The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-04-14
Pats bath.

Need have naught from the peacock proud to fear
Hide AacGke.
Pats hath.
I It was cherries day, and rainy. The
children were anxious for something to
do, because their mother was away, and
so were getting both nervous and quar-
Srelsome
T.. just then the door opened and in came
Dick. He was the tease and torment
OF the family, but he happened just now
to be in good humor. The girls focked
round him.
Where had he been? Who had he
seen? Was it ever going to be pleasant
and sunshiny again?
GIVE been ever to Pats" said Dick;
and he's fixed up nicely, I can tell YOU
"How is his leg :? Is it getting well?"
asked Pansy.
"He's up, but he can't walk yet. I
tell you he's a funny fellow, and just as
ready to laugh when he's in pain as to
cry. Before he came to this country, he
| was at service with an Irish Earl, and
it's fun to hear his stories about the
great house and the great people,"
"Let's go over there" suggested
Pansy, and every face frightened. They
turned to Aunt Ellen. She did not OBJ
Ject, SO off the little group started.
Pats room was over the stable. Being
a very ingenious man, he had filed it
with various little ornaments that gave
it great interest in the eyes Of the
young people.
Pats curtains, Pats pictures and
Pats stove were all admired duly, and
then fell silence. Pat himself, with
his shock Of red hair, bristling beard
and mustache, was Interesting because
he was an invalid, and had his right
leg in a cast OF plaster.
s. He had fallen from ladder month
before, and as he had few relations
able to help him, Mr.. Wood, whose
coachman he was, had consented to his
remaining there. The poor fellow dread
ed q hospital above all things, so his two
sisters between them nursed him, till
now he was nearly WE'LL
Dick preached the subject of could
Ireland" and Pats eyes sparkled. Com
ing out. of o smiling reverie, he said:
"Did I liver tell we how 1 took gin
teel bath for the first time ?"
"Oh, Pat is it a story?" cried
Pansy.
"Sure and it is-a story of the ould
castle where I was in sarvice before
came over to America.
"You see it was hot I was, afther
hard days work, and many's the time
I'd seen the Arrl in the cool of the aven-
ing come out of the little bath-house
down by the river as irish and bright as
red herring. SEES he to me, ses he,
one time: ...
"Pat, would you be liking to take
cowld bath in the bath-house?'
Bath-house, is it?' ses I, 'sure
ye've been fncing the river in.
Not quite, says the Arrl, laughing,
tit's better than the river, though, and
y I thought ye might like to refrish your
SELF
"'Thanks,' said I, If ye'd be PLACED
to tell me how 70"
"With that he laughed harder, show
ing all his white, handsome teeth, and
he walked with me to the door, took the
kay out of his pocket and unlocked it.
"Do we see that pig up there?" he
asked. ss.
"'Not a sign of pig says I. He
meant wooden handle, and he showed
:" That's to hang your clothes on, ,
says he
Clothes, indaae,' says I to mesilf /;
I'd rayther kape 'em on q
"'Them little plugs down there, said
the Arrl, you must pull out for the wa
ther to come in .....
"'Och, indade, says I.
"An' if it's showering ye wants, take
hold of the string yondher'
"' Showering 2 said T, not letting on
that I didn't understand, 'showering it
is, to be sure
I'll lock the door and take the kay,
said he, wild twinkle in his eye; SO
that you'll not be disturbed.
But how'll I git out ? says I.
"'Oh, I'll be back in ten minutes or
"Very well, says ], and off he wint.
$50 I takes off me shoes and stock
ms, and for the rest, says I, you didn't
ketch this chap taking could for the want
of clothes. So jest stoops, an I pulls
out the plug, an laid it on the ground.
"Well, the wather came pouring in,
and it fit mighty nice on me feet, but it
wasn't slow comm, at all. Fax. by
the time I'd got ready to wash me
hands, if it wasn't half way up to me
knees, and there was in me clothes.
"An it kept pourin' an pourin', and
like a fool I'd left the plug on the fure
and when whit to find it, fax, it WASN'T
there. Och, and wasn't in nice fix,
an the wather pourin' over the tub and
on the floor of the little room, growing
higher and higher, till it got above me
knees.
Pretty soon sees a handle that
screwed on, an fax, turned it. Och,
by the powers, the wather come splash
in an roarin' higher and fasther, till
there was foundering nearly up to me
middle. an no help fur it.
Gall OF a suddint I sees rope hang
ing down nearly over me head, and I
minds me of the Arrl's showerin'. Thinks
I to mesilf, that mebbe Lifts up some
thing to let the wather down, so just
pulls it, an would ye believe it, the
river got on top of the ruff and comes
pouring through till I thought I'd be
choked and strangled intirely.
"Didn't I pray to the vargin and all
the hOWly saints. but niyer bit would