Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-03-18

1TTrs11rr/ wind seemed to
| LHH H-I IO@S sigh and sob the
| words, "The Hi
bernians will get wet tomorrow" The
doors had been closed for the night; the
200 boys had eaten supper and at o
o'clock had been sent to the dormitories
AT the big buildings top The boys had
| gone 20 bed. the keepers had made the
! final tour of examination. and all the
foundliles slept save bright eyed Mi
chael Ryan. of whom one keeper had
said:
You never know what the little rascal
will do next"
Michael had lived his life Of twelve
| years in absolute freedom. For weeks
at time he had not slept in bed, choos-
ing the piers and doorways Of the bust
ness houses rather than the abuse and
contumely of his home. And now that
he was shut up in big stone building
the native desire for freedom made his
spirit cbafe at confinement as young
tiger gnaws at his bars.
And as he lay there In the darkness 1t
occurred to little Mike that tomorrow
was st. Patrick's Day--the day when
the streets were filled with marching
regiments Of men; when music pulsated
on the air; when gayly decorated horses
pranced and cheers aroused echoes in
the long brick, canyonlike streets. Mikes
cheeks flushed as he remembered previ-
otts ST. Patrick's days, when he had par
ucipated IN the festivities and gazed in
ecstasy upon the flying banners. But
this year be reflected afgrily that grim
walls shut him in on all sides; that
watchful keepers were ready to shut OIL
any attempt to escape.
But hope came to him. Perhaps, after
all he might escape. He had sat up in
the gallery Of n Bowery theater and had
seen Monte Cristo cut his way through
fourteen feet of solid rock and then
thrown over cliff hundred feet high
in "a bag. And still Monte Cristo es-
capped. Why couldn't he do it? With
beating heart he sat up in bed. A Grim
inal confined for life never longed for
liberty more sincerely than did that for
lorn waif. He reflected that he was in
the top story of the building, at least
sixty feet from the ground. He could
hear the fierce March wind driving the
rain against the windows in sharp gusts.
Still this did not dampen his enthusi-
asm. He would brave much more than
a wetting TO get outside the wall and
walk behind the procession. But he
must have assistance. Who could he
get to help him? There were plenty Of
boys who would like to escape, but few
who had the nerve to attempt 1t. He
mentally rejected them all but Patsey
Flaherty as lacking in some characters
tic necessary for the undertaking.
''Ha, he's just the lad" muttered Mike
to himself. Patsey slept on the other
side of the dormitory. So Mike got out
of his bed, with bare feet, and dropping
on his knees crept softly until he reached
Patsey's bed. The boy was sleeping
peacefully. One grimy hand was thrown
outside the quilt. This Mike seized gen.
tly and~Iegan to squeeze it. Patsey
moved uneasily and then awoke. He
was frightened and would have cried out
in alarm had not Mike put hand over
his mouth. Mike muttered:
"Keep quiet, Patsey: it's only me-"
"What do you want, Mixer whispered
Patsey.
"Do you want to see de purcession"
asked Mike. What purcession?" in
quired Patsey.
"De st. Patrick's Day parade" "Why,
is dey goin to leave us out:' inquired
Patsey eagerly.
"Naw," was the reply, "dey wouldn't
leave cat out o. dis. Me an you'll go
out widout aslyin 'em." By this time
Patsey was thoroughly interested.
"Who was st. Patrick" he said.
"Why," answered Mike, "ain't you never
heerd o. him? He's de priest wot driv
all the snakes out o Ireland. He was a
gyant ten feet high. He was torrer-
bred, sure, he was, an no mistake. Ev-
cry year dc bands goes out, and de Hi
bernians and de Land league and de
st. Patricks sassieties puts on dere
Sunday clothes and goes out in the street,
an de band plays Johnny, Get Yer Gun
an 'Boom-ta-ra' an st. Patrick's Day
in de Mo'nin. It's great, Patsey; it's
great. Les go"
Patsey's eyes dilated as he listened to
this glowing recital. His red hair almost
rose on his head with anticipation.
"How kin we goy he whispered.
"Wot's de matter wild de windyY' in
quired Mike.
Oats all right, Nike" said Patsey,
palpitating in the darkness, but de win
dy's sixty foot high"
"Ah, don't be gittin nifty, Patsey,"
said Mike. Lay low; lay low" he con-
tinued IA a head rose above the cover
let in an adjoining bed. Mike dropped
softly to the floor. They waited until
the head sank upon the pillow again;
then Mike said:
"Put on yer duds an come over to my
bed"
In less than two minutes the boys had
donned their clothes, all but their shoes.
Then they both got into Mikes bed and
pulled the clothes over their heads 20
that they could arrange their plans to-
gether without danger of being over
heard.
you'll be de sojer an I'll be de gineral.
See, Patsey. said Mike in muffled tone,
with his mouth close to Patseys ear,
"well take de bedcords out o. your bed
an my bed an tie 'em togedder. Seer
Den well slide down de rope to de groun
an Skin GOT over de wall. Hey, how
does dat hit yey'
Oats great, Mike; dat's great" an
swered Patsey. "Ony we mustn't make