Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-12-24
JANET'S FATHER.

Dennis McCarty and his friend, Jason
Wilson, were leaving England on the
packet ship Tempest. They were bound
for the coal mines of Pennsylvania.
Both were married. Each had left a
wife and baby behind. They were min
ers-their fathers had been miners be-
fore them. Wonderful reports had
reached their ears from the United
States. Days wages were nearly
doubled, and food was plentiful and
cheap. "One mans as good as another,
Dennis; any man can get an Office in a
free country" was the burden of Jason's
argument in their long debates while
the matter of going was still undecided.
"Ya-as, Jason, they tell me, man, that
you can be PRESIDENT if you can ownly
get votes enough" was Dennis satirical
addenda that always followed this social
equality declaration of his ambitious
neighbor.
The two men had long been comrades
they had worked side by side in the
Cornwall mines for many year-but
they were very different in character
and habits. Dennis was home loving
body; his wife, a simple, hard working
woman, but they had made love match
and were well agreed in most matters
that concerned their domestic life.
Nothing would have made Dennis hap
pier than to have brought the wife and
baby along on this trip to America; and
Harriet would have felt it no hardship
to have crossed every one of the five
great oceans to be with her broad faced.
clumsy limbed life partner. 1t was a
sore trial to leave her behind, and a sore
trial to her to bid him goodby.
A good brother had promised to take
care of the wife and baby until Dennis
sent back the needful passage money or
returned to the could country" himself,
If not suited in work or wages.
Jason and his wife Janet were not so
harmonious in their domestic arrange
ments. In truth, they disagreed oftener
than they harmonized. Jason was bora
and raised in the mining section of Eng
land, while Janet was farmers daugh-
Der, Their early training had been diff
ferent This or something else had
caused disagreement and dissensiou.
Jason loved his beer too well, for one
thing. He was fonder of the taproom of
the Stag and Boar than his own fireside.
Saturday nights always found him late,
with much of his weeks earnings out of
pocket On Sundays Janet generally re-
minded him of his shortcomings.
After the idea of going to America be-
came settled in his mind, he hinted more
than once of his intention of putting
''big water" between them. "God sent
It," Janet would retort. "a man as
can't take better care of his money had
better go and stay. 1t kills out decent
woman's pride to be struggling all the
time, and nothing coming into the house
to make her feel better. A man as cares
nothing for his home ought to leave it.
Jason treasured up these hot and hasty
words of his spouse. He built consid-
cradle argument of defense for his con
duct in later life ON these words of what
ne termed Punishment and dismissal.
His rowing, restless nature was always
craving change. He loved the little
baby, named for its mother. but he
loved Jason Wilson long sight better
also his beer and his liberty.
As they stood on deck, watching the
Cornwall shore sink into the sea, one Of
the men would have blubbered with
grief at thus parting with his family, if
shame had not prevented, while the
other was clamorous for mug of beer
to drink goodby to his family troubles,
with an enjoyable sense of freedom that
Janet would doubtless have resented, if
his state Of mind had been fairly under
stood by her.
The long, tedious voyage was at last
over. There was no difficulty in getting
employment in the coal mines around
Wilkesbarre. Wages were good, but
somehow expenses consumed all the
profits. Before year had passed Dem
mis- was homesick and ready to return to
Harriet and the baby. Not so Jason
He wanted longer stay. Times would
be better-anyhow he would risk it, he
said.
"Why, Dennis, I haven't more than
money enough to take me back-that
would never do. Janet would never let
me hear the last of it."
"Ah," answered Dennis, "Pm much
Of the notion that you will never have
enough to 90 back on. Unjust tell Janet,
what?"
"Oh, you can say I'll be along some Of
these days, and you can take this gold
dollar to little Janet if you have mind
TO-" was the rejoinder.
Indignation brought out from Dennis
rough word.
"To be plain, Jason, Oh dawn't like
yer goins on a single bit. Most too
much gallantin about with strange vim
min. Oh dawn't like it. But fule's a
fule, if yer beat i'm with pessle or
pound i'm in hominy mortar"
The men parted without much good
feeling between them. Their first fall
ing out was over little money transac-
tion, but Dennis forsook Jason entirely
when the latter became involved with a
young woman, sister of an American
miner, to whom he passed himself off as
single man. The girls character was
wrecked before Dennis sailed for the
"ould counthry," and Jason was, as Dem
mis- expressed it, a "desavin scoundrel,
that needed drubbin."
The brothers Of the girl were not cow
ards in difficulty of any sort, and poor
Jason always got drunk when he was in
trouble. Before he was duly sober, after
. carouse, he found himself married q
second time to poor, weak Milly Jones,
who was strangely infatuated with the
rough British miner, and ready to do his
Gdding inAny way whatsosvsr.