News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-06-18
Patrick Common.
ITO the Memory of Patrick Connor.
This simple stone was erected by his Fellow

ITO the Memory of Patrick Connor.
Workmen."
These words you may read any day
upon a white slab in a cemetery not
many miles from New York; but you
might read them hundred times with
out guessing at the little tragedy they
indicate, without knowing the humble
romance which ended with the placing
of that stone above the dust of one poor
and humble man.
In his shabby frieze jacket and mud
laden brogans he was scarcely an at
tractive object as he walked into Mr..
Bawn's great tin and hardware shop one
day and presented himself at the counter
with an
"I've been told ye advertised for
hands, yer honor"
"Fully supplied, my man." said Mr..
Bawn, not lifting his head from his ac-
count book.
''rd work faithful, sir, and take low
, wages till 1 could do betther, and I'd
learn aisy-I would that"
It was an Irish brogue, and Mr.. Bawn
always declared that he never would en-
pIoy an incompetent hand. Yet the
tone attracted him. He turned briskly,
s5sd with his pen behind his ear, adj
dressed the man, who was only one of
the five who had answered his advertise
ment for four workmen that morning.
"What makes you expect to learn
faster than other folks-are you any
smarter ?"
"Ill not say that" said the man,
"but I'd be wishing to; and that 'ud
make it aisyer."
care you used to the work"
"I've done bit of it."
s'Much ?"
"No, you honor. I'll tell no ie-Tin
O'Toole hadn't the like of the place; bu
I know bit about tins"
'You are too old for an apprentice
and you'd be in the way, L calculate,
said Mr.. Bawn, looking at the Drawn.
arms and bright eyes that promise'
strength and intelligence. "Besides,
know your complementary, good-for
nothing fellows, who never do thei
best. No, I've been taken in by Iris
hands before, and I won't have an
other"
"The Virgin will have to bring 'er
over in her two arms, thin" said tn
man, despairingly, 'for I've tramped a
day for the last fortnight, and niver
Job can get, and that's the last penn
have, yer honor, and that's but ha
one."
. As he spoke he spread his palm ope
y with an English half-penny upon it.
"Bring whom over ?" asked Mr.. Baw1
arrested by the odd speech, as b
7 turned upon his heel and turned bac
again.
"Jist Nora and Jamesy."
lie "Who are they ?"
10 "The vans me wife, the other m
child" said the man. "Oh, masthe
" jist thry me. How'll bring them ov'
y to me if no one will give me job?
want to be airning, and the whole b
city seems against it, and me with arn
70 like them"
He barred his arms to the shoulder
he spoke, and Mr.. Bawn looked at the
'e, and at his face.
"Pll hire you for week." he sal
"and now it's noon, go down to t
b. kitchen and tell the girl to get your di
- ner-a hungry man can't work.
y Suspicious as he was of the nj
hands integrity and ability. he "
ap agreeably disappointed. Connor work
in hard and actually learned fast. At
end of the week he was engaged perm
nently, and soon was the best workm
in the shop.
he He was great talker, but not fond
oo drink or wasting money. AS his wae
grew he boarded every penny, and w
H the shabby clothes in which he b
made his first appearance. "Beer CO
money!" he said one day, 'ivery clint
nd spend puts off the bringing Nora q
IN Jamesy over; and as for clothes, thin
~ have must do me-betther no coat
me back than no wife and boy by
fireside; and, anyway, it's slow w
lu- saving"
- It was slow work, but he kept at it
the same. Other men, thoughtless {
'ie' full of fun, tried to make him drinl
rth made jest of his saving habits, Goa.
cal him to accompany them to places
amusement or to share in their Sun
''o frolics all in vain. Connor liked bt
liked fun, liked companionship, but
would not delay that long g-looked
bringing of Nora over, and was
"mane enough" to accept favors
others. He kept his way, marty
his one great wish-living on lit
working at night on any extra job
could earn a few shillings by, rum
errands in his noon-tide hour of r
and talking to any one who would Lis
of his one great hope, and OF Nora
little Jamesy.