The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-02-28

Are you used to the work?'
GIVE done a bit of it."
"Much?"
No, yer honor. I'll tell no lie; Tim
OToole 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 wav, l calculate 81
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, I've been taken in by Irish
hands before, and l won't have an.
other.,'
"The Virgin will have to be after
bringing them over to me in her two
arms, thin." said the man, despairing-
ly, g. for I've tramped all the day for
the last fortnight, and niver 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 overp" asked Mr..
Bawne, arrested by the odd speech, as
he turned upon his heel and turned
back again.
"Jist Nora and Jamesy."
"Who are theyP''
"The vans me wife, the other me
child" said the man. 90, masther,
just thry me. How'll 1 bring 'em over
to me, if no one will give me jobP /
want to be aiming, and the whole big
city seems against it, and me with arms
like them.n He barred his arms to the
shoulder as he spoke, and Mr.. Bawne
looked at them, and then at his face.
"Pll hire you for week." he said;
"and now, as it's 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 upstairs to his own meal.
Suspicious as he was of the new hand
integrity and ability, he was agreeably
disappointed. Conner worked hard.
and actually learned fast. At the end
of the week he was engaged perma-
nently, and soon was the best workman
in the shop.
He was 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 he made his first appearance.
Beer costs money" he said one
day, "and livery clint 1 spind puts off
the bringing Nora and Jamesy over;
and as for clothes, them have must do
me. Better no coat to my back than
no wife and boy by my freside; 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 him to accompany them to
places of amusement, or to share in
their Sunday frolics.
All in vain. Conner 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, a martyr to his one
great wish, living on little, working at
night on any extra job that he could
earn a few shillings by, running er-
rands 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 a sort of butt of Conner, whose
wild Irish ways and verdancy were in
deed often laughable. But he won their
hearts at last, and one day, mounting
work. bench, he shook his little bun
die, wrapped in red handkerchief, be-
fore their eyes, and shouted: Look,
boys; I've got the whole at last! I'm
going to Bring Nora and Jamesy over
at last! Whoroo!! I've got it at
last!!r' All felt sympathy in his joy,
and each grasped his great hand in cor
dial congratulations; and one proposed
to treat all round and drink good
voyage to Nora.
They parted in merry mood, most
of the men going to comfortable homes.
But poor Connor's resting place was a
lodging house, where he shared crazy
garnet with four other men, and in the
joy of his heart the poor fellow exhlb-
tied his handkerchief, with his hard
earned savings tied up in wad in the
middle, before he put it under his pill
low and fell asleep.
When he awakened in the morning,
he found his treasure gone; some vii
lain, more contemplate than most bad
men, had robbed him.
At first Conner could not even believe
it lost. He searched every corner of
the room, shook his quilt and blankets,
and begged those about him to "quit
joking and give it back"
But at last he realized the truth.
is any man that bad that it's thaved
from mep' he asked, in breathless
way. Boys, is any man that badP'
And some one answered.: "No doubt of
it, Conner; it's sthole.''
Then Connor put his head down on
his hands and lifted up his voice and
wept. twas one of those sights which
men never forget. 1t seemed more than
he could bear to have Nora and his
child "put," as he expressed it,
"months away from him again"
But when he went to work that day
it seemed to all who saw him that he
had picked up new determination.
His hands were never idle. His face
seemed to say, I'm have Nora with
me YETI
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