and the whole big city seems against
it, and me with arms like thim."
He barred his arm to the shoul-
ders as he spoke, and Mr.. Bawn
looked at them, and then ut his face.
'rll hire you for the week." he
said, 'and now as it's noon go down
into the kitchen a4d tell the girl to
get you your dinner-a hungry man
can't work"
And with an Irish blessing the
new hand Obeyed, while Mr.. Bawn,
untying his apron, went upstairs to
| his own meal. zee
Suspicious as he was of the new
hands integrity and ability, he was
agreeably disappointed. Conner
worked hard, and actually learned
fast. At the end of the week he
was the best workman in the shop.
He was a great talker, but not
fond of drink or wasting money
Ae his wages grew he boarded every
penny and wore the same shabby
clothes in which he had made his
grst appearance. "Beer costs mon
ey," he said one day, ''and livery clint
l spend puts off the bringing Nora
and Jamesy over; and rs for clothes
them / have must do me-better nc
coat to me back than no wife and
boy by me freside; anyhow, it's
slow work saving"
1t was slow work, but he kept al
it all the same. Other men, thought
less and full of fun, tried to make
him drink-made a jest of his say
| ing habits, coaxed him to accom-
| pany them to places OF amusement
or share their Sunday frolics. All
in vain. Connor liked beer, liked
fun, liked companionship, but hc
would not delay the long looked foI
bringing of Nora over, and was not
"mane enough" to accept favors oi
others. He kept his way, & martyr
to his one great wish-liYing on lit
tie. working at night at any extra
| Job by which he could earn a few
shillings, by running errands in his
noontide hours of rest, and talking
to any one who would liston, of his
one great hope, that Of Nora and
little Jamesy.
At first the men WHO prided them
selves on being all Americans, and
turning out the best work in the
city, made a sort of butt Of Connor,
whose "wild Irish ways and YER
dancy were indeed often laughable
But It won their hearts at last, and
when, one day, mounting a work
bench, he shook his little bundls
| ,,.ra mad In q rod 'knrchiaf hefnrf