The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-11-14
TERRY.

TERRY.
Terry and Bob and jim and the three
babies were playing in the cuIn-pile be-
bind the house.
On the back doorstep sat Man, not
much cleaner than her children, and wet
into the bargain. for she had bees work
ing hard since morning to get out a heavy
wash for the men in the boarding house
across the way The clothes we're now
hanging to dry on the fences, and Nam
was resting and watching the children,
well content that they should be thrs en-
ployed, since il kept her motherly heart
from. anxiety lest they might stray into
the street. where heavy coal carts con-
stantly passed, or, worse, on to the truck
Just beyond the breaker As for the dirt,
she gave it no thought The clothes they
wore now they kept on night and DAY
until worn cut. Onee week they got
their hands and faces washed, Though
twa'nt much use as Nam said. "for
they'll clip right into the eulm az in, p
and she never spoke trllef in her life
Mrs. Walsh was cot far behind her neigh
bors ia her Indifference and cleanliness,
but most Of them exceesled her in cut
ward shows Of godliness; that is, 50 far
as church attendance goes With few ex-
ceptions, all the Black Diamonders were
Roman Catholics, and although the near
est church vas filil fcur miles away. yet
every sunday, even 10 the worst weather,
a goodly number Of both men and women
trudged piously thither. the latter arrayed
winter and suInmerin red blanket shawls
and archaic velvet bonnets adorned with
juggling flowers. But Mrs. Walsh born
d Protestant, had married Catholic who
( did not consider religion as a daily walk,
but preferred taking flying heaps heaven
ward by going to mass once a year. And
this lack Of spiritual surroundings, to-
gether with her being much engaged in
increasing, multiplying and replenishing
the earth, had 50 far succeeded in draw
ing the poor woman thoughts away from
heaven that she had actually forgotten
there was sUcn a place. And as for the
children, they had never even heard Of
It's existence. They knew when sunday
came, FOR then they got their faces wash
ed, DAD ate breakfast in clean clothes,
and ali the neighbors went of somewhere
bas to what place, or for what purpose, It
had not entered into their infant minds 10
inquire They Sometimes wished that
Nam owned a red blanket shawl and
bonnet with iiggly flowers, and Terry,
who was eight years old. had secretly re
solved that when he grew to be big
man and could work, his first money
be devoted to purchasing these Injuries
for her She had now nothing bat a sun
4 bonnet, which she wore ali day, indoors
and out, and only took IT off when she
went TO bed
After she had once shut the youngsters
/ into the front room, which served as fam
iiy bed-chansbs-, sile alxass considered
them as disposed of, and sat down TO doze
( or gossip undistnrbed before the kitchen
fire until Dad should return. On week
nights his incoming was uproarious, bat
on sunday nights, as BETTING the sacred
time, he entered with solemn gayety and
slow, steering with curious certainty for
1 the door, which On other occasions was
/ apt to elude his aim-turning the handle
/ and shutting himself in with circumspec-
/ ton. At this point, all necessity for such
unusual care being over, be would sur
render himself 10 the exigencies Of the
situation and fall in an unstudied atti-
tude upon the kitchen floor, where he
usually remained all night From this
It might be judged that there IS such
thing as drinking one's self sober At
any rate, Mr. Walsh's conduct was GER
tainIy marked by more apparent sobriety
when he had had the whole day for i'm
bibing, thar when ne had had only few
evening hours.
Terry was always glaA when sunday
night came, for then he was not wakened
Up by Dads noise On other nights his
Elithful little heart would not permit him
i 10 sleep. for Dad sometimes made it lively
for Nam, and Terry was obliged to step
in an check his wild exubersnce of spirits
else Nam got no rest. The child exerted
4 wonderful power over his father;
power born Of utter feariessness. Mr..
Walsh was 50 conscious Of this influence,
even in his widest moods, that often, the
mere appearance in the doorway of that
dauntless little figure would prove
sufficient quietns The demon in him
yielded at once to the strange magic Of
superior spirit. But again it took all the
physical force that poor Terry had to
queI the demon and save his mother
from a black eve or a broken head With
an alertness gained by long practice. the
boy would make a spring ike a Wild
beast, clutch his father about the body,
and cling there ike grim death, thus di-
verting attention from tie mother To
free himself from this encumbranee the
mailman would cast away stool, teakeftle,
or bFoomstick, which was serving him as
( temporary weapons Of oliense, and hand
to-hand conflict would ensue between
Z him and his tiny tormentor, who never
once let 90 his grip until victory was sure
To-day was Monday, and Dad had, as
usual, after his long hebdouladal earouse,
gone very late TO work in the morning
consequently be was not expected home
very early in the afternoon Still. it was
now getting far past the time when be
should come, and Nam went occasionally
to the front gate to see if her -old man
was not vet in sight. The water was
ready in the tab and getting cold, the po
/ tatoes had boiled soft long ago, and the
children, whose stomachs were their
clocks, knew by these unerring time
pieces that Dad ought to be on hand and
having come down from the pile, were
elamoring about the door after the man
ner Of all hungry animals. Although
Nam had never read Browning she
/ knew Just as well as If she had that
~when body gets its sop it ~holds us
noise, and accordingly resolved TO dish
out their part ofthe supper without furth-
er delay, and rid herself Of them nui-
sances. She was just going about It when
1 L. =.