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

( slow procession all the way to town
where none Of the cAildren had eve
been; the wonderful church service, :,
uninteliigible and imposing the suhse
( guent strange and dreadful experience a
the cemetery. where Dad was actually
put down into deep hole in the ground
and eoveresi up the r1ttiing boancing
ride home, and the house so empty AMI
queer-seemiHg because Dad wasn
there, but because be never would oe
there any more-all these things were "a
one, at least, Of the Walsh family as q
dream, but dream il which, though be
did not know il. there was more reality
than in all the life that had gone before.
Terry was maa now. Something was
required Of him, and DC felt an inward
strength which was equal to the require
ment.
The morning after the funeral. Mrs.
Walsh went to her washing again, and
Bob and jim sought the culnl. unmindfIl
ofanything awry IN this world but Ter
~ hung about the kitchen, Tor he wished
tn talk business with MS mother. and
was trying to get up courage enough to
open the subject
It was har,i to begin. lie had usver
suffered before from self-consciousness-
that troublesome gi.t Of a uevl ly-axaken-
ed soul-but now he seemed 70 be IN his
own way. He certainly was in his moth
er's way, for after stumbling over him
several times she asked, little sharply,
why he didn't go and play.
" ] amt goin 10 play no more, said
Terry bravely walking up to the guns at
once I'm a-goin' to work-to pick slate
and get some money for you, now Dads
gone-and Pm a-goin' down to the boss
right away, and see ifthere amt no place
for me-
Having delivered himself ofthis speech
Terry further demonstrated his ,esoln-
ton by walking out of the house toward
the breaker, leaving his mother in
amazement and tears.
As result Of his eonfereuc with the
boss he was Immediately given a place
among the slate pickers.
The boss was greatly impressed by the
dignity Of character displayed by Terry
on this occasion. Ye niver seen sich a
by as Terry Walsh, said he afterwarri !:
50 he come up to me in the office as bold
as ye plaze, the snip, and says he, Ms
ther. | wants place to pick slate-havs
yees one for meT An says, 70 try him
like: No, there amt none An be steps
a bit nearer, an says he: heerd say
as how Benny Hanks is too growed I'd
now TO pick slate; hes a-goin to drive
mules can't yees put me in his place
An | looked at him hard, az them big
eyes o his'n was shiny but stiddy, an the
diyil it was made me- saw But ye am .
gruwed up yIt; ye're nOthin' Iaore.n a
baby Sure an I'm no baby, he SAYS.
or ia be playin now wid the other
babies; I'm the man, now Dads gone p
Sure's you're Twin, the purity rogue said
that-an' be no bigger than nv
thumb, an thai poorin his ligs an arrums
Bat he's got head or him, an he works
better nor all the slate pickers in a heap.
Terry earned the not-to-be-despised
sun Of forty cents a day for his work This
amount, added to his wash-money, kept
the family in about the same condition
as when Mr.. Walsh was alive, since but a
small part Of that worthy mans earnings
ever found its way into his wife's hands
Terry was very happy in his new posi-
tion. Every day he felt bigger and more
important; but the work ti-ed him. Ac-
customed to run about freely frosn morn
ing till night, the continued sitting
cramped him, and the ever-sliding mass
Of coal into which be must reach to pick
ont the chunks of slate often made him
dizzy besides, the rough and cruel
boys with whom he WIS esCc;ated
made his life miserable AZ timas. But he
had much to think aboat and hethought
with the incessancy Of children who have
no one Of whom they can esk questions.
lie pondered much over what he had
seen in the church Bob and jim had
been delighted with the imgaes, oFna-
menss and bright colors. Terry had no
ticed these with awe and administration,
but what had struck him chiefly, and
what now remained with him. were the
actions and gestures Of priest and people.
The priest had looked up and talked.
and the people had shut their eyes and
taIkei-he had seen them moving their
lips Whom were they talking to- This
was Dads funeral, bat they diden't seem
to be talking to Dad. He wls in the.box
and nobody looked at him. They talked
to something they eouldeu't see, AMI bow,
ed their heads to l. Was it-2 Terry
scarcely dared think twas the other
part of Da1 there, and we're they talking
and bowling to it He ached 70 ask some
body. To think that all these people
knew, and the priest knew and might
tell him if be eould only ask He felt
quite sure that Nam knew nothing at ali
about it. and equally sure that he never
could tell her his thoughts Sometimes
he was almost on the verge lf scepticism,
If one may be a sceptie without system
Of docfrienes to doubt. What had made
him think about Dai2 There was no
such thing. At sach times be was very
unhappy, though be couldn't have told
Why.
One day, shortly after beginning work
at the breaker, big boy threw a large
piece of coal at him which struck his leg
and caused bruise. Terry did not tell
Of this at home for fear his mother should
forbid his going any more 10 pick slate.
Weeks passed and it did not heal, but
grew more sore, and burt him 50 some
DAYS he could hardly drag himself to
work, though he alsaysrau until out Of
sight Of the house. One morning he
could not get up. He had lain awake al
night, his head feeling IS hot a. the en-
CINE roon, and his mouth tasting worse
than the mines smelt. The three babies
slept with Nam nov, so he had only
Bob and jim IN bed with him, but since
there had been more room. Bob hat
taken more, and on this particular night
he had taken much more than usual, and
kicked very hard several times he bad
,s,..,t -r-..-,,,. .,,v. l...- - tb..f ba ,.onfI