The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-10-22
WORKED LIKE 4 CHARM.
A Peete Little Game to Irrigate His
Thirsty Throat.


the plate glass windows of / splendl
saloon and to realize that you are penn
less, "said Roger Mortimer, bon vivar
]ittefateur, and raconteur. eFancy SEE
the long rows Of bottles with their appro
pirate and palate soothing labels range
behind the bar. The little priest wit
its stimulating absinthe, the last resource
before the inevitable madness Of deleriun
tremens, CLEANS emerald hued and mock
ing the gold champagne, imprisoned sun
slight swakens thoughts of cool, bubblini
fountains in memory's deep rayine; th'
rudy brandy combines dreams Of purpl'
grapes and the dark rims of glowing
tropic skies. By this time my palate i
dry as finder, while my tongue is dry Al
bone in desert. Mike Casey owns
the saloon. He knows me, consequ emit,
he will not trust. Still, here 10 q gloriou:
chance to test the superiority Of MIND ovs1
saloon keeper. enter boldly, and an
greeted with cordial Good day. by the
proprietor. | lean negligently on the
bar. He serves two lusty 'longshoremer
with cool, delicious beer. The white
foam drips down upon the floor. Die
Tantalus suffer fortunes such as mine
Casey wipes off the bar. He knows an
thirsty as Saharan sands; he sees it IN
myiwistful eyes. He draws glass of bcel
and sips it slowly. The sight is more
than can bear, and I turn away my head
But swear deep, fee-eo- -fum oath to
have drink at Casey's expense before
leave the saloon. Turning to Casey ]
say;
sRy the way, Casey, you are interested
In Irish literature, are you notl''
"sFaith, I am, sir. Amt / afther
buyin' three volumes OF Carleton's works,
aud haven't Moore's poems and Charles
lie vers stories and Samuel Lovers
.'Tales of the Irish Peasantry," and Ger
aid Grifin's-'
"Rut here interrupt him by asking,
perhaps you can tell me who wrote that
beautiful little poem beginning:
'Mush-a ding a -din-ah shillaleh and all,
My blessing 60 wild We, sweet Erin-go-
bragh?"
~rNo, I cannot, sir; but the Poet
Geoghegan or Bryan. McSwyny could tell
ye, think"
y'Casey is beginning to be interested.
! switch him off on another tack.
"'Do you know, Mr. Casey l say with
q good deal of assumed earnestness,
shat l think Irish literature has been
neglected of late. Who speaks of Car
Teton, or Moore, or Lever, or Lover now
adayl' Shall these glorious geniuses be
allowed to slumber forgotten, or shall
some public spirited citizen rise up and
take it upon himself to bring to the at
tention of the present generation the
treasures of wit, pathos, and drama,
buried on the shelves Of our public IL
braries9'
"'Troth, you're right, sir. Gle is
deeply interested now. His eyes shine
with patriotic light; the color rises in HE
cheek.) 1t must lie dry you are, sir, this
bot day. What'll you have7' he says.
II take beer, Casey takes seltzer We
clink glasses, and l propose the toast, "A
health to the revival of Irish literature! 7
Casey resumes:
rsHave ye amy plan in your head. sir,
50 that We might get the b'ys r'ading
Irish books1'
"'Yes, Mike, have definite, feasible
idea, which think could he carried out
by you and l. | reply, i think an organ
ization called the NJ. G. s. II. 1. L. could
be easily organized
".And what does thin lethers stand
for3' says Mike.
".The Michael Casey Society for the
Revival of the;Irish Literature l reply.
"'Yis, yis, sir; see, see,' says Mike.
And where would the society -meet1'
"Wby, right here in your back room.
We would limit the membership to fifty
spenders, no dead beats; nice, respectable
young men, you know. At the first
meeting We would elect you President,
while ! would act in the humble capacity
of Treasurer
"sfou have CRATE head for organiza-
ton, sir, can see that says the delight
ed Casey. 'What'll be this time, sir?
All, take whiskey sir; take whiskey.
bhure beer is Dootchman's dhrink.'
II take the suggestion. It is prime
stuff. 1t fingers gratefully on my palate.
As set down my glass suggest that it
would be well to prepare a subscription
paper. Casey thinks SO, too. ] prepare
pne with an appropriate preamble, after
which I write my own name, followed by
$40 in figures, explaining to Casey that /
am little short of change. Casey says
that's all right and puts down his name
for s., which sum be gives to me for the
purchase of stationery. then suggest
to Casey that it would be we'll for him
to prepare paper on The Life an Char
acter of Brian Boru,' the material for
which he can find in the Aston library.
lie jumps at thesuggestion like q hungry
trout at fly. We take another drink Ut
Naan "a =