Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-07-05
JOaNNa's R0DQaNCE.

country town, place stored enough
for hundred towns, small and great
The place was quite dead, and giver
over to its illustrious ghosts, and t.
the flashing, tearing voices of the
Atlantic, that even in the milo
autumn shouted and smote inces
sanity, making tumult in the air
The shop was hung with shawls ant
cheap, shoddy prints and linseys, sc
that in the dark one could scarcely
see Joanna's bright head at first, al
one camo blinking out Of the day
light; the shop was sunk step Oh
two below the street.
She was big, generously built,
handsome girl. Her hair, twisted in
splendid coils, was of that pale color
which Is as much silver as gold; heI
face, with its regular, large features
was suffused with healthy color
she looked at us from large gray eyes
clear as agate and as hard.
Our business was to make some
small purchase Of a basket, if we
could find one, to carry home speci.
men of the towns manufacture
Of rough red pottery. Joanna as.
sisted us in this to the best of hel
power, and then some remark about
the slowness of business brought
down upon us perfect avalanche
of explanation.
Joanna had little to do at that mo-
ment; indeed, for an hour or more
we conversed with her, her customers
were a small child for half penny
spool, and girl who came back re-
pen.ing a purchase, and wanting the
money restored. With these Joanna
dealt summarily and came back to
the chat she was apparently eager
for. She set us couple of chairs be-
tween the lines of shawls, and leant
forward herself with her arms akimbo
on the narrow counter.
Here was O discourse on the Irish
Land Laws, the relation between
landlord and tenant, the deteriora-
ton in the condition of the Irish
poor, with Emergencies to the gen.
eral subject Of labor, the cause of
strikes, and a great many other
things. We were well content to
listen. The girl was extraordinarily
we'll informed and intelligent. The
soft brogue was musical.
Also we were in the very midst OF
a disturbed and distressed district,
and were both keenly interested. We
were not English tourists, but pair
of Irishwomen with a certain knowl.
al ~ fhA fharoh xxyifh
Joanna's illumination from within.
We were both filled with admira-
ton for the creature before US. For
in the excitement Of her voluable
talk Joanna had grown brilliantly
handsome. What girl to be doing
out farthing purchases in this melan-
choly, haunted little place, which
was only tolerable because of the
contrast to ones own vivid life far
away in the world. As we talked the
wind dashed the sea-blown alders and
o dreary patter Of dead leaves came
down the street, where, at long inter-
walls, a human football sounded.
"You will not always stay here, "
Rosa said, with sudden, quick SYM
pathy. "You are saving your wages,
no doubt, and will get away some
day to bigger place, because you are
such clever girl"
"Savingl" echoed Joanna scorn-
fully. mo indeed then; IL you knew
what my wages were tits little you'd
talk Of saving. And what for would
/ saver l am as happy here as if l
went foreign to Dublin or Cork.
What for would 60 saving an roam
ing?"
Rosa answered deprecatingly.
"But fine, handsome girl like you
won't spend all your life behind this
poor little counter? You will want
a business Of your own, and it is per-
haps possible you might think Of
marriage"
Marriage!' said the girl almost
fiercely. "There's not a man to be
had here less nor three hundred
pounds. An them ould shows Of
widowers, for theirs nothing else
here. Why, IL 1 ever could have
under the sun three hundred pounds,
is it on the like of them I'd spend
it?"
Her wailing Cork brogue rang out
vehemently in her indignation. It
was our first experience of the re-
suits of the Munster matchmaking
system. Rosa looked rather shocked.
] felt vastly amused.
But, my dear" said Rosa, you
are young and clever and handsome.
There are many men in the world
who would love you just for your
own sake. Do you only think Of
marriage in the way you have said,
and not at all as o union in which
you would be dearly loved and love in
return?"
"Men and love-" said Joanna
emphatically; II don't set any store
by them. People marries for love
foreign in Dublin and Cork, not here.
A friend of mine married for love,
and what came of it, Twas love they
had to liye on, no more. Och, he was
the worthless stranger with his love.
He brought her to live on his father
as long as the ould man would let
them. Then when they were turned
out he took her to America. But
there was no place thcre for him and
his idle ways and his love. And now