The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-03
TAKING IN A l0DGER.

Michael y Rafferty, was a most IN
lucky man. He had begun his exist
ence under peculiarly unfortunate cir
cumstances, and indeed he was accus-
toned to say himself, that the most un-
lucky thing in his life happened to him
at it's very beginning, and consisted in
his being bern. If Michael had been
drinking man, Father O'Brien would
have said that his intemperance had
proved his ruin; but Michael didn't
drink. If he had been lazy man, the
political economist would have cried,
<'Behold the results of idlencss! But,
from superintendent to switchman,
there was not a more steady going,
faithful man on the Gridiron, Princeton
and Pan Handle Railroad, than was the
workman of Section No. 4. No! there
was not the least possible opportunity
for charging any of his misfortunes
upon the victim himself; and evon his
wife, Mary, understood and acknowl-
edged that, and set down the mishaps Of
her life upon the proper side, and like
the true. good hearted woman that she
was, gave him credit for all the good,
and charged the Ill-luck with all that
was untoward.
.'Moikc,' said his wife, looking over
the earthen tea pot one evening as the
frugal supper was finished, next
Thursday is the rint.'
so it is, bad luck to it, answered
her spouse, gazing down into his cup,
as if he expected to see the money to
pay it at the bottom; 'But Thursday S
a long time away yet.
Mother, MOTHER piped Patrick.
"Tim Brady says they don't pay no
rint."
Mrs. O'Rafferty looked at her hus-
band, but said nothing. and the ques-
ton at issue was no nearer settlement
than before. Kind soul! she had no
heart to speak aloud what she knew t DO
well was passing in her husband S
thoughts, nor to remind him that lin
Brady's father and himself came from
the ~ould country by the same ship,
the one moved by the impulses of a
restless and rowing disposition, the
other urged by vain and fruitless
effort to escape his Stuck" She did
not need to remind him that Brady hao
only been a common laborer when they
landed in America, nor how by shrewc
and INSCRIPTIONS efforts he had gradu
allv risen to be city contractor. hay
ing literally paved his way to fortune
with inferior materials at first class
prices. All this and more Michae
saw in the bottom of his tea cup where
the rent ought to have appeared. Ane
yet Mrs. O'Rafferty was not an angel
and sad it is to say that it Is highly
probable had she counseled her hus
band to enter upon the paving business
contrary to his subsequent decision
she would not have hesitated to avail
herself of this opportunity to WELD
woman's privilege, and remind him o
his mistake.
1t was Mrs. O'Rafferty's voice tina
broke the silence, and checked the cur
rent of Michael's bitter thoughts, al
ready becoming too intense for control
"I've Just been thinking, Moike,
said she, that belize we may do some
thing for ourselves by takin' in lodge1
Michael O'Rafferty turned suddenl.
towards his wife a face that was
bread, unqualified exclamation point
fumbled mechanically in his pocket 70
his short pipe, and then hurst into
laugh as hearty as it was Irish.
ssBv all the Saints and what woul
that be for o.
"Oh, we'll, l can hardly tell. wa
the smiling reply, ''unless oecaus
there's luck in odd numbers, Nas Ror
O'More used to sing. You see. Molk
we are two. the childer. there's SIX
them, so we're always even number
Belize there might be difference
there was another in the family.
''But where would you put him. an
who would take care of him = cried Il
incredulous Michael.
"We could find the place to put hi
never FEAR said his wife, land tt
childer should help to take care
him"
"a power of good the childer woul