The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-08-10
HIS SACRIFICE.

His SACKlE ICE.
He came to us when the last field of
wheat had fallen before the irrepres-
sible advance of the reaping machine,
and consequently at time when fresh
hands were hardly wanted. His ap-
proach was leisurely and philosophical,
his manner as easy as the flow of his
conversation, his attire light and pictur-
esque. Diogenes going through mod
ern England could not have maintained
one tithe of the quiet, semi-cynical self
possession typified in the bronzed face
and humorous eyes that came down
the lane and shone over the garden
hedge like new sunburst.
"The top of the mornin' to We, sor,
and many av thim!"
Civillty, as the proverb says, is a
cheap commodity. l returned the sal
utation, the original purveyor thereof
meanwhile adopting an easy and
graceful attitude against the privet
hedge that separated us.
"'Tis foine wither for the harvest,
glory be to God, and it's me own hands
that is Uneasy to be handlin' fork or
rake with the colleens beyant there.
Maybe the masther has a job of worruk
that he can give to a man lo!ke me-
silf."
He slanted his head over in the di-
rection Of a field where half dozen
rosy English lasses were engaged in
heaping the rakings of thick crop of
wheat. The employment was easy
and congenial; l thought it would fit
we'll the disposition of the traveller.
The master came toward us that mo-
ment.
"Here is a man who wants work"
"Ahl God be good to yer honor, so
l do indade It's mesilf that has an
illigant hand at harvest worruk. And
yer honor'l give me job of worrukP" ?"
His Honor wanted no more hands,
and said so abruptly, with certain
pointed remarks concerning the assur-
ance of people who goidle at the end
of harvest.
"Oh! papa! and it is not an hour
since you said you could do with an
the poor man something to do"
The poor man looked over the hedge,
quick to seize the opportunity. Miss
Maud, fresh and dainty as one of her
own roses, blushed and started under
Hibernian eyes.
"God be good to ye, miss, but It's
only raison that swate young thing
loike yerself should spake soft to a
poor man as is wanting worruk so bad
". All! now, your honor1l give me
the worruk that the young lady was
spakin' of.
His Honor gave in, beaten by the
touch of his daughters hand and the
audacity of the bronzed features be-
fore him.
"It's only waste of money" he
said, when the traveler-after liberal
meal-had wandered away to the har-
vest field in search of the much desired
worruk. Hell do nothing. These
wandering Irishmen never do"
Certainly this one did not kill him
| self with over-exertion. He performed
his task deliberately, if well. There
was tendency about him to sit down
every few minutes. If he had an aud
ience close at hand he betrayed fur
ther tendency to discourse on various
topics.
"Sure, now," he said, as / stood by
him among the corn, what time the
sun was doing its level best to burr
US all into rags, "'tis moighty improv
ident this spending of your stren'th il
the hot sun-loight. It's aslape W,
should be at this mint. Worruk il
the cool and slape in the hot-that'
how we do in Colooney."
"And where is Colooney?"
"Sure, your honor knows that Co
1ooney is in Sligo. l am from Coloo
ney mesilf.
SYou seem to have wandered Ion!
way from home"
sAh, thin, but what good would
do and me not havin' seen the wurruld
It's the travelled men that makes for
tins"
"And you are making your fol
tune?"
"Ah, sure, but I'm on the way t.
that same. Ye should see me at m
own trade. Me hands bit out at tn
harvestin'. Did your honor iver hea
tell of Judy McCann?"
He dropped easily to convenien
seat amid the sheaves and prepared t
"discoorse" at his leisure l move
away, not wishing to give him an ez
cuse for idleness. Looking around te
minutes afterwards 1 found that h
had not risen. He was probabl
meditating over the story of Jud
Mccain.
The man from Colooney stayed OF
His sleeping chamber was in the ha.
loft; he washed at the pump, dispen'
ing in some mysterious fashion wit
the aid of soap and towel. He lounge
easily about the stack-yard O. nights
but always retired into the paddock t
smoke his pipe-a wise proceeding
which ingratiated him with the ma
ter, who had no mind to see his stacl
burnt down. The women liked hin
as they always do like anything hant
some and impudent. He fetched an
carried for them. One day l foun
him laboring under a haavy whee
barrow load of manure, which he W;
taking from the fold to the f1owt
garden. He was actually sweatir
heavily and working hard, witho'
doubt.
What does this mean?" 1 inquire
81 thought you considered this sort
thing improvident?"
, The man from Colooney regardt
me with humorous smile. His ey
twinkled, and one of them closed
self for an instant.
"Ah, thin, captain, dear, sure a
what can a poor boy loike mesilf
when the sweetest voice in all t