The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-06-15

air and fell Sc tar that sometimes they
crashed through the neighboring dwell
ings.
The gaunt, square house have al
luded to bore sign with the inscrip-
ton:
: BOARDING BY JOHN wHlrFoRD. ::
'.''~
and, notwithstanding its rude exterior,
when once you were inside, surprised
you with its homelil1e simple comfort.
On this mild September evening HRS.
Whitford was busy preparing supper,
while her husband sat smoking his pipe
in the chimney corner-she buxom,
jovial and pleasant featured, with the
bloom of the nerbyshire hills still on
her cheeks-he, silent and thoughtful,
with his honest face corrugated with
the wrinkles Of care.
"John," the wife said, turning from
her work, and speaking in broad native
accents, which no change Of country
had ameliorated, II Gamma abide to see
thee so down i'th' mouth. Heart up,
now, may happen we shall get word
across the sea from Jacob, an, if the
worst betide us, Capt. Wixon may gle
thee chance to work the new gang
next week"
.'Dont go on hoping against hope.
Bessie. Your brother-in-law is q scoun-
drel-nothing but broken promises and
bad faith from hin-and as for Wixon
why, he's an American edition of
Jacob in rougher binding. It's bad
lookout, an winter just coming on"
"Well, mon, OF told thee how it nd
be. Thou'st made heap O money
sim we come to this ughsonae spot, but
thy daft head couldna keep it in thy
poke. Speculation allus specilatin'
and allus on the wrong side Of the
fence to run"
eyes," replied John bitterly, chit a
man when he's down. That's just like
woman"
.'Oi didn mean to do 50, mon,' quoth
the repentant dame, brushing away the
tears with the back of her hand. Only
there's nowt left, now them Keweenaw
shares be worthless, but the sticks O.
honse-gear, and the duds we wear"
t.Nothing, . was the doleful reply.
ssNo dodgers but the schulemeaster
an the two lads, an God knaws OF
Gamma keep things together WI their
havings."
Then John, Illuminating, changed the
subject by asking his wife:
where's Elsie?"
"In Won, WI the schulemeaster," was
the reply, as the dame pointed to door
on the inner side Of the room.
II don't quite know" John said, very
slowly, as If he were propounding diff
fcult theory, IF it is right to let the
lass spend so much time alone with that
young man. She's getting up in years
now, and"
He stopped. for the surprise md In
dignation depicted on his wife's coun-
tenance were enough to check the most
loquacious
John Whitford," she demanded,
furiously, has trouble added thy
brain7 "a chit O. child, as has ma left
off short froclxs, an 2 young mon as
has lived under thy roof welly q
twelvemonth, an never 50 much by
word or deed 'as showed he wasna q
perfec' gentleman! Who put that silly
craze i thy soft pate? Frank Holbrook,
I'll tex my Bible oath ont,
It wasn'tt. = T: d
Who were ii then? Tor none such
nonsense entered on its own account"
We'll. then, 1t was the captain.
hat captain ?" 55
!. g " ixon, z
.sBah!n said the woman, as she burst
into supercilions laugh. .'Oi thosyts
thee mas FER such gowk as to moind
/ that mischie akin' tylse. Here,
how'd The heft o this griiddle, an : Oil
see for mssen what key besa dom s. s
With this, sha crussel tclaen,,
opened 4 door ys1; tras erssss q
d hort Il, passags snd & '|I