Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-11-13
NORA.

In his shabby jacket and mud-laden
brogans, Patrick Connor was scarcely
an attractive object as he walked into
Mr.. Bawn's great tin ware shop one day
and presented himself at the counter
with an
'I'ye been told you advertised for
hands, your honor"
s'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 1 could do better, and I'd
Learnt would that"
1t was an Irish brogue, and Mr.. Bawn
always declared that he would never
employ an incompetent hand. Yet the
tone attracted him. He turned briskly,
and with the pen behind his ears, ad-
dressed the man who was only one of
the fifty who had answered his adver-
tisement for four working men that
morning.
"What makes you expect to learn fas-
ter than other folks-are you any smart
err"
''I',l not say that" said the man, 'but
I'd be wishing to, that would make it
easier"
care you used to the work!''
"Ive done bit of it,
"Much?"
@No, your honor; I'll tell no lie. Tim
O'Toole hadn't the like of this place;
but know bit about tins"
@Yeu are too old for an apprentice,
and would be in the way, calculate"
said Mr.. Bawn, looking at the brawny
arms and bright eyes that promised
strength and intelligence. "Besides, 1
know your comtrymen, lazy, geod-for-
nothing fellows, who never do their
best. No, I've been taken in by Irish
hands before, and won't have another"
"The Virgin will have to be after
bringing 'em over in her own two arms
then," said the man, despairingly, "for
I've tramped all day for the last fort
night, and never job can get, and
that's the last penny 1 have, your hon.
or, and it's but half one."
As he spoke he spread his palm open
with an English halfpenny upon it.
''Bring whom over," asked Mr.. Bawn,
arrested by the odd speech, as he turned
back again.
"Just Nora and Jamesy."
9Who are they?"
"The ones my wife, the other my
child" said the man. go, master, just
try me. "How'll 1 bring 'em over to
me if ne one will give me job? l
want to be earning, and the whole big
city seems against it, and me with arms
like them."
He barred his arms to the shoulders as
he spoke, and Mr.. Bawn looked at them
and then at his face.
@I'll hire you for week." he said,
"and now, as it is noon, go down into
the kitchen and tell the girl to get your
dinner-a hungry man can't work."
And, with an Irish blessing, the man
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. Connor worked hard
and actually learned fast. At the end
of the week he was engaged perma-
nently, and soon was the best work.
man in the shop.
He was great talker, but not fond
of drink or wasting msney. As his
wages grew he boarded every penny,
and wore the same shabby clothes in
which he had made his first appearance.
"Beer costs money!" he said one day,
"and every cent l spend puts Of the
bringing of Nora and Jamsey over /;
and IS for clothes, those have must do
me-better no coat on my back than no
wife and boy by my fireside; and any
how, it's 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 a jest of his saving habits, coaIed
him to accompany them to places OF
amusement to share in their Sunday
frolics. All in vain. Connor liked beer,
liked fun, liked companionship; but he