The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-14
n...,,ln BAD evidently turned nut -

=. rublin had evidently turned out I'm
tasr clothes with here and there a
- belonging to the old-time irish
- not al present very prosperous
80 il something very pathetic in the
.-sasenee OF these old Irish families. We
80 fortunate enough to make the ac-
.-.sntarce OF one poor little lady belong
- "a once wealthy noble family. She
ned irs lodgings across the street from
- and had maid, a decrepit old
.a,,an. TO wait upon her. Then she still
ss~essed a lot OF old 5ewelry, some
~ family portraits and books. and her
<.sar,s medal won for gaiiantry and
s~,,rzgs upon the battlefield: everything
$50. her seemed touched with age and
s~cav All these things were shown with
s.,rs innocence and pride and such simple
scr0dence In our sympathy. that we were
srTfreiy won. She had outiived nearly all
- friends, and her only income was a
.i.,snce sent her by a relative In Eng
isrd Year after year she lived IN those
srsarv Dublin lodgings. her pretty, little
-sfhered hands folded idly. her thoughts
sveIllng always in the past. It was a
-acred duty to her 10 live up 70 the ira
s,.,ous OF that past, even though IL meant
Surviving herself In those wretched Iodg-
snvs gcrimping and saving. and often
,srhaps. stinting her poor little stomach
- nroper nourishment. She didn't know
What II meant TO have a free, bold breath
~ the world. or to come into rough con-
tart with it's inharmonious elements. Her
neighbors treated her with Difference, and
sven the green sroce-'s boy gave an
tered her presence. Poverty. beggary
,,seif could not rob her of the subtle
fattery paid to family"
There were some sharp contrasts In our
surroundings for IL we had this gentle
xou,an on one side, We had some OF the
lowest types OF civilized humanity on the
other. Our back window opened out over
an alley with only garden, the size of
a ocket-handSerchicf, between. That
slIey swarmed with active life from morn
Ing until night. and half the night. Men.
vornen and children, donkeys. pigs. geese.
dogs and cats were indiscriminaiely
r,Ixed. and we were often entertained
With choice examples OF Irish wit, though
not couched IN the choicest terms. One
evening we were startled with wild
sarieks OF murder, murder" in a wom-
ans keen, high-pitched voice. Other
voices were quickly added. the dogs bark
cd. the donkeys brayed and pandemonium
seemed turned loose. We were terrified.
hut the lady was brave enough to open
the window and look out.
companion, from under the pillow.
mo, indeed. Did you ever know a dead
woman to create such q disturbance as
that?"
But Mrs. Twombly, our landlady. came
to the door TO reassure US.
You needn't be frightened. It's only
Sarah Brady drunk again, and 'er us
band is trying 10 get 'er 'ome. She is a
hartful creature. and wants TO make
everybody believe 'e's beating 'er. But
she beats i'm, not e 'er. Martins gone
bout to see habout hit"
After a time we became used to the
rows. for a great many words. but few
blows, seemed the order of the day with
our excitable neighbors. Besides Mrs.
Twombly had absorbed the attention
hitherto given TO the alley. She was per-
petually excusing her grasping disposition
with this remark:
YOU see, 'um, Martin hand mo are
young. hand ave our way to make. We
ave Ugh rent TO pay, and must Keep
these rooms set"
She was always setting" the rooms.
and we finally discovered that 1t meant
renting them to dodgers. She told US her
family history. also the long courtship
with her husband.
"Hi waited for i'm twelve years. hand
don't you think hit was time for i'm to
keep is word to me? Time hand time
again is mother said. 'Arriet. hi want
you hand Martin to marry. You know
is ways hand you are the wife for I'm.
But e was over 'ere In Dublin aving a
good time. hand me ard hat work. You
see. 'um. hit was this way. May father
was land steward TO the Dock o. Bedford.
hand we children were sent bout 10 work
has soon has we were hold enough. for
my father loved the little lords hand
ladies' more than 'e loved Us. hand q
was afraid we'd be in the way on the
hesitate"
II vas pathetic and funny to listen to
all these things and the unfolding OF the
trials Of her married life. for she uncon-
sciously betrayed all the angles and mean
places in her own character. Martin
would not go 10 England after her. so she
finally went to Dublin to him. and they
were married. And then followed more
trials with Martins relatives. his uncle
and aunt. with whom they lived for a
time.
One day the lady came In looking de-
termincd and desperate.
Are you thoroughly satisfied with our
lodging experiment."
''The first day satisfied me-"
Then pack your trunk"
That evening we were comfortably
housed IN large hotei, Win ps'"'S "
towels. hot and cold water and gas, ana
sat down to dinner In a large dining room
where well trained walters we're moving
softly about.
Now. this Is something like 1ife,' said
the man IN satisfied tone.
"Yes. | an, 80 glad 20 get back again.
We've been living In n book. Hereafter
I'll he content 70 simply read them.
Put we lived very inexpeusiyely IN the
hook MATT GRIM