The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-08
HEART AND ARROW.

from me. It's great red heart, with q
skewer sticking in it. That riprisints
moine-the heart, name. The skewer''-
cts an arrow, Mat-that's what they
90 be calling it,
''Well, Tim, an there's a good Irish
sound about that same. They can't do
without us anyway, you see."
''Sorra a bit, an you want me to be
afther giving her that?''
Eyes; I've improved it. I've made it
stiff with red lead an put in a few dhrops,
as if it was the blood of me heart that was
flowing for her, an she's so scornfuI of me
sufferings."
cts illigant," said Tim, with great ad-
miration.
'EAn see here, now. I've written some
varses to her to the tune of 'O'Shaugh-
nessy's Hat. Bedad, an they rowl
swately as jig an as deludhering as the
crayther.'
He sang them over in his rich voice and
delicious brogue, and Tim got excited and
promised his most devoted aid.
Next morning Tim started on his mis-
sion. First he sat down on a cold door
step and reflected.
''Take her a dhirty, painted, twopenny
piece of paper with a red lead heart on It'll
Bedad an begorra an 1 won'tI III do bet
ter than that, or my names not Tim
Casey. Mats a decent bhoy an dllivil of
a poet, but widdies is practical. 1t takes
the likes of me to understand the likes of
Them
Within ten minutes after this soliloquy
he was seated in Mrs. MOloney's disordered
and unventilated room.
''There it is, Mrs. Moloney, dear, an it
must go to the heart of you to rade the
hidden IN aning,'' said he as he pointed to
a large, healthy looking pigs fry on the
table and a bottle of whisky which was
standing beside it. He had suppressed the
paper missive as poor, artificial and mex
pressive, and out of his devoted friendship
and slender purse had bought the pluck
and the spirits which he presented in Mats
name.
''It's an emblim, honey continued he.
there's his heart, in a manner of sp'ak-
ing, at your fate-on your dish, name.
The liver shows that he can't live without
you; the lights, that you're the light of his
eyes, an that he longs for you with every
breath, an the fare, that there'u be all the
fat in the fire en- the very dhivil to pay if
you're unkind to him an refuse him. It's
an embli1n, my dear-a delicate poetical
emblim, bedadl''
cts beautiful said Mrs Moloney,
profoundly touched, as she uncowked the
bottle and filed up two large port glasses.
Then she added: Gan I'll cook it. Tell
him to come tonight an help ate it. An
come you too, Tim, an Misthriss Casey
So it was all understood. Tim had, like
most of his cOuntrymen, the feelings Of a
gentleman and the tact of a courtier. That
was why he and his wife arrived designed
~ late, having sent a message that supper
was not to wait.
Had they come sooner a slight incident
might have been avoided, though possibly
it all happened for the best. For, leaving
the tete "a -tete meal and the conversations
to be imagined by the reader, the crumpled
rose leaf arose in this way. Mat had lit his
pipe and had asked the widow how she
liked the card and the verses.
She laughed and replied that she didn t
know about the verses, except those he
had been talking for the last hour. But,
as for the card, he ought to know, for he
had eaten the half of it.
Upon this Mat had jumped of his chair
and exclaimed: ''Then it's a dead man I
am, an it's wake I'll be afther attend
ing, an not weddingl I thought there
was a quare taste about that piece of friz-
zled fat
''What does the crature be N aiming at
alp cried she in surprise.
tits poisoned I am. That heart was
all over red lead, - said he, falling back
into his seat
Poisoned, you black hearted villain?''
screamed Mrs. MolOney. ''Then take
that" And she broke jug on his head.
It was at this point that the Cascys ar
rived. Tim promptly knocked Mat down,
ana EDBu ne naturally became curious TO
know what the ambiguity was about
''He's poisoned me!'' said she between a
shrek and a sob.
Tim seized Mat and threw him on an
incomplete but unmatched dinner service,
part of Mrs. Moloney' S stock, which stood
in corner on the floor.
The widow, hearing the crash, smashed
a chair on Tins back, whereupOn Mrs.
Casey took her by the hair, and the two
women fell into some miscellaneous lots in
another corner. Then the neighbors came
in and took indiscriminate Sides and mat
tiers generally hummed for short time.
Eventually Tim got an inkling of the
difficulty, told them to be quiet and mar
rated all the circumstances, to the great
relief, JOY and amusement of all the par
ties.
A pailful of water and a yard or two of
sticking plaster, with a few pins for the
women, quickly set things smooth and
smiling. Mrs Moloney made them all
welcome, and soon liberal supplies of w.his-
ky, porter and tobacco were formulated.
Additional candles were lit, illuminating
fitfully the front shop, whose contents
seemed the embodiment of the confused
thoughts of the guests-tables stacked
with their legs in the air, cane chairs hang
ing on the walls, blank gaseliers suspend
ed from the ceiling, while a lighted lamp
stood on the floor to prevent stumbling
into the business portion of the estab 1ish-
ment, and all went merrily. Mrs MoBoney
for one brief ecstatic moment sat on Mat s
knee, but they were severally picked up
and revived, though the chair was pulNer-
lied, and Mat sang the ''varses'' which
Tim had produced from his pocket alon g
with the card.
Tim had applauded, wept and gone to
sleep in the middle of the song. But the
approval which greeted its conclusion,
composed as it was of shouts, shrieks,
knockings, tears and free fight in the
southeastern corner, effectually woke him.
Somehow, after confused interval of
health drinking, recrimination and en-
bracings, the party found itself adjourned.
Mat and the rridnru are tn l,c rr,a1.,.inrl rc,