The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-08-22

ting in the hot ashes at one corner OF
the fire, was breathing sweet fra
GRANGE from its mouth A wave Of in
expressble thankfulness swept through
him at the sight. The children clus-
tered about him with Explanations OF
wonder, and the mother, placing the
little stranger in a chair before the
pleasant flames, went INTO the other
room The giant-like father, rubbing
his hands before the grateful blaze,
looked at the children with a beaming
face.
"Wal, my hearties," he said, ''ye see
I've brought we a little sister,"
The child, as if somewhat frightened
by the circle of roguish faces, put out
her hands appealingly, and the big
man drew her into his lap and crooned
over her like woman.
"Don't 1e be afeared, little thing,
don't We be afeard," he said. 'lf y'r
pap or NANNY never come yell be al
ways safe with us. We had g little gal
once, Almost y'r size an heft, an'--yes,
she looked Almost like ye. We called
her Breeze, an guess we'll call ye
J AASN'
The child looked trustingly up into
his sympathetic face, but it was plain
she did not understand him.
II reckon We can't make me out, little
bird, from the way ye look" he said;
'Sbut ye needn't be afeard, ye needn't
be afeard.''
The children were pressing about
Al g., ~ T
his other knee. The pr1dgy little fellow
looked at the pale~faced child a moment.
then, touching her thin hand, he looked
up into the mans face and lisped: She
Lannie's sister! Lannie's new sister!
and the other children jumped up and
down with glee.
The mother heard it as she entered,
and when she came forward with the
tiny dress and shoes that once had clad
their little Breeze, her heart was full.
Taking the willing child to her breast
she passed into the other room again to
cloth her in dry garments, and the big.
ragged, stea1ning man leaned forward
and poked the fire, and the children
wondered, for his eyes were wet.
Presently the woman came back, and,
with a quick step, set about getting
breakfast. Ar1nor remained leaning
forward, steaming, and gazing dlmly
into the bed Of burning knots. resent
ly his head sank down as if it were lead,
he had fallen asleep from utter ex-
haustion. The woman touched his
shoulder.
Drink this cup of coffee. Trave," she
said soottingly. ''It'll strengthen you
till get some breakfast on the table,
But he could hardly drink it, his
hands shook SO, and he looked up pite"
ously in her face. Lucy. I'm Almost
pegged!' he said.
Yes; oh, Trave, can't You stop now2
Can't you quit tlrinlxing?' she cried.
and her thin frame shook from head TO
foot.
The man swayed forward over his
knees and groaned; Lucy, / viii if
lin!' But suddenly he threw himself
back with look OF torture in his face.
'I need it now! I'm Albumin up, LUCY"
he cried Amt there any in the house?
Jist spoonfrll!''
A lool1 of despair spread over the
yvoman's face. '"Trave, there amt any,"
she said. "You must go to bed now,
and sleep until y'r BETTER" and she led
him into the other room as if he was a
trembling child.
When she came out again she asked
for Paul, but none of the children had
seen him, and she went anxiously to
the door and looked out. The boy was
li1nping slowly up the path with his fa-
theirs r,1sted rifle on his shoulder. He
had found it in the bottom of the water
logged boat.
s'Breakfast is most ready, Paul."
said the mother, and her voice was an
infinitely tender caress, She did not
praise him, but he saw an approval in
her eyes too great for words.
''I'm not much hungry, mother" he
said. ''I'll get the tubs filed, SO we
can go to work when y're ready"
When the poor meal was prepared he
came in and ate a few bites in silence.
The food chol1ed him when he looked at
his mothers care-worn face. Suddenly
as they sat at the table, the father cried
out wildly in the other room, and the
wife ran in and they heard her strug-
Cling with him. The children grew
still and the little waif looked fright
ened and perplexed.
SIT was right up there on the ceilin'!''
cried the man; fright up there! an it
had green eyes and a red-forked tonguei
It was an awful snake, Lucy, and it
jumped down onto me an got round,rny
neck an was chokin' mel Oh, it was
cholin' me!''
Paul got up and, lifting the little girl
in his arms, looked at the children
meaningly, and they followed him out
He placed his delicate burden on a
bench in sunny place down by the
wall, and, asking Carl to watch them
while they played, he went back to
help his mother. She came into the
room as he entered. It struck him to
the heart, she looked SO worn and pitt
full.
ssHe's sleeping again" she whispered.
"Don't you go in where he is, Paul, UNI
less call you; perhaps the spell won't
come on him again"
The boy turned aside and sat down
before the fire, and began drying his
wet and clinging clothes. The woman
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