New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-03

drcn. SIS 1t because she's irish. Ike yomscltp"
No 10 was not because Mrs Lynch was Irish.
10 was because Mike. who know tho pinch and
stab Of poverty so we'll, had pitied the loud, ag-
gressive widow she did not deserve to be pitied.
That was. all. And these episodes happened
every day with us. I have narrated two salient
ones. but We witnessed Others. Just as pathetic
Just rs comic
Mike was 30 fond Of having mo for CON-
panion that could not Understand why he now
accented so resiRnedly the change OF my indoor
life But he did accept il without word OF
objection and naturally supposed that my
mother had talked with him in private.
began to fail in health, however. and chiefly.
no doubt, from my sudden cessation of all exer-
else. Languid fits oyercamo me, and sometimes
my food for days would be almost that Of bird.
Aftcrward strong l as yet gave no sign Of my
fathers vigor; the physical part OF me seemed
nostly Of maternal origin; had my mothers
lar-c dark eyes, her sensitive outline of face,
her slcnderness of shape. though promised to be
tall. which she was not. l had not my mothers
hair. however, for my own locks sunny, and
indeed almost if threaded with gold. In those
DAYS never thought of my being handsome or not.
No one told me that l Possessed beauty, except
possibly Martha, in her most beamng moods,
and even If had become wholly assured of this
fact do not think that il would have concerned
me in any serious way.
And vet / AIN compelled here to record without
the least impulse OF vanity, but simply as
chronicler who sets down the black and white of
what he states) that l then, at the are of
eleven years, a notably beautiful boy This herft
age never left me 1, IL was my birthrieht, and as
that il remained In after years IL became great
aid to me, as the succeeding pages of my story
its best in my childhood, and perhaps because
my complete ignorance Of 1t lent il the element
of unconsciorsncss. Moro than once during my
ramolcs beside Michael, | remember saying to
him with touch Of puzzlcment in my tones
"Mchael, why do people look at me so hardP 1t
S. ems sometimes. Us if they knew who | am, or
had known ne before, and wanted to sIcalI TO me.
Michael would laugh III low, chuckns style
that did not at all disaITay the sombfe Ierose OF
his haggard face. But never understood My
beauty came to me Us my disposition cane, from
wholly eXplalnable sources My parents III their
different tyres had been Uf striking leI-
sOnal lifts. ! had inherited combination Of
these Until later there was 10 one 10 tell me
the worth or even the meaning Of such LEGACY.
| Stll keut tie VOW made To my mother about
not leaving tie house unless she went with he.
1 often saw her eyes dwell wouiedly vi On my
face doubtless my loss of health made me very
ale. But she did not ask me TO break my re-
solve. She cOmplchcnded that no amount Of ask
Ing would make ne do 50 She Saw that ny do
termination spIang great deal more from love
than from fear But at last she Welded | did
not want her TO yield, but the conc ssion came,
lie, eithclcSS ! was contentcd enough to blde
indoors Since our talk together about my father
there had grown within me son etlhnS Ike ter
of going OUt at all. If he were really waiting
t. confront us. why not remain in retreat and oh
security until the larSc Of time brought with 1T
safety of cmcr Cncc ?
one day nay mother said TO me: "Otho, you
are not well my son. You need the air via
YOU not 90 with Michael, you used 10 DO
| looked at her. | Shook nv head as did 50
no replied. She understood me. and for the
tine held her rcacc Two days later she said to
me "Otho the weather is very fine this morn
inr You have studied hard Of late You have
cot so far in your lessons that, as you Sec am
unable to follow YOU, or 10 teach You more There
is a public school only little distance from hero
| want YOU TO 60 there with Michael and present
yourself as scholar "
NO. mamma. answered calmly and stondy
She nat her hand on my arm. "OthO. she
said. "wil you with me ?'
ayes. | TT once answered "But You must
promise to walk 20 AM from the school with me.
every morning and afternoon
NO e. I cannot
"cI win net 20 to The the sGRoGl' sa@
IL can't help It. mamma
"Rut your health Is not what IL was;
"Ycs-I know lou want ne to walk abroad.
I will do so with Won"
NV mother boavc6 a low sigh ] was not wilful
or disobcdicnt in Other WAYS and | am sure that
She gave me full credit for being neither
win take a little stroll together this morning
snrang toward her and threw my arms about
her neck. "NammaH exclaimed. You hate
to &C. an,
drew backward was very stubborn in my
intent: nothing could Shake ne. Then you
"But you force nc" she responded gently
bit m, lip. Tie tears had rushed to my, eyes
con. mamma cried. "you know Why VIII
little later we left the house. side by side
We aid not 90 TO the school 1t was pleasant TO
be abroad once The sun was shining
there had been winter tllaW great drols came
from tic aWuin-s OF stores: enough melted snow
rem AIMED IN the streets 70 Yet few sielgir pass
with their merry jneles. ] grew gay and gar
rulous before we had tai en- q hundred PAGES III
felt s. pleasant 10 breathe the free, o. On air
That afternoon | returned homo with at least
the semblance Of an aooetto. Martha watched
OF supper and rapiuroisly praised me Tor my
renewed powers of cons an ton. Michael watched
me- too but he said nothing had my Whs
talks with both husband and wife, just as OF OLD,
but they never presumed word regarding my
sclfimmurement OF course they both had learned
its cause from my mother. The next day She
went out with ne again soon grew hetter'
NV strength returned | ate; / ceased TO take
tired naTs at midday my laugh rang louder ana
bIither through the house-ths little house in The
RoweIy dedicated to the sale of collins. the MAX
ing of shrouds the appurtenance and conconlt
Nv mother was still sad. Our walks did not
gladden. her, though they gave new life and
strength to mo For this reason she made them
a daily occurrence We ALWAYS kept within the
close neighborhood Of the BoweIy II somehow
seemed to be safer there, THOUGH the Bowery was
then almost the chief New York thorou@hfare
One evening in my twelfth year, Il est mem
orable event took place We were about 20 seat
ourselves at SUPPER Michael as usual, brought
In the evening naper lie always handed IL T.
NV mother She would sometimes SPEND half
hour with It's contents while Martha busted her
self preparing our meal
But on the especial evening TO which / refer my
mother suddenly dropped the paper three or four
minutes after it had been handed to her. and ut
tered a sharp, bitter cry She did so.
We all hurried to her side. For some time she
was otnte speechless She could tell us nothing
she could only stare at with glazed eyes: But
at length she pointed downward at The journal
v hich she had been reading. l ran my gaze
along its columns. On sudden very famil-
lar name arrested it. That was the name Of my