The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-29
HEART AND ARROW.

from me. It's great red heart, with a
skewer sticking In 1t. That riprisints
moine-the heart, name. The skewer'-
It's an arrow, Mat-that's what they
do be calling It,"
swell, Tim, an there's good Irish
sound about that same, They can't do
without us anyway, you see"
"Sorra Bit an you want me to be
afther giving her that2'
Eyes; I've improved It, I've made II
stiff with red lead an put in few dhrops,
as If 1t was the blood of me heart that was
flowing for her, an she's SO scornful of me
sufferings."
cts illigant," said Tim, with great adj
miration.
AN sec here, now. I've written some
varses to her to the tune of 'OShaugh-
nessy's Hat Bedad, an they rowl as
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 Oh cold door,
step and reflected
Take her dhirty, painted, twopenny
piece of paper with red lead heart on It'll
Bedad an begorra an WON'T I'll do bet
ter than that, or my names not Tim
Casey. Mats decent bhoy an dhivil of
poet, but widdies is practical. 1t takes
the likes of me to understand the likes of
them"
Within ten minutes after this soliloouy
he was seated in Mrs. Moloney's disordered
and unvcntilated room.
There it is, Mrs. Moloney, dear, an it
must go to the heart of you to mde tho
hidden m'aning," said he as he pointed to
a large, healthy looking pigs fry on the
table and q 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 tho spirits which he presented in Mats
name.
Its an emblim, honey" continued he.
Here's his heart, in 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, IN the flare, that thcre'll be all the
fat in the fire an the very dhivil to nav IL
you're unkind to him an refuse him. It's
an emblim, my dear--a delicate poetical
emblirn, betlad"
ITS beautifulr said Mrs Moloney,
profoundly touched, as she uncorked the
bottle and filled up two large port glasses.
Then she added: An III cook it, Tell
him to come tonight an help ate it. An
come you too, Tim, an Msthriss Casey"
80 1t was all understood. Tim had, like
most of his countryInen, the feelings of d
gentleman and the tact of courtier. That
was why he and his wife arrived designed
ly late, having sent message that supper
was not to wait
Had they come sooner a slight incident
might have been avoided though possibly
1t all happened for the best. For, leaving
the tetea-teto 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 1t.
Upon this Mat had jumped off his chair
and exclaimed; "Then it's dead man I
am, an it's wake III be afther attend
ing, an not wedding! l thought there
was quare taste about that piece of friz-
zled fat"
"What does tho craturc be manning at
all?" cried she in surprise
Its poisoned | am That heart was
all over rcd lead, " said he, falling back
into his seat.
Poisoned you black hearted yillain?"
Mrs, Moloney. "Then take
that!' And she broke Jug on his head.
1t was at this point that the Caseys ar
rived. Tim promptly knocked Mat down,
and then he naturally became curious to
know what the ambiguity was about.
Hos poisoned mel" said she between a |
shrek and sob.
Tim seized Mat and threw him on an !
lncom plete but unmatched dinner service,
part Of Mrs Mol0ney' S stock, which stood |
In corner on the floor. |
The widow, hearing tho crash, smashed |
, chair on Tins back whereupon Mrs.
casey took her by the hair, and the two |
women fell into some miscellaneous lots in
mother corner Then the neighbors came |
n and took indiscriminatc sides, and mat.
crs generally hummed for short time.
Eventually Tim got an inkling of tho |
difficulty, told them to be quiet and mar
'atcd all the circumstances, to the great
'cllcf, joy and amusement of all the par
les.
A nailful of water and yard or two of
sucking plaster, with few pins for the
women, quickly set things smooth and
smiling. Mrs. MOlOnCy made them all
and soon liberal supplies Of whis-
~, porter and tobacco We're formulated,
Additional candles were lit, illuminating
ltfully the front shop, whose contents
seemed the embodiment of the confused
thoughts Of the gucsts-taIlcs stacked
With their legs in the air, cane chairs hang
ny On the walls, blank gaseliers suspend.
ii from the ceiling, while lighted lGmp
TODD on tho tioor to prevent stumbling
nto the business portion of the establish.
nent, and all went merrily. Mrs. Moloney
OF ono brief ecstatic moment sat on Mats
nee, but they We're scyernlly picked IN
nd revived, though the chair was pulver-
Aed, and Mat sang the "vargcs" which
Tin had produced from his pocket along
With the card.
Tim had arplaudcd, wopt and gone to
leep in the middle of the song. But the
pproval which greeted its conclusion
Imposed as it was of shouts, shreks,
tears and free fight in the
Outhmstcrn corner etfcctually woke him.
Somehow, after II confused interval Of
ehlth drinking, rccriminaton and en-
racings the party found itself adjourned,
Mat and Che widow are to be married so
oon as the necessary formalitics can be
ranged -E2changc.
OF Course None Came.
First BTglar-How did yer keep the