Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-08-23
MICHAEL MURPHY's ROMANCE.

.
! forgot the chider" And. so exclaiming,
the great, numbering, good-natured Irish
conductor of a Flatbush avenue car step
ped to the ground, went forward, and TAX
ing a child in each arm tenderly carried
them to the sidewalk, and deposited them
beside their mother
Did she thank him Not a word of
thanks did she utter 1t is doubtful if she
thought of doing such thing. Some per
sons might have felt the want of politeness,
but not so that conductor for, with a
There, get along with We now 10 his
motorman, he swung himself under the
hood at the rear of the car and began hum
ming Kathleen MavOurneen' as the car
sped along through the field toward
Jamaica Bay.
His "bit Of a brogue.' his actions and
manner indicated very clearly that he had
left Ireland but a short time ago, and yet
he appeared TO be thoroughly familiar with
his duties as conductor. The reporter be-
gan 10 talk with the mass of Irish good
nature. Getting acquainted was easy
enough. a few words abou, the speed at
which the car wa, running and the danger
30 occa,ioued and they were as well &C
quainted as though they had been through
campaign together.
"It's a tine bit Of level country We have
here, but 10 hasn't the green" the con-
ductor said.
"The areen-what green" he was
asked
"Why man. the green of home Ire
land-the emerald fields that would rest
Yer eyes if We were blind. There's nothing
like IL in this country, they say.
"IIave you been in this country longo"
We IN y ON 400
with a chuckle. but faith, ] guess it's
not hard otell where l came from. Comm
the middle of August I'll be here seven
months, and comm the first Of the year,
an the Job holds out, there'll be more of
me here than there is now
"AlOre of you; how can that be?'
True for We, but, big as am, the big
gest half OF me is at home, and she's only
wee bit OF a woman at that. But it, her
heart that tells; an it's as big as an OK.
It's for her that I'm here. although. God
knows, it's little cared for me lob at
home when | had it.
There, now, be aisy. please. till stop
the car. I'll have no one hurt if can
help it, He rang the bell, allowed the
last passenger but the reporter to step OF.
rang to 90 ahead again, and the converse
ton was continued
what part of Ireland did you come
FROM
'Ballinamuck, an me name is Murphy
Michael Murphy by the grace of Father
Gilhooly an the holy water"
'Were you not doing well a. home?"
AYE, in pounds, shillings, an pence"
"Then why did you come here?''
For the little woman"
But you left her behind you9'
hut Cd
Twas meself that only knew was comm
when ! came. Ye see, it was this way l
was in the constabulary an with the evic-
tions an what not ! was always gettin'
some poor devil in trouble, for they'd fight
an raise ructions, an as ! was the biggest
man on the force, I'd to take every one to
prison.
1T was hard life, an me that tender
hearted that ! couldn't bear to be doin'
what | had to do. But ! said AS long as
I'm in it I'm in it, an it's the law that's
TO blame, an not Michael Murphy With
steeling me heart with such thoughts as
that | got along well enough until old man
Loughran had the process against him, an
was sent TO put him an his daughter
Kitty in the road; an he an old comrade
OF me father that fought with him in the
Crimea. Twas the hardest job ! ever did,
but, praise God, it was the best one, too.
when | went to put out the few traps
of things that they had, an / tryin' not TO
care rap, his bit of girl, Kitty, threw
herself before me an told me for the sake
OF ime fathers memory God rest him) to
leave them alone.
"'Would ye have me break me oath9'
says 1.
''Your oath, says She AN me in your
way?'
"'Shure, you're but a sweet little crumb.'
says l, that a fly could carry off an be
glad of it, too. An with that, picked
her up an put her outside the thatch, with
her great eyes streamn' tears.
"Then in for the old man, who was
moanin' and weepin' in the corner. went.
Leave me alone, says he. Take the bits
of things out, an when they're gone I'll
60 too; its little trouble they'll ever give
ye, an ye the son of the man ! saved from
the Roosians, now forty years gone. Take
them all; it's well the old woman's gone.
or her heart would be broke; an me, with
lead in me shoulder that / got for the
Queen at Malakoff, too poor to pay twinty-
two shillins.
"'Twas little trouble had to get the
things out, save for me heart that was
frettin' me soul; but what could / do? The
process was on them, an had to do it.
every time / passed over the sill saw
the lass cryin an raisin' her big, swollen
eyes to me, an before | was through | was
like TO put them all back an throw up me
job.
Gas / went back for the last few bits,
an was turnin' me head away, that /
wouldn't see Kitty, she says: Michael
Murphy, that's the meanest days work We
ever did, an may ye never forget it till the
day of yer death, There's not another in
the County of Longford that would do
what We have done this day
Faith, Kitty says /, it's not me
that's doin' it; it's the law, an dirty old
law it is, too
"'An' you're part of the law says
Kitty, AN should be ashamed of the same
"Then she got up an followed me under
the thatch, took her old father by the hand,
an said: Come, father, the son of yer
old comrade has turned ye ont in the world.
Ask no more of him; I'll find bed for We
with some one An they walked out,
while ] gathered up what was left and
placed them on the pile of old traps out
side.
''By the time l was through, the neigh
bOrs had learned of the eviction an began
to gather as l was nailin' the rickety old