Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-07-06
BARNEY'S PATIENCE.
BY N. DAGMAR MARIAGER,

/ O1 DhIMah DlakiAGER.
His name was Barney McFlaherty.
He was man we'll built and muscular,
mechanic working for S. per day, and
beaming among his fellow laborers as a
bright and shining light; all deemed it a
delight to bask in Barney's eternal flow
of sparkling wit when the days work
was done. There never could be enough
praise of him; he was termed "the cock
of the walk" "hail fellow well met"
indispensable as companion, lady's
man, fine dancer, and numerous other
things at the mention of which smile
of satisfaction spread over his handsome
face in Acknowledgement of the COM
| pliment.
In his early youth Barney was "his
fathers own boy" but his mother, who
was moldering in neglected grave, he
could call to mind only when an oppor-
tunity offered itself for making some
period in her life the butt of joke.
With him twas come day, go day; his
nature carved leadership in some cap
acity; he loved tlattery as he loved to
fiatter; why's, wherefores, and possible
consequences were not to be considered;
he could yield to the temptations of the
hour; tomorrow would take care of it.
self.
At the age of twenty eight Barney was
a married man. His wife, delicate lit
tie woman. had been an orphan from
her childhood. At the time OF her chris
tenlng her parents had held sharp ar
gument as to whether the infant should
be called Prudence or Patience, and
though her mother, woman-like, had
the last word, her father conquered, and
she was named Patience Trodweighty.
a kindly, but ignorant neighboring fam
| lily had taken her home at her parents
death. They were all poor, and nothing
OF consequence was left her, but these
people, poor though they were, had
given her some education, and Patience
had fine sense OF duty.
| When she was l6, only one year Or ior
to the opening of our story, the old peo-
pie persuaded her to marry the dashing
Barney, then on a short visit in the
country, and who was smitten by her
beauty of face and form. He would set
tie himself down and behave himself
when he had wife they said, aud Pa
tience, with childlike obedience, in
gratitude for past kindness, and reluc-
tant to displease her benefactors, who
had a flock Of children of their own to
support, yielded to the plan and acom-
panied Barney to the city as his wife.
Barney had worked rather steadily in
the meantime, even with late hours and
dissipation. They lived in small, one
roomed tenement, and boarded two
blocks away at the cheapest restaurant,
while he labored to get out of debt.
Then they might start housekeeping on
a cheap scale, and gradually build up
home comforts, Patience thought, while
she added her little mite by knitting
| wool shawls, which were sold at a store
on.commission.
Were only these troublesome debts
diminished, instead of making daily
fresh developments, then the struggle
would be comparatively easy matter.
With bitter signs and lonely tears she
longed for the day when her cage should
measure more than ten feet square;
when she should have two windows, and
no longer be compelled to look at the tin
patches on the neighbor's dilapidated
roofs, when she could afford a book or
pay to read, and eat three times a day
if she felt 80 disposed. In view of that
hoped-for time, had it been approach
ing ever SO slowly, she could haye kept
up brave heaIt; but to see it reced-
ing made her concern for the future diff
| ficult to hide in ihe presence of her TO-
vial and carefree husband.
What had she done to be thus tried?
the childish wife of II asked herself de
sparingy. Would He who marks the
sparrow's fall not pity her in the time of
need? The faith she ..had been taught
IN providence as sender of relief to
the disheartened at the eleventh hour
she felt, in spite of her efforts to support
it, was slowly dwindling and dying with
in her.
There were her reflections rs Patience
sat daily working by the dark little win
dow. The chill of November weather
numbed her fingers. She hoped the
next trifie money realized from her
shawls might be spent in procuring
wood for warming the room, and
putting the box stove standing in the
corner once more in use.
why didn't ye come to work this
mornin', Barney?" said fellow work
man, to Mr.. McFlaherty, coming from
luncheon on q bleak, snowy day in
smiling all over!"
Congratulate me, Fatty. I've got an
heir. There is boy up home-nice as
you please. Now want to know what
do you say to that, old fellow"
That's way up! You're fixed up in
business, now, Barney. I'd like to see
him, SO would; but I don't suppose
your wife would let any of us fellows in
up there. But it's time 1 was back to
my work. You'll be down tonight and
give the boys shake, won't you, Bar.
ney? You know we've got to have a
bouncer to the health Of Master Nc
Flaherty."
"rll set up the drinks, Fatty, rest easy
on that. I never vent back on my
friends yet, did l? That boy'll cost me
plump 500, but that's all right. Tell the
ney's expense. Go long, Fatty"
The third day dawned upon the little
stranger, and sent its accustomed dim
light into the window and into Patience's
room. The last candle had flickered out
early in the night; the infant had cried
! for nourishment and other attention