The Monmouth inquirer., 1896-03-19

dsa, / heard you singing half mile
away this morning. Don't sing that 9TH
er song again.
His face flushed, for he understood
her but he answered gently: A wee
dron o. the crathur'll hurt no man,
mayourneen. Why, ! was drinkln WI
the bows half the night, when they gave
me a goodby, an I'm fresh enough the
morning "
seThat's it, Patsey," she answered
ouickly. "a wee drop hurts no man,
but don't sing that song
Again he understood, and so did she
when he said solemnly, q never will. 2
And he never did, but one day, long
after he heard another man sing it, and
the sound of it was very good.
The writing of many letters is not
habiy that peasants are much given to,
Init once a month or so after Patsey
went away young Larry Rooney, the old
postlnaster's son, in the little Irish vii
lage, used to grit his teeth and go out
by himself somewhere, SO that he could
be alone, and curse bitterly for awhile
For about so often Kathleen used to
send a letter to Patsey Cassidy or else
get one from him. And her frank hap
piness was gall and wormwood to Larry,
who wanted her himself. but who could
never have won her love in any case,
for, although his father was we'll to do
and Larry was his heir, he was ne'er
do we'll, and Kathleen knew it.
1t was not so much that Larry stole a
letter or two now and again and tore
them up and danced ON them in impo-
tent rage. Treachery and disappointed
love have made many a scoundrel do
that before and will again, as long as
letters are sent by mail. But he did
meaner thing by far.
1t was something he could not have
done if he had not found another man
as black of heart as he, and willing to
sell himself 10 almost anything for mon
ey. Michael Dennis, he was, young
man from the same village, who had
shipped as stoker on some tramp
steamer Larry met him one night in
Dublin, and this was the pretty plot
they Matched up together over bottle
of whisky Michael was to do the work,
and Larry was to pay.
1.-THE ship'll be in New York this
summer, said Mike, @an I'll hunt up
Patsey an tell him danced at your we'd
ding. All you have to do is to shtop TIL
letthers "
Patsey had been in the new country
year 1t was not very easy at first. He
did not pick up money in the streets,
nor did he even get steady work from
the very beginning. But his bright, hap
py nature and quick wit made him
friends, and it was not very many weeks
before he got job with a building con-
tractor and being a clever carpenter was
sooa earning good wages
Then came the modest deposit in the
savinas bank and the weekly additions
10 il, and presently a snug balance that
,nade the home for two seem near at
haJa And Patsey was steady and in
"a ssious and hopeful and happy.
never knew whose fault it was
fhas the scaffolding gave way, and Pat
sey vas not one to sue his boss for dam
ayes, especially when the boss seemed
sorry and helped him some with his ex-
penses. So, after two months in the
hospital, he found himself cured indeed,
bgt still weak, and the little hoard in
the bank dwindled down to almost moth
ing.
That was hard enough, but he could
have borne it bravely if Kathleen's let
ters had not stopped. No answers came
to any of his, and even a letter he wrote
to Miles and another to Larry, his old
playmate and companion, remained un-
answered. Never for moment doubt
ing his sweetheart's good faith nor sus-
pecting treachery, he was sorely puzzled
and anxious.
The good natured clerk in the big
postoffice had just told him for the TWEEN
tieth time at least that there positively
were no letters for him, and Patsey was
walking away heartsick and almost de
spondent for the first time III his life,
when somebody clapped him on the
shoulder, exclaiming, Cassidy, me boy,
how are you?''
1t was Dennis, and though Patsey
had no love for him the sight of his face
was like vision from heaven. Grasp