The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-29

close TO me as she spoke.
II stepped back Mortified. Become out of
my sight, you wicked old wretch. Mary! [
cried to the wardswoman, take her out of
this instantly
The old monster was led off promptly. [
watched her until the infrmary door shut on
her. When | turned to the bed again. there
lay the dying girl, her eyes wide open and
looking fXedy at me.
" Mrs Smit ma'am, she said in a vol &c [
never remember to have heard with her be-
fore, av die, maam maybe you'd give the
ovid bird the bits of things you promised
me- ma'ans she'll be very lonely
g. will indeed, Katy; will said l. I
promise you that, my girl
She gave me look, that way just like
dog, and fell into heavy sleep.
81 stood by the bed for a minute watching
her, and thinking to myself what pity it
all was. Sister Theresa-poor soul, the one
thought in her head was to make Katy re-
pent-roused me by laying her hand on my
arm.
FEATHER Clancy says it is a case of irwin
chile ignorance, Mrs Smith. Could not you
try and get her to say her prayer
"'Ah,' said l, impatienuy almost, leave
her to God sister dear, and don't tease her. |
really would not say but she'd come off bet
ter than -' 1 did not finish what l had
in my mind to say to her. The warder came
for me, and | left them there
KATY didn't die till the next day. [
NditSb W SGt uGl SO' pObi GIN ~ tliG Wei
last word of prayer she would not or could
not say. What meaning could it have for
her, born ln the Dublin gutter and brought
UP in it by old Katty-bless us ALL L sat
down by the bed and took the creatures
hand in mine and tried to coax her to follow
me as | said the Lords Prayer; but would
she? 'Hallowed be Thy name'-she got as
far as that and then stopped.
"'Kind lady, Mrs Smit, rale LADY,
"'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be DONE
Katy said l. follow me. Say Thy
Gay, maam,' she replied bIankly, just
like child.
"'Katty,' said L you are dying think of
your soul, nv poor girl"
81 never chated a ladyp said she.
" Say you are sorry for your sins, said
the nurse, stopping over her. Katy was at
the last gasp She looked away from her to
me- Mrs. Smit-a iady-I never chated a
ladyn-and with the words on her lips she
died.
"Often have thought since, they were at
once her apology for herself living and the
only fit epitaph for her dead. The world
did little for her, and why should she say
she was sorry, indeed"
Mrs Smith went off into brown study,
forgetting even to think.
"What became of the old woman" asked
the visitor.
"Old Katty?-ah, indeed I must tell you.
Their term of Imprisonment was up the day
after the girl died. And the coroner's in
quest was held the very morning the two
Katties were to have been discharged. The
inquest was going on, and | was standing for
a moment on the steps before the main door.
just waiting to poor Kattys coffin carried
out before | started for the city. 1t was the
loveliest morning, early in May, as soft and
charming as you could wish. | was just
looking about me, admiring the hedges and
listening to the birds when my eye fell on
woman who was sitting on the bottom step
before the door. She was keeping her heaI
turned away from me. nevertheless l saw
her face. | never forget any one have once
had occasion to know, and presently [ sad:
| Mary Flanagan
Z" Ma'anlr she replied, with an air of dis
tant dignity, might 1 make SO bowld TO as, N
how you know me name?
Know YOU said II ought to know
your
Dear-now, Mrs Smith-ma' am said
she in most scornful tone but it's YOUR
self has the fine, good memory an how do
you tell me We know me, ma'am?
What impudence you havep said |.
Didn't have you here for three months?
Her whole voice and manner changed at
once. "A small taste of linen out of Arran
Quay Chapel, ma'am" she observed
YES said l. 'robbing a church-that was
it exactly. and now, Mary Flanagan, allow
me to ask you what you are doing sitting on
these steps?
victim for me husban ma'am; he's
widin-he's wan of the gintlemen of the
jury
81 said no more to her after that I could
not trust myself to speak for laughing. In Il
little while the poor shell OF coffin was car
ried out and laid in the cart that was to carry
young Katy to the common grave in Glas-
nevin Cemetery. The old woman, once more
dressed in her own Clothes walked out after
it-she barely looked at me as she passed
took her place behind the cart and followed
it down the lane, praying aloud and throw
ing up her arms in the air with a dramatic
flourish. oh, Lord, be merciful to her-me
beautiful lamb / watched the procession
down the lane. As it approached the end I
saw some boys run out of the cottages and
add themselves to it, hooking the old wo-
mans gestures and prisons. | saw her put
them to flight very effectively; then a min
ute or two afterwards the cart turned the
corner and was out of sight.
81 was about to go in and lock the wicket,
when to my amazement | beheld the we'll
known figure of old Katy running at the
top of her speed towards me and waving her
hand. | stood still-not without curiosity
and anxiety-and awaited her approach. Not
until she reached the bottom of the steps did
she halt. Then painting and breathless, amt
with her rags all futtering like SO many
feathers, she gasped out:
MRS Smit ma'am, dear, tn eisht-pence
v owe Katy, ma'am, an the bit ov' an ovid
skirt an pedecoat we promised her, an the
taste of rhuba out O. yer own garden. Eli!
ma am, yell gi' them to me, an I'll be bach,
for them the mint [ have her'-pointing
backwards towards the funeral-'planted'
She turned round without ever waiting
for my answer, and tore off down the lane TO
overtake the cart
"'Lawsl' observed Mary Flanagan, who
was just that minute walking away with her
husband, the gentleman of the jury 'wudn'J
them ones disgost ye ma'am%"
Did she come hack?' questioned Mrs. -.
did you give her the thngs?"
"Oh! my dear" sighed Mrs. Smith, "that
she did-she came back the very next morn