The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-30
JUST RETRIBUTION


been q year of sorrow and bitterness with
her. Early in the spring her husband
Timothy, honest man, had been run down
by a switch engine and instantly killed.
An attorney for the railway company had
called upon her and offered to allow her
81, 600 if she would release all claims upon
the company, and she, filed with indig
nation, refused to take a penny in payment
for poor Tins life. Then real nice gen.
tIeman called and told her it was duty to
the dead and to society to make the rail-
road do something handsome. They would
have to pay her SIS, 600 at least, and that
would make a fine nest egg for the bring
ing up of her three children. He would
get this little fortune for q half interest in
it and not charge her a cent for the trou-
BILE.
The lawyers tongue was oily, and in a
short time he left with papers for institut-
ing & damage suit and also with con-
tract to show that the widow owed him
So, 500. Mrs. Mahoney did not understand
but the nice gentleman said it was all
right Suit was brought, and the evidence
showed eontributory negligence on the part
of the departed Timothy but the jury out
of sympathy awarded her 81 600, and the
company did not care to appeal. Then the
| nice gentleman became very stern gem
tleman. He took the 81 900 and demand
| ed 81, 500 more for his able services in be-
| half Of the widow and the fatheTless, and
| as he was armed with undisputed evidence
| of debt tie Widow Mahoney and her three
! ''childer' were set out in the street. Their
comfortable cottage went on the nice gen.
| tlenan's rent roll.
Other hearts might have quailed before
| the awful change, but Bridget Mahoney
| was a true Celt. Her back was broad, and
| her arms were sturdy. A sunny but val
liant soul looked through her eyes of tender
/ Mi oh linz Gba hpr Iitfla To
dingy room in the top of tenement block
| and bent her back to the washtub to earn
| their bread. A plan had been proposed in
the school where little Tim, Mary and
Nora attended that the pupils assist the
poor in their own way at Thanksgiving
| time.
Those who were able to do so were asked
to bring anything they might choose that
could be of benefit to the poor, but it was
expressly stated that those whose parents
| were in moderate circumstances should
| not pinch themselves or feel compelled to
aid the cause. And so it was that the
| three Htt's Mahoneys came home with rue
full faces that night. They were as proud
as the rich Cameron children, who came
to school in a carriage, but what could
they do for the poor?
The mothers sympathetic heart was
| touched when they confessed their trou-
bic, but she laughed to cheer them up.
''Bliss yer innocent hairts,' she said,
"Were not Eich mebbe, but no more are
we poor. There's coal for week in the
box and nigh a peck O. petaties in the bag,
to say nothin ef the flour, that might last
a fortnight if we're savin. Ye can take
yer bit contribushin to the poor jist like
other folks.''
Her words tickled the little ones SO that
they laughed with glee, and next morning
the Mahoney family organized itself into
a relief expedition for tho poor of the city.
Their mother chose out nine of the largest
potatoes of her scanty stock and washed
them with care. Three packages were
made up in three bits of newspaper, and
each of the little Mahoneys strutted to
school as proud as a peacock with the
thought that they were helping out the
poor 1t made them forget the keen wind
that searched their scanty garments. When
they handed the poor contribution to the
teacher she thanked them as heartily as if
the potatoes had been nuggets of gold but
her eyes were moist as she turned to add
the potatoes to the pyramid of other pota-
toes, apples, grocery packages, turkeys,
| chickens and other comforts that were to
cheer hundreds of hearts next day. When
tho Cameron children came with their
loads of provisions and cast off clothing,
| the teacher took them aside and told them
what the little Mahoneys had done. They
mother, and permission was granted
Two hours later Mrs. Cameron had
climbed the dingy stairs to find Mrs. Ma
honey looming up in cloud of steam like
a rudy checked ghost. She was bending
over the washtub, and her strong arms,
spangled with frcckles, were rubbing
away while she crooned the air of a wild,
old country tune. She was frightened
when the richly dressed lady spoke to her,
and she saw that all the doors in the tene-
ment had their quota of protruding heads.
! Her pitiful story was told to the visitor,
but without complaint from the brave
heart that was battling against odds.
Mrs. Cameron was satisfied that wrong
had been done, and she drove to her hus-
lands office. Mr.. Cameron was too busy
to attend to anything, but he was dragged
to the top of the tenement, and Mrs. Cam
eron left him there listening to the sad
story.
J "I'm not that bad to complain, sure, -
] said Mrs. Mahoney. me HART is light,
! and me arm is strong, glory he to God,
and many's the poor HART that is breakin
wild thrubble that hasn't the strength tC
I fight the wurruld.''
Mr.. Cameron's language was not patient
J nor Biblical. On the contrary, he boiled
and fumed under the surface as the simple
} hearted creature told how she had beer
} robbed, and when he learned the name OF
! the shark who had stolen her home hs
broke out in a storm of imprecations that
made Bridget cross herself and exclaim:
1.-The Lord presairve us from all HARM II
Mr.. Cameron did not stop at swearing
He went to work, enlisted the sympathy
of the press, and together they appealed tc
} the courts. AS result Mrs Mahoney'i
! little home was recovered, the lawyer not
: daring to make fight for his claim. anc
the family had such a feast of rejoicing as
i they had never dreamed of. The potatoes
apples, turkeys and clothing came in al
the doors until they almost began to tun
bic out of the windows, and amid it all sal
Bridget, with streaming eyes, while the