The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1897-09-03


cook stove an a chair or w is left. an
! fought. sor. / t'ought"-he h~esitated
and said:
VIVA do you think, Patsy"
i fought If ! could foorrish the tin
nymint up a bit more an make it clane
an shwate, loike. me father in mother
would have some place to come to whin
they lave the Islam, an thin, mebbe,
they'd Tiny 10 kape off the Islam"
5 they might, Patsy. and they must
cave scme place to go to when they
como back to the city"
III they don't. they'll soon be back
to the Islam said Patsy, stroking his
finger and his head in solemn sftirma-
ton. and emphasizing the statement by
adding:
Mark that, sor. An so l fought |
get the tinymint ready against :
tonne they'll made it. I'm goif .
take me gran'mither's place at the fruit
sthand an sell papers, too! an if you
know any way to help out a bit wild
foornishin' me tinnymint I'd be obliged
an I'd pay it all back when l could"
1t happened that there was a quanti-
ty of very good second hand furniture
in the distributing department of the
Helping Hand. l made Patsy's case
known to the society, and was given
permission to use anything necessary
in r%efurnishing his grandmother's de-
pleted tenement. Some of the young
ladies belonging to the society become
interested in the warm hearted Irish
lad, and did much to make the tene-
ment neat and attractive.
Patsy's delight knew no bounds. His
laughing eyes grew brighter and
brighter, the color came back to mis-
/ cheeks.
Sure, they'll think this is better than
the Islan'," he said, as he walked from
fortably furnished little rooms. "Coor-
tains to the winderi An a rockin'-
chair wild a cushion in it.: An a cloth
on the table! It's out O. sight"
He blackened the cook stove himself
until it shone as brightly as a stove
could shine, and he scrubben the kitch-
en- floor over and over again.
At last the day came when Mr.. and
Mrs. Noonan were again free. l went
down to the wharf with Patsy to meet
them when the city boat should arrive
from the Island. Patsy, neat and clean,
in a suit from the relief department
of the Helping Hand, could hardly wait
for the gang plank to be put down. His
father and mother were the first tt
cross it. Twas anxious to see them
anxious to see if there was anything IN
their appearance to strengthen the
hope I had of their final reformation.
They came down the gangplank to-
gether, a detected but not entirely
hopeless looking pair. Mrs. Noonan
had evidently been quite a pretty girl,
and rel the hard life she had led had
not deprived her entirely of her good
looks. MIR. Noonan's blue eyes had a
twinkle in them like Patsy's, and he
had a remarkably youthful appearance.
Patsy ran forward eagerly.
Mother. father." he cried. They
udTuly hueH nlM III his uedI new
clothes.
Why, Patsy, bye!" his mother said,
and it pleased me to see that she
kissed him. His father took Patsy's
hand and said:
We'll well, me son, we amt forgot
us, thin?"
Did We think 1 would?' asked Patsy,
with a note of reproach in his voice.
Their three months on the Island had
been helpful to them.
It's learned me wan thing" said Mr..
Noenan. It's learned me that a man
can live without whisky. Not a dhrop
av the crather have l had in three
mont's."
Nor l." said Mrs. Noonan, AN I've
said good-by for good and all to the
ISLAM"
And to whisky, too, I hope" I
said.
Il have, indade, sor." Their delight
over the little tenement was equal to
Patsy's.
1--WE didn't know where we'd shape
this night said Mrs. Noonan, AN TO
think that-but Patsy knew. Arrah.
Patsy" she said, turning suddenly to
the boy, and hugging him to her breast. |
He deserves a better mother than I've
iver been, an a better mother he shall
have"
A better mother he did have, n a
better father, too. The Helping Hand
society kept watch and ward over the |
little tenement and it's occupants. There
were times when the old evil influences |
tried to make themselves felt, and Pat
sy was on guard to sound a note of
warning to the society. He was a
stanch and faithful little soldier for
the right himself, and to him, more