Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-04-18

long looked-for bringing Of Nori
over, and was not "mane enough
to accept favors of others. He
kept his way-a martyr to his OWL
great wish-living on little, work
ing at night on an extra job by
which he could earn a few shil.
lings, by running errands in his
noontide hours of rest, and talking
to any one who would listen to his
one great hope, and of Nora and
little Jamsey.
That seemed a sort of charity to
him. Still he was helped along.
A present from Mr.. Bawn at pay
day set Nora, as he said, - week
nearer" and this and that and the
other added to the little hoard. 1t
grew faster than at first, and Con-
nor's burden was 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 be-
fore, he tied up his earnings; this
time, however, only to his friends.
Cautious among strangers, he hid
the treasure, and kept his vest but
toned over it day and night, until
the tickets were bought and sent.
Then every man, woman and child,
capable of hearing and understand
ing, knew that Nora and her baby
were coming.
At first the men who prided
themselves on turning out the best
work in the city made a sort of
butt of Connor, whose "wild Irish"
ways and verdancy were indeed
often laughable. But it won their
hearts at last, and when, one day,
mounting a work bench, he shook
his little bundle, wrapped in a red
handkerchief, before their eyes and
shouted: "Look, boys, I've got
the whole at last ! I'm going to
bring Nora and Jamsey over at
lastl Whoroo! I've got it II" all
felt sort of sympathy in his joy.
There was John Jones, who had
more of the brute in his compost
ton than usually falls to the lot of
man-even he, who had coldly
hurled his hammer at On offender
missing him by a hairs breadth,
would spend his ten minutes in the
noon hour in reading the Irish
news to Connor. There was Tom
Baker, the meanest man among the
number, who had never been known
to give anything TO any one before,
absolutely bartered an old jacket
for pair of gilt vases which ped
dler brought in his basket to the
shop, and presented them to Con-
nor for Nora's mantlepiece. And
there was idle Dick, the apprentice,
who actually worked two hours on
Connor's work when illness kept
the Irishman at home one day.
Connor felt this kindness, and re-
turned it whenever it was in his
power.
And the days few by and bro't
a letter at last from his wife. "She
would start as he desired, and she
was well, and might the Lord bring
them safely to each others arms
and bless those who had been so
kind to him." This was the sub
stance of the epistle, which Con-
nor proudly assured his fellow
workmen Nora wrote herself. She
had lived at service as a girl with
a certain good old lady, who had
given her an education, the items
of which Connor told upon his fin
gers. "The readin' that's one, and
the writin', that's two, and more
over she knows all a woman can"
Then he looked up at his fellow
workmen, with the tears in his
eyes, and asked:
"Do you wonder the time seems
long between me an her, boys"
So it was-Nora at the dawn Of
day-Nora at noon-Nora at night
until the news came that the
Stormy Petrol had come to port,
and Connor, breathless and pale
with excitement, flung his cap in
the air and shouted.
1t happened on a holiday after
noon, and half dozen of men
were ready to go with Connor to
the steamer and give his wife a
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 start
ed.