The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-04-16

- 49,
many a joke cracked at Hates expense,
but however much her tongue struggled
to speak, she kept q wise silence, per-
fectly ~maddening to "the giurls," and
perplexing to "the byes." They re-
called how she had always been a great
~fayorite of the old oyster-man's, and
made far from complimentary remarks
concerning ga giurl who'd by afther
sellin' her heart for gold"
The excuses of intemperance that the
old man had INDUCED in, though he
tried to be abstemious, and nearly ceased
them with Kate to watch him, told rap
idly upon him, and the once firm, stout
man became q shutting, n~erveless crea-
ture. His visits to the wharves were re-
newed, and though not a word passed
his lips referring to his son it was
gathered from his rambling mutterings
that he was Watching for o ship from
Ireland, where young Barry might have
sailed. When his steps became too feeble
even with Hates help to take him to the
wharves he sat within his house all day
watching the street door. Every knock
aroused him, but only to disappointment
when the Mary or the Biddy was I'D
mitted bearing "misthress' good wishes"
together with some little delicacy, the
tide of pity again turning in the old
mans favor. He chung to and trusted
"me giurl Katie a" as he had never done
the sailor boy; and after that certain
matron before alluded to had called at
the old mans house to see that he was
in every way comfortable, she was 30
charmed with the warm-hearted girls
modesty and worth that her praise in a
few days served to proclaim Kate as a
heroine.
As I came from the depot one after
noon, having been away a couple Of
days, I stoppedon my way home at Bar
rvs to leave him some Dublin papers /
had picked up, and was a little surprised
to hear that the old man had passed
quietly away during the night. The
scamp of u sailor was there in full pos
session, having deceived old Barry and
his friends by working q little distance
from the city, awaiting the then trans
pired event. He was making a great
display of grief, and thanked ME in a
maudlin way for calling. AS 1 was leav-
ing an old crone whispered to me that
Katie had been Mt my house for some
time waiting to see me. Walking thith-
er, near the M of the street, he was
accosted by a voice, and looking up was
startled at the figure that stood by me.
It was a close fac sinliLe of hale Barry
Quin, though much younger, as he APP
peared when arrayed on a Sunday, but
there was q force of character in the face
before me that the oyster mans lacked.
sis it hefeabouts, sur, where Barry
Quin lives, askin' pardon for troublin'
| your" said the man in a pleasant ma
ner.
"Yes; hat is, he did, poor man.
where's he game, sur? seem I'm his
brother Dan1 from the ovid country
an a stranger to these parts"
Daniel" said l slowly, "you have
heard, no doubt, and if not, I'm sorry to
tell you, that your brother has been Ill
and getting worse for some time, and"
81 can see, sur, that pore Barry's
dead, pore, pore man." His head drop
ped forward upon his broad breast, and
his eyes suffused with struggling tears as
he crossed his hands over the top of his
thick walking stick, leaning heavily upon
it. "Td give a hundred pounds to have
come to the answerin' O poor Barry's
letther to once"
"Yes, 1t is sad for me to admit that
your brother is dead; but you know, I
dare say, that his Sol returned u year
ago; and he is now with the remains, "
said /, trying to put the best construc-
ton on the facts that was possible, hop
idea that his brother had not died alone
and not seeing how I could then well
bring in Katie's name. But my words
had a totally different effect from what /
had anticipated.
"Where dye say that sailor haythen
is?" roared he in such an abrupt loud
voice of passion that I jumped back q
step from him, and grasping his stick in
a determined manner, "Plaze, sur, show
me to him."
First, Mr.. Quin," said I persuasive
ly, "you will of course promise me when
/ point out the house, from which / have
Just come, that you will do nothing rash
allow me to carry your stick, a real
hawthorn, I see."
Heat once committed it into my hands,
saying. ~ give me WORD, and I take it,
sur, yes been koind to Barry, so kape
the stick"
When we entered the house, then part
filed with Gums friends, every face
blanched as they caught sight of Daniel;
some edged to the door, and others
crossed themselves, unable to move.
The sailor made a dive for an open win
dow, but only succeeded in doubling up
a burly fellow who happened to move
Just in the way with doubtless the idea
of beating a retreat that way himself.
"I'm Dan1 Quin," said the supposed
ghost, to every ones relief except the
sailors, who, mutterIng that he must
look for liniment for his bruise, went
out IF the room into another. "Dan1
Quin from the ovid country, and the
brother o. pore dead Barry, rest his
soul! I take yer comm koindly, God
knows, an you'se all welcome but that
haythen sailor bye, wherever he is"
looking inquiringly around. Here sew
eral of the mourners glanced at me, as il
they concluded that I had exposed the
old mans troubles, and one gave voice
in a r~eproachful tone, "Oh, Barry, Bar
ry, yes a sore trial to ye're pore old
father; but Misther DanI, he reprints for
it intirely, intirely."
Father, father? save the mark
Whist We not the divil's his father, but
Barry Quin never was married, niver-
had-a son, as thrue as Gods punished
his DECEPTION. Five years back Barry
made his will, LAWN his fortune to me,
his brother Danl. He STINT me the will
three months back an wrote what a saw
in man he'd been; how he thought it all
mOighty foin to talk o. q son goin' to the
war an niver came back, for it made the
money roll in; an how all the ladies an
gintlemen took an interest in him o
count o. it, an would buy o. no man else.
But said Barry, I'll reprint O. me de-
ciption TO me dyin' day; for what comes
long, sure but o sailor chap to say he's
me son that run to sea-all the lies I'd
told straight as print. I dare not say no
for the same o. me, as he knows an says,
an he's murtherin M by inches. Come
an save me DanI, for the love O. heav-
en-"
Several persons went to look fer the
sailor, but he had slipped out of the
house without his coat, and escaping
from the city was never again seen in
BENTON. In his coat q pass book was
found that had been used as q sort of 0
queer journal by IA Hugh Mckee.
Among the brief and pithy earlier entries
was one stating that he had that day
seen Barry Quin who nce kept an oys'
ter stand in Baltimore. Mr.. Mckee
gleefully recorded that he had not beer
recognized with his whiskers, and thai
old Barry had told q wonderful story o.
his son; "but the old fool never had
son." wrote the truthful Mckee. TIL.
idea of taking advantage Of the oyster