The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-12
A GENUINE IRISH JIG.
A Yankee Editors Visit to His Servant Girls
Mother in Ireland.

| Of an open door
Fright beyant, sir" she cheerfuly responded.
unceremonously tucking the baby under one
arm, that she might more freely point with the
| other
On the corner of two streets opposite public
| pump stood a small two-story structure. built of
| stone, of course and pastered over with mortar
! of yellow hue. Above the door appeared the
| name we We're searching for. We pushed into
| low, small shop, whose stock-in- trade consisted
| of bakers bread. milk and other stomache
necessities, to which was added the dispensing
of such liquors as the thirsty population might
require and pay for. Behind a sort of bar were
| congregated number of men aud women whom
! ] took to be friends of the house and one of
/ these, stout-proportioned lady, with her hair
combed very close about her head stepped for
ward and wanted to know what would have.
is this Mrs Kelleherl l asked.
| instant attention on the part of the people
| behind the oar
1T is SIR" she replied respectfully.
| well" continued, ''can l find Mrs. Mahoney
here!"
(Attention of people behind the bar visibly in
creasing.)
You cannot sir" was the reply, in rather
less Of brogue than we yet had encountered.
Mrs. Nanny (the old country pronunciation
of Mahoney), Mrs. Nanny, who is me cousin.
sir is not living here now, but at Mr.. Jones's,
| the constabe's-an a dacent place it is too.
Would ye be afther wanting to see her. sir?"
Very much, | said.
| People behind the bar getting almost too i'm
| patient to wait A bareheaded woman starts
forward
Place SIR" the bareheaded woman exclaimed,
II run and fetch her"
I'm how long tme!
| "Oh sir not above fifteen minutes, list"
''All right" | said start along and tell her."
| added, that gentleman from America wants
| to see her who comes direct from her daughter
Norah."
What" the woman screamed, while her eyes
stood straight out from her head, from Norah
Mannyr
AYE"
Then sure" she exclaimed, while her face
stretched and wreathed with 10y. its myself
that won't be gone in a jffy.'
And with that she was off like shot, while
the people behind the bar have by this time
fairly exploded with excitement As we started
out the door, the proprietress hailed US loudly
'Houd on, gentlemen, hould on she called,
while she made speed to get through the little
halfdoor leading behind the bar and for which
she was very snug fit
"Shes going to hug YOU" whispered the
Judge, as we stopped; and faith | thought she
was-but she stopped on the very verge of that
demonstration, and fervently calculated:
b An sure, we don't mean to say that Norah is
after living at service wild yez own blessed selfg
''She certainly is" [ replied, with North
American smile.
The likes of that" she cried, looking alter
nately from ME to the now completely petrifed
observers behind the bar. Well it's right glad
her mother will be to meet YET"
Hereupon, after several interchanges of like
remarks, the Judge and passed out, promising
| to return directly, which promise after short
walk along the narrow, crooked streets, we full
! filed. 4 fnelooking old lady, in white cap
and the prevailing long black Grape and hood
met Us at the shop door
She was trembling violently with emotion, and
as she was introduced as Norah's mother and we
shook hands she burst into tearS fail utterly
in bringing the scene before you--the curious
little shop the interested and sympathizng knot
of Irish people at the background and here the
Judge and | and this old woman handsome still
IN spite of her years OF struggling toll, quite
broken down at this unexpected meeting with
one so short time from her girl beyond the sea.
1t was not scene to be easily deScribed-far
less could it be lightly treated for the element
of pathos too largely predominated.
The busting Mrs. Kelleher with great thought
fulness invited US at once to ascend pair of
winding stairs to the best room above and here
she read aloud to the still weeping woman the
letter had brought, dwelling unctuously with
utter disregard of my embarrassment, upon the
personal encomlnms with which it ahOunded.
An now, gentlemen, said the Oeaning host
ess, after these pers onal matters had been fully
discussed, what will yez be PLACED to takel"
We murrnured with deprecatory shake of
the head that as representatives Of the good old
State of Maine it would hardly become us to ac-
cepJ of anything i'll the way OF hbulous hospital
ity. But such an occasion as this was not to be
lightly passed over, and even if we didn't care
for beer there were others present who did, so on
descending to larger below every body
was invited to drink to the health Of the two
American gentlemen.
So with a shout and vastdeal of busting and
confusion the company disposed themselves
about on benches and stools and royal burners
of beer were ordered IL amid great hilarity.
Your health, gentlemen, an God bless yez!"
heartily cried the hostess, and with loud accla-
nations the toast was drank, while the Judge
and bowed our Acknowledgements courteously.
All this juncture a singular looking individual.
hugglng bagpipe Of seedy appearance under
his arm tottered in at the open door, and hob
bled slowly across the uneven floor.
Its Blind Jerry, the piper" whispered a
woman who sat on the bench next the Judge
An it's noble glntlemin yeZ Is, Pm certain
Of" the Blind piper calculated as he ambled past
and sought olt stool-''noble gintlemin both,
all the way from Ameriky as yeZ is--an here's
yeZ health an Gods blessins on yeZ!"
AS we both turned to curiously regard this
singular accession to our number, the woman
next the Judge intimated with many nod and
wink that Mrs. Keleher could turn reel with
the best of them. The Judge imparting this
valuable information to me, promptly called
for display, then and there of that lady's terp-
sichorean accomplishments
'Ah be off wild We, Mrs. Fitzgerald for gug-
gestin' it" Mrs. Kelleher reproachfully said:
Why, haven't flung a stop this ten year-an'
it's not for me, old as | am and hundred and
eighty pounds, to be dancn!T
But Mrs. Mahoney informing US in an under
tone that Mrs. Kelleher had On more than one
occasion danced down a man." an achievement
rarely accomplished, let me tell you and We re-
doubling our solicitations the lady was finally
persuaded to give US an exhibition of her powers
ana pleasant faced young woman in a new silk
dress, who had dropped in to see what was
going on, being prevailed upon to stand up as
partner and the blind piper having after tre-
mendous deal Of backing and filing got his asth-
matte bagpipe to Wheeling at it they went amid
unbOunded applause
Arrah! then but how they did go it-arms
akimbo now heel-now toe-now shuttle
whist! but never was there anything to equal it,
Step it up there, Jerry faster man. Now there
at it strongl Whoop! how the floor shakesl
how the very rafters rattle! DIursha! but was
there ever reel like unto this one, with tho
weighty Mrs Kelleher, burdened by her size.
but warming to the work nightly, looking her
opponent square in the eye with the sternness