Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-01-15
tOSNOR: APATHETIC IRISH STORY

y
upon a white slab in a cemetery not
many miles from New York but you
might read them hundred times with
out 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,
humble man.
In his shabby friezeiacket and mud
laden brogans. he was scarcely an at
tractive object as he walked into Mr..
Bawne's great tin and hardware shop
one day and presented himself at the
counter with ar
give been tould We advertised for
hands, yer honor"
Fully supplied, my man." said Mr..
Bawne, not lifting his eyes from his &C
count book.
AID work faithfully, sir, and take
low wages, till could do better, and I'd
Jearn,-I would that.
It was an Irish brogue, and Mr..
Bawne always declared that he never
would employ an incompetent hand.
Yet the tone attracted him. He
turned briskly, and, with his pen be-
hind his ear, addressed the man, who
was only one of fifty who had answered
his advertisement for four workmen
that morning.
"What makes you expect to learn
faster than other folks,-are you any
smarter?"
"I'll not say that" said the man,
but I'd be wishing to and that would
make it aisier."
"Are you used to the work ~
Give done bit of it,
"Much ~
"No, yer honor. I'll tell no lie; Tim
O'Toole hadn't the like of this place +;
but know bit about tins"
"You are too old for an apprentice,
and you'd be in the way, calculate"
said Mr.. Bawne, looking at the brawny
arms and bright eyes that promised
strength and intelligence. Besides, [
know your countrymen-lazy, good-for-
nothing fellows, who never do their
best. No, Pve been taken IN by Irish
hands before, and won't have another"
"The Virgin will have to be after
bringing them over to me in her two
arms thin," said the man despairingly,
" for I've tramped all the day for the
last fortnight, and niver 4 job can [ get,
and that's the last penny [ have, yer
honor, and it's but half one"
As he spoke he spread his palm OPEN
with an English half-penny In it.
"Bring whom over?" asked Mr..
Bawne, arrested by the odd speech, as
he turned upon his heel and turned
back again.
"Jist Nora and Jamesy.'
"WhO are they ?
"The vans me wife, the other me
child" said the man. 80, masther,
just thry me. How will bring them
over if no one will give me a
job? / want to be aiming, and the
whole big city seems against it, and me
with arms like them p He barred his
arms to the shoulder as he spoke, and
Mr.. Bawne looked at them and then at
his face.
"I'll hire you for week." he said;
land now, as it is noon, go down to the
kitchen and tell the girl to get you some
dinner-a hungry man can't work"
With an Irish blessing the new hand
obeyed, while Mr.. Bawne, 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. Conner worked bard, and
had actually learned fast. 1T the end
Of the week he was engaged perma-
nently, and soon was the best workman
in the shop.
He was a great talker, but not fond of
drink or wasting money. AS his wages
grew, he boarded every penny, and
wore the same shabby clothes in which
In q made his frat annaaraOco
''Beer costs money" he said one day,
"and livery clint spend puts off the
bringing of Nora and Jamesy over; and
as for clothes, them l have must do me,
better no coat to my back than no wife
and boy by my fireside; and anyhow,
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, coaxed
MIN to accompany them to places OF
amusement, or 10 share in their Sun
day frolics.
An in vain. Connor liked beer, liked
fun, liked companionship; but he would
not delay that long-looked-for bringing
of Nora over, and was not "mane
enough" to accept favors of others. He
kept his way, q martyr to his one great
wish, living on little, working st night
on an extra job that he could earn few
shillings by, running errands In his
noontide hours of rest, and talking to
any one who would listen to him of his
one great hope, and of Nora and little
Jamesy.
At first the men, who prided them
selves on being all Americans, and on
turning out the best work in the city
made sort of butt of Connor, whose
wild Irish ways and verdancy were In
deed often laughable. But he won their
hearts at last. and one day, mounting 2
workbench, he shook his little bundle,
wrapped in red handkerchief, before
their eyes, and shouted, "Look, boys
I've got the whole at last! I'm going to
bring Norah and Jamsey over at last
Whoroo!! I've got it at last I! J" AL
felt sympathy in his joy, and each
grasped his great hand IN cordial con.
CALCULATIONS, and one proposed to treat
all round, and drink good voyage to
Nora.
They parted in a merry mood, most
of the men going to comfortable homes
But poor Connor's resting place was 8
lodging house, where he shared a crszy
garnet with four other men, and in the
JOY of his heart the poor fellow exhib-
tied his handkerchief, with his hard
earned savings tied up in a wad in the
middle, before he put it under his pill
low and fell asleep.