The Van Buren press., 1896-04-04
In. .,,or and carefully inspected n.

u
placed his thumb over the postmark.
ITunhly he asked; CURLY he was anr
awsred.
eChieaQo?" said Tim "Ay, ayi I'm
obliged to ye, miss-Im obliged to ye.
MAY the Lord be good TO Ye an send
ye a duke for hushandI Good day to
ys. MISS said he. then stepped out
into the street with his hand deep In
hie pocket ana the hitter IN his hand,
and went off n search Of Nan.
Its from Padeen, he kept thinking
to himself, and he walked joyfully
along. his feet gathering loosely on the
pavement. his old face turning here
and there, watching for his wife; ITS
| from Padeen. sure as ever Wasl' Awi
hut he was glad. Awl but Nan would
he glad. So long it was, ages and ages
age, since they heard from him.
Trwasn't Padeen's hand-write = nawl
| but sure It might have altered every
thing altered in the big country. Ayt
twas only poor ouid Ireland that Kept
| tire same--never any worse. never any
better. but where was Nan7 Sure,
she ought to be IN the shops. He Was
/ dying to find her. Up and down he
went; at last he found her, still bob5ihg
heads at the top of Bridge street with
her friend Mrs Brady.
cav, it's here ye are, Man, he said,
coming UP. An me huntin the town
for ye It's yourself e well Mrs.
brady. I'm hopin'? That's right, that's
right
fits voice came strangely broken and
shrill; his eyes danced like ehild's;
still his hand gripped the letter in his
pocket.
whats the matter, TimT' whis-
pered Nan. "Ha ye heard news2'
sAy, az" he said. Come away tin
tell ye; come away"
He turned, and, with Nan at his heels,
set off almost at a run down-hiIl to-
wards the river Aw. but his heart wals
tAumpin'! "Aisy, Finn cried Nan be-
hind him; ''aisy. man, or me breath
me breath.
Without answering or slaeleening his
paee, Tim went on, turning through the
butter-market gate, crossed the empty
yard, came to the Furthermore corner
of one Of the long. low sheds, and there
halted, with his face to the wall. AwI
but his heart was thumpin'. Presently,
Nan came to him, painting and fur
ried.
What IS it, Tim?'' she aaledi what
is ftp
Slowly Tim brought out his letter
and, holding it by both hands. let his
wife look at It.
"Tt's-it's from PadeenlH cried shei
tits from Padeen!"
.sYis." said Tim. Its not his hand.
write, but ii must be fre1n him
"Ah, Tim, open it quick, she panied
"open 1t quels."
ssMebbe, said Tim, I'VE better wait
tillwe get nome. The lights bad. an
NO, no, Tim; no, no, it'd Kill me- Il
watt
sAy7- said Tim. then slowly drew his
knife from his pocket and tenderly eut
open the top of the envelope His fin
gers trembled greatly as he fumblec
with the Inclosure. Mans hand went
quick to her heart
Jaw, quick, Tim!" she cried. ~Quick
qtiek!"
"Don't-don fooster me, woman,
said Tim. Il can't can't" The mex
moment his shaking old fingers he'd .
sheet Of notepaper, and blaek-edgeC
card on which glared out long silver
cross, and beneath it, in large letters
the words Patrick KERN.
Nan fell back a step; her finger
clutched at her dress over her heart
Tins knife clattered upon the stones
, and the envelope futtered down. Fo-
awhile they stood there silent, dryad
stricken. At last Nan spoke.
'Read, Trm," she said. "Read!"
II can't
aye must, TIM; it's better. Let VI
know the worst, for Gods sake!"
IL TIM began; then quickl,
! opened the sheet. lists too darl
here he mumbled. Il want u
specs
' Read what ye can, Tim, an quick
for Gods sake"
So Tim, still with his face to the wall
raised the letter to catch the light an
began to read:
Chicago City. U. S. A.
y "DEAR-DEAR MISTER KERN: II Is N.Y.
!, my sad duty to inform you that your so
E Patrick died raw, Padeen, Padeen!l O
, | ty-typhus here on the ID Of this month a
u O'Clock a. m foods mercy! erie
Mani. As his oldest friend, was with hir
b. at the end. lie died in peace. He Wr
i, | buried. at his request, In - Cemetery
y IL send you something toto keep.
Jaw, 7 can read no more, said lin
! with groan; 1t 3 too dark. lean rea
= no more. Me poor ould Padeen!"
Nan turned and looked vacant
across at the busy street, dry-eyed an
gray-faced. All! her poor Padeen, dsa
a and buried away among ,he strange II
z dead and buried, and never. never woul
she see him again, never hear his voic,
never grip his handl Dead, dead! he
: big. handsome, noble son.
She turned to Tim and caught him b.
. the sleeve.
"Come away, Tim," she said. Com
> away wi me"
Jaw. Nan, Man," ne said. as the bi
tears sprang to his eyes. "Nan, ~
girl, but IT'S hard,"
= Jaw, yis.' she said, and lifted he
T basket; but come away, Tim, CON
. away. Homes the best place for us
'Yis, said I'm, wiPing his eyes wit
y his hand. "Yis, Nam" then Nan ltat
ing the way, and Inn shutting afte