The Irish standard., 1886-05-15

saw her once could think otherwise; but
she is a timid, fawny thing, and WON'T
venture near enough to wet his lips
with spoonful of sangaree, or whisper
a word in his ear, to keep his heart
from sinking. Ay, that is the effect of
black skin-always always. 1t is just
so in St. Domingo and Alabama, and al
over the world. But never mind, never
mind; there is d good time coming. L
won't be SO in heaven;" and Mr. CUR
kie rubbed his hands smartly together
and chuckled at the thought: @no, no:
that is one comfort, at least; it won't be
so in heaven
s.Why, dear me! there is the doctor
fast asleep!'' exclaimed the housekeeper
laying down the tray with the breakfast
on the liable. "Please wake him up,
Mr.. Guirkie; he needs some refreshmen'
and should take it hot y
"Neyer mind him." replied Uncle
Jerry, stnever mind him. Go away
Mrs Motherly, il you please. and dom
jar the door. I will wake him the mex
time he turns over;;'' and, wiping his
spectacles with the tail Of his morning
gown, he commenced reading q news.
paper that lay on the table.
Now, it happened the paper was q
week old or more, and Mr.. Guirkie had
read it over, advertisements and all. a
good half dozen times already. Fo1
being the only paper taken at the cot
tage, he always tried, as he said him
self, to make the most oft. 1t was not,
therefore, with q view either to enter
tain or information that he snapped itup
so suddenly as he did, but merely to di-
vert his mind from thinking Of the
wrecked sailors, and particularly the
negro with the broken toes. Mr.. Guir-
kie as the reader may have suspected,
was gentle and full Of tender sympa-
thies, and when case with any thing
peculiarly melancholy i'll it, like the one
in question, CHANGED to get hold of his
heart, he never could manage very we'll
to shake it out Of it. 1t was only then,
with the desperate hope Of excluding
from his imagination the picture he had
drawn SO wildly but q few moments be-
fore, that he clutched the paper SO Wig
oro1,sly between his hands and ran his
eye SO rapidly over the print. 1t hap
pened, however, Notwithstanding the
effort he made, that his success WIS by
no means complete, for he soon began
sort Of low, dry whistle, withot tone or
music in it, and evidently intended to
help the newspaper, When he had
read down half q column or more with
this accompaniment, he found it. as he
always found it before, 10 be a total
failure, and that, do what he would, the
picture kept always breaking in upon
him. AT last, unable to resist any long
er. he flung the newspaper on the floor,
and starting up in sort Of desperation,
paced up and down the room, his slip
Eers gathering the while against his
heels, and his hands as usual clasped
behind his back.
';Mr. Guirkie," said the housekeeper,
opening the door gently.
''What," said Mr., G',irzie. turning on
his step. and throwing up his spectacles
from his forehead till they were lost in
his bushy, gray hair; "what is the mat
ter?:'
ssLanty Hanlon's come for more Of
that medicine, sir, and says the child is
doin bravely; and, sir, he brought ye
the other wing of the wild duck"
Mrs. Motherly,'' said Uncle Jerry,
approaching the door, and drawing him
self up, II am engaged, ma'am."
Yes, sir. but"
''Well, but, ma a'am, Til have no butts;
I am not to be imposed OR. That fell
low has had more gin already than
would cure half the parish; quit the
room, if you place, and tell that scoun-
drel to quit the house,
Again Mr.. Guirkie turned to the win
dow, and looked out on the stormy sky,
muttering to himself all the while in
short, elaculatory sentences. At first
they were low and hollow, but grew
more audible in proportion as the pic
ture before his minds eye grew darker.
20. nonsense!" said he at last. "Non-
sense nonsense! there is no use what
ever in attempting it. And what's more
there never was any use. 1t was just
so, always, just the same old story over
and over again; and verify believe I'm
q greater fool now than [ was twenty
years ago. Last week couldn't rest till
saw that distressed widow, just as il it
were my business to console Widows
just as if it ought concern me copper
her landlord elected her or not.
But the explanation Of it all is. MIR.
Jeremiah Guirkie,-since that is the