The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-04-30

last thread III CarlOttas shoe hurried
down stairs. There was no longer occa-
sion for retreat. as there was nothing to
hide. naught to reveal
A general murmur of welcome from
the family greeted him when he appeared .
in the shop. Even Socola, who had just .
come in, grunted a pleasant inquiry as |
to his health.
"Sure an I'm convalescent, Misther /
Socola," he said, his eyes dancing rs he
turned to the old man with friendli-
ness entirely new to him. "An how's /
yerslf this day o the walker"
"Oh. me, anna all-a-way kip well.
Feel-a mo- young efera day
"Droth an they're all alike" said Pat
to himself as he passed out. There's
northin like wife's grave for maxim
over ould min. Sure il I'd had the fore
sight to marry lame Biddy O'Shea afore
ould Brindle hooked 'er into purrgatory
I'd be as much too young as | am too
ould for love- 1t takes an ould codger
like Socola to shtand SIGH h'avin set
back an land out nv the cradle"
Instead of joining the group at the
door this evening Pat preferred to walk
abroad to get the fresh open air and to
find quiet retreat to think over things.
Hailing passing car at Jackson street,
he rode out to its terminus at the river,
and passing beyond the ferry landing
into shadowy corner behind high piles
of freight he sat down.
In the new retrospect Socola and his
little affair dwindled into utter insight
icanJc as a trivial incident by the way.
He sat here until past midnight, alb
sorbed in his own thoughts, which, no
matter which way he turned, seemed
punctuated with interrogation points.
Would Carlotta always love him? Was
it fair to her to hope for this? Was it
human not to hopper What should he do
now
The last question was that which re-
NAMED with him. "What should he do
now?'
He knew that these revived energies
and ambitions that filed him to his fin
ger tips were not transitory thrills, I'M
less The whole were a dream, and even
so he would dream out an honorable So
luton
If lie were really a man worthy true
girls passing fancy even, to put it safe
", ard not the "ould granny as which
he had posed to himself for all these
years. surely there must be standing
room for him somewhere in the world.
Not in the rollicl1ing, frolicking world he
had eft, perhaps, where two feet on
which to stand often fail to keep its in
habitants erect, but in the industrial
world of workers, on the edge of which
he h / dozcd SO long.
Du ing the week following while he
work d at his bench in the Di Carlo shop
hewa5so engrossed with his own schemes
that, but dimly conscious of his sur
roundings, he saw the old sutton, Socola,
come and go and the young men congre-
gate about the shop and dispense with
but a passing smile. 1t was only the
diverting byplay in his own drama and
Carlotta's, the drama for whose leading
part he must equip and qualify himself.
Strange to say, the signora had never
Intercepted him in regard to his inter-
view with Carlotta presumably in be-
half Of Socola. The girls sustained at.
titude of resistance was evidence enough
of its result. So far as Pat observed, the
affair was drifting without special Incl
dent.
The little father, Di Carlo, still opened
his best old wine for Pietro on Sundays,
and the signora made up in attention for
whatever was lacking in Carlotta.
So a week passed, during which Pat
had had scarcely a private word with
the girl.
"Pst! Come heer, Lottie," he called
as she was passing through the shop on
Saturday afternoon.
'Sit down an putt up yer fut till
take yer measure"
She obeyed coloring as she did so, for
she knew the request was only ruse.
Did he not have hanging behind his door
row of lasts made for her feet at every
stage Of growth from her infancy till
nOwI
Now" said he, while l do thricB
the inquisitive wud me tapeline, Lottie
Iwant TO talk wud ye. Don't say northir
to nobody norr let ON we know ut, bu
Pm goin off for a thrip for a wake or so
I'll say I'm goin for me health, but sur,
it's wealth I'm afther. Faith an if | Dc
lie about the first letter o. the word
do spind the remainder in repentance
I'm lookin out for betther job norr tn,
external tratement av corrns an bun
ions-poulticin over wan mans work il
the CORNER av anither mans shop"
I'm glad, she said, and the rosy colo
in her face turned to scarlet.
Il knowed ye'd be glad, mavourneen.
"Where you goinY she added quickly
''Im goin up the jackson railroad t.
visit me frind, the Dutchman, jist. The,
tell me has boomin thrade at Chattaw
in the shoe business, an he's only wee
there, an sure an begorra where Han
Schmidr'll go I'm safe to vinture, for h
an is ould frau are but two solid lump
o. prudence"
"When you goin?'
'I'm off airly O. Monda' morrnin, plaz
God, al look for me back whin We d
heer me peg on the banquette. I'm goi
a-scrim nagin an a-skirrmishin till fin
what | gant-a barefutted town avail
in for a wan legged shoemaker, an, " low
ering his voice, "Lottie, mavourneen, b
good irrl till Woona comes back, d'y
heer? An let no one bully we into lister
ing to The ould mans complaint. r,
mimber. nobody can make We if We won
If they helt we up afore the praste, sur
we cud shtiffen out into a dead faint, a
they'd be compelled to carry ye out, Mi
di Carlo, an don't ye forget that"
"Im not 'fraid. My nav an my pa
knows me. They won't try nothin ib
that ON me-"
"Yera solid on that, colleen. An no,
I'll Fave me adthress on ship o. papel
an in case We do made a friend sind me
line. An now" in louder tone, raisin
his tapcline, mine inches an a quarrte
across the inshtep-thc same from he,
to toe" And lower again: 81 seen tn
madam a-peepin twicet Mebbe we be-
ther run off now, me purity little il