The Opelousas courier., 1892-10-01

llOUUSI "do ULlC1O LS4 'SS
would have died in the city, the
Brownsville doctor said, had this Ill
ness overtaken her there her mother.
who would reed the fresh, braclng.
balsam air Of the mountains Q many
4 long day, and all the comforts thai
her father S good wages could buy.
For her mothers sake and for hel
fathers sake she must go on. &c
God. keep me awakel' was the fer
vent prayer that went up in the frosty
air.
A shout from below, a rattle Of
chains, and again came the elevator,
creeping up the chimney like some
gigantic beetle. Mary went to work
with new enthusiasm. Between trips.
she sat outside and suffered with the
sold. But such suffering was positive
low, after the deadly hdmbness she
had fought within.
The worst hours-from Il to three
were past. The moon set and the
stars began to pale. A faint pink
light spread through the east. Lights
appeared here and there in the houses
below. The men Of the " day fcrce''
were being reused and the women
we're preparing the morning meal.
One more load was dumped. II
must be half-past five, Mary thought,
but she was not sure. She might
have lost count once or twice. Yes,
she had, for there was the bell elang-
ing below her.
It lacked five minutes Of being six,
and Jim Brennan the other day top
man, would come in Ave minutes.
| * LIa%hn- rro4 ,,rH - nj oryy cnl1o6 in
a clear whisper, as she shook his
shoulder. Father, do you hear p
Would he move or had her awful
nights work been in vain?
Why, Mary, have I oversight p
said he rising suddenly and leaning
on his elbow.
Then like a lightning fash the truth
fell upon him.
The liauot drank In the woods the
afternoon before, his return to his
home to supper; his difficulty going
up the ladder, at which Jim Brennan
had unsuspectingly laughed the first
few hours which he fought the stupof
that was coming IN this he remem.
bered, but what had followed
Hush, father, don't speaka word.
Jim Brennan is coming up the lad
der. The furnace is all right. Jim
will think I have Just come to tell you
how mother is. No one need ever
know, father dear"
John Cronin was On his feet in an
instant sobered for life. He took
Mary's hand, grimy for her work.
"Open the door," he said, huskily,
or I'll choke"
Jim Brennan's face appeared above
Well, mate, how goes it Hello,
Mary! blessed if you didn't scare me
'Gainst the rules, you know, to be in
the top-house, but 1 guess the boss
won't mind as long as there's a sick
mother in the case. Had a hard
night of it, didsyou, young 'un? You
look all beat out. There, go long,
Joha, put the child to bed; I'll tend
to this load, though it amt mine"
"Thank you, JIM" said Cronin.
Come, Mary, you must be tiSed."
Not a word was spoken between
the pair as they went down the ladder
and hurried down the hill. The fur.
mace men were lounging on the floor
Of the furnace-room.
Blessed if here amt Cronin and
his gal. Hope the missus amt no
worse" said one.
''She's probably been up all night
with her. Never seen such a plucky
little woman as that gal in all my
life,' said another.
Back over the red bridge Mary
vent, with her hand tightly clasped
In her fathers. She gave his hand a
little squeeze once, when she felt q
hot tear drop on her own. There WAS
q smile on her tired. pale face, and
q great content in her heart. Father,
mother, friends and reputation-all
savedl
When they had passed the group oil
houses that clustered near the bridge,
and the woods were before them, her
father said: Mary, does mother
know ?"
NO. Don't let's tell her. She will
think went to meet you, if she is
awake"
IF you'd not followed me last
night, Mary, do you know what might
have happened ?"
Mary nodded her head vigorously.
She could not speak.
Mary, you have saved my life
you have saved the works. AS God
hears me, I will never drink another
drop" And he never broke the VOW
he made.
Mary cried with JOY on her fathers
neck. All the terror, loneliness and
tabor of the night were over, ike &
bad dream. Best of all, the burden
Of c~easeless anxiety, which hao
weighed on her and her mother, was
laid down forever. Never again
would she listen to his step, In the
fear that 1t might be uncertain, OF
walk with tired feet seeking him
through the slums of a city.
They softly opened the door and
found the mother still sleeping. May
opened the hampers of the "Star OF
The Ea st. and soon a good breakfast
was in preparation.
John Cronin told his wife of his
resolution, a he sat by her bedside
after Mary had gone to bed, but he
lid not tell her then at what a fearful
post OF suffering to their child it had
been bought.
His intelligence and perseverance
won him the position of foreman, and
today Mary and her mother, who
has recovered her health and gaiety
m Katahdin Woods, rejoice in their
new house, which exceeds Mary's
aay-dreams.
That's a fine man, that Cronin,"
said some one in authority, the other
lay. He and his daughter ara
studying chemistry together, and he
has some hrst-rate notions about
toasting the sulphur out of the ore.
shouldn't be surprised il we had a
rare find in him."
The girl is a pretty and lady like
ono, too said another. The whole
settlement seems to be fond of her.
John Cronin. passing on the other