The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1890-05-22
WIDOW O'CosSOK's FORTUNE.


" ocuAhSt OA O01OttC ~ Wdc q
chilly November day in the year,
early in the '70's, when Father Tom
O'Flaherty knocked at the door of
the little wooden house in:southeast
Washington, where lived the widow
Of Jimmie O'Connor. The good
priest had married the couple years
ago in County Kerry on the other
side, had christened their children,
and said the last rites over poor
Jimmie when he was killed in an
ugly railroad accident a year or
two before the time I speak of.
can how is it with We, Mrs. O'Con-
no:?" asked the good man, as he
patted little Norah on the head, and
watched Jimmy, sturdy child of 3
or 4, who was trying a bit of green
ish paper with long string TO the
tail on the sleeping cat that was
taking a comfortable nap near the
stove. ''I'm doing very we'll,
thanks be to God" answered the
comedy Irish woman, as she tested
her smoothing iron to seej if hot
enough. GIVE plenty OF washing,
and the ladies ye recommend me to
are very kind, and are giving me all
their fine work." Just then there
was yell. The cat, suddenly dis
turbed, had retaliated by giving
Jimmy a scratch with her strong
claws for his insult to her dignity
and tail. "Ah, there, me little
man, it's nothing" said Father
Tom. ''But what's that you've got
tied to your string, Jimmie 2"
Faith, it's only some old papers the
children were finding in one of the
drawers OF the old chist | bought at
the auction last week" Was there
ever an old Irish woman who could
call bureau anything but "chist
of drawers p ''And Its see what
it is there, Jimmie" said the priest,
taking the lad upon his knee.
"Where did you buy this chist of
drawers?" he suddenly asked. sob,
I just bought it at an auction" the
woman answered, 81 naded some
thing more to kape the children's
clothes in, and I bid it in chspe."
care there any more of these pa
pers in the drawers, Mrs. O'Connor?'
Father Tom carelessly asked min
ute or two afterwards. "Yis, there
u.s." said little Norah, 'for me and
Jimmie took out lot CT them to-
day." "Let me see them, Norah,
DEAR" said the priest. So the child
brought them, and there were thir-
teen. "Let me keep these papers
day or two, Mrs. O'Connor,' the
priest said, as he carefully folded
them up; ''the engravings are good,
and I'd like to look at them more
carefully" "Tm sure you are well
come to them," Mrs. O'Connor an
swered. "The childrn'il only be-
ing tearing them" So, after learn
ing where the .bureax had been
bought, Father Tom took his leave.
"Do you happen to know where the
bureau you sold Mrs. O'Connor last
week came from?" asked a priest as
he entered one of the cheaper auc-
ton houses devoted mainly to the
sale of furniture in Southeast Wash
ington. "No, | DON'T" answered
the proprietor, shortly awe don't
guarantee anything; people must
take things as they come. l won't
undertake to make anything right /;
if we did, there'd be no profit in the
business" "But don't you know
where you got it?' "No, I don't!"
was the proprietor's answer. eve
bought it of an old niger one day,
and that's all / know about il"
The man was disposed to be inso-
lent, and Father Tom left without
asking any more questions. eyes,
they are 500 bonds, said the assis-
tant secretary of the treasury, land
only two of the coupons have been
paid. Coupons and all, they are
worth about $4,000" Eyes, yell
be a comparatively rich woman,
Mrs. O'Connor," concluded the
priest, as he explained to the excit-
ed woman what the green picture"