Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-01-12
FINNEGAN's DAUGHTER.
Youfh,s COMPANION.

sometimes occur when we are the least pre-
pa ed for them. Eleven years ago. when l,
girl of nineteen, stood on the doorstep,
waving my handkerchief to my father and
mother as they went down the road,-they
we're going to camp meeting; it was one Of
the few pleasures in their simple hves,1
had no premonition that it was the last time
/ should see them alive, and that the care
less, happy days of my girlhood were for
ever ended.
see them now as they passed out Of
sight, and their faces, beaming with gentle
ness and love, can never be effaced from
my memory. There was an accident on
the railroad train, caused by some mans
teoughtlessness, and they were brought
home to me dead.
My father had never talked with mother
or with me about his affairs, and when the
administrator, appointed by the Judge at
the suggestion of his creditors, came and
told me had only fifty dollars in the world;
that our home, furniture, everything, be-
longed to my fathers creditors, the shock
was as terrible as it wss unexpected.
l had common school education. and
fortunately my mothers cousin In Green
field, two hundred miles away, wrote me
that through her husbands influence I
cou Id be appointed teacher in the district
school there. So left the old home stead,
poor, friendless and dazed with the sorrow
and loneliness, and poverty that had fallen
Upon me.
Greenfield was like most country villages
where there is no active mercantile or manu-.
featuring business, and where the Young
folks go to the city to find employment as
soon as they are of age. There was no
public spirit in the town. The schocl -house
was weather. beaten, forlorn, little shanty,
with tiny, Iiekety windows, a big chimney
that smoked, ana big stove that smoked.
When one stopped smoking the otner took
it up afresh. The walls of the room were
dirty aud decked with balls of chewed pa
per, and the desks had been hacked by
generations of idle scholars.
I was young aud without training, snd as
the scholars had been taught by experienced
teachers. they had little respect for me, and
my term was failure. OF that, however,
will speak by-and-by. want now to in
troduce &c the reader one of the scholars in
whom became interested. Her name was
Bridget Ann.
She appeared 70 the school room on the
second day of school, and one or two Of
the scholars gave me her history. Her
mother was dead. She lived with her faith
er, two brothers, and several rough, di S.
sipated men with their wives, in an old ru-
ined house Just out of the town.
The house went by the name of the Den
of Thieves" for it seemed to be filled with
the lowest and V. l; sttenants to be found in the
whole region. Several murderers had been
captured here while hiding from Justice.
Bridget AIMS father, was told, was
Just out Of states prison, and had taken her
TO live with MIN from the poorhouse, where
she had been since her mothers death. l
believe the town authorities forced him to
send the girl to school.
She came into the school room with a
pold, defiant manner, and threw herself in
to seat. Though it was cold day, she
wore no shawl or cloak; only q tattered
straw hat and calico drees. She was thin
and tall, about fourteen years of age, and
she 10 ked half starved.
She had mass of coarse, black hair, large
cree black eyes, tawny skin-people said
her mother was a gypsy-and large
mouth. Her manner made you think of
wild animal. She had habit of holding
her head down and looking sideways under
her long lashes, and she watched me
sill the time, She was like a porcupine
Everyone felt her quilts. They were al
ways bristling.
No mar tyr ever suffered more than chs
suffered, for both boys and girls treated
her cruelty. Yet she was able TO defend
herself, as their bruises frequently bore
witness. She fought her battles fercely.
Occasionally grim despair took possession
of her and then she let her tolmentors do
their worst. She had once been put in
gail for throwing stones, and have no
doubt that she had ample provocation.
asked her what her name was after the
school had commenced. She gave me a
searching look from under her eyelids.
Them gals mt the desk told yo when
come in, she snapped.
~That Efakes no difference" said. Il
want you to tell me-"
Bridget Ann Finn eg an" she answered,
Durriedly.
The scholars Uttered. She turned very
white, drawing in her lips. There was an
expression In her eyes that was positively
murderous,
SWELL said I, looking sternly at the
scholars whs had laughed, for did not then
dare to rehuke them, suppose enter it
On my book as Annie Finnegan? One
came is enough, and though Ann isa good
oid-fashIoned name, we like it better now
adays with ie added to it,
There vas no lighting of the sullen face,
40 lifting of the bowed head. She gave a
5idelong glance, and the words, what's th 9
use?" came CURLY from her scornful lips.
found that she was hopelessly duh, and
placed her in the lowest classes with girls
half her size; but she did not seem to care.
If 1 said anything to her to excite her am
biton and encourage her to study, she
glowered at me and said, "What's the user
The words chilled me, never could an
swer them. What was the use when she
was Jailbird Finnegan's daughter2 had been
in the poorhouse2 was from the scum oil
the town, and an object of dislike and sus-
picion everywhere?
She was always alone, and never had q
friend. She had one pet, q poor, NANCY
kitten. Her brothers threw that into tut
Of hot water and tortured it to death before
her eyes. That made her furious. She at
tackled them with hatchet, and was only
prevented from mischief by 8 stunning blow
from her father
Of all sad childhoods, there was none like
hers. One recess was looking out of the
window and saw her coming towards the
school-house. When she got halfway NJ
the hill. party of boys stopped her, crying
out in taunting, sing song rone,-
s'Bridget Ann
E Is an frishman,
From Dublin county, Ireland
She burns her nose
Wherever she goes,
For she is such tirebrand.
The taunting dogerel had evidently beer
often repeated and was we'll known by the
poor. girl. She tried to pass them, her eyes
glowing and her hands clenched; but they
would not allow her to do so. One boy
threw mud on her dress, while another
caught hold of her hair.
I ran to the door and spoke to them, and
when they were seated after the school had
been called to order, I rebuked them sc
severely that they were angry, and went
home and told their parents that I made
@great fuss over Jailbird Finnegan's
daughter, and she was my fayorite. One
of the parents came to my school the mex
day, and said that this wasn't the way tc
keep my place. Decent folk warn't go1n
ter hev their children druv and iawed on
account of no Flnnegans, wn1cn was culucn
of the town, and would hev been cleared
out long ago ifkthe town officers warn
afeared Of havin' their houses set afire to.
So ! lost favor with many of the parents
of the district, and the girl seemed utterly
indiffarant IN nv pndeavora tn nr0fact her