The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-12-14

! THE IRISH SUITORS. ]


lltlll VI lliutOhS SlipuNS anu N"NihtN
sticks: it was a mystery how the oppos-
ing streams of animals discntanglcd
themselves, but either fear or instinct
accomplished what seemed tn be i'm
possible 1t ia hardly necessary to say
that good many drivers were drunk;
the potency of Mrr. Mulcahy's porter
was beyond question, 1t was said by
people of Imagination that it would
have stood up without the glars.
Carnlprc is on" OF the whitcSt towns
I'm the south OF Ireland, whore so many
towns arc white. This does not imply
that it is particularly clean, but the
prevailing outward shade gives an inn
preston of cleanliness. Tho market
square blazed undcr the declining sun;
the sound of voices and shuflling Of
feet, of lowing and beating beasts,
rose into the still sky. while the old
half-ruined castle looked down upon
1t all plaCidly from its gray rock. 1t
was a sight Of curious, fantastic, al
most exalted beauty, dashed with an
unconscious sQualnr that gave a pi-
quaint spice Of contrast. A group of
three mcu st ood talking by Mrs, Null
Cahy's door. which sent forth mingled
and tcmptns; odors upon the street.
''Tom Condun." said the biggest man
Tom on the hreast-"so it's you that
fancies Kitty Moore? Bedad, yer tastes
heyant quorrcl; any man'n say that
for yer. Mick hcr,li say that for yer,
Tom
Mick. "a slim, dark, Sood-lInl.inE
young fellow, with honest buC rather
timid eyes, smiled family ana apuar-
entity with a particular inner enjoy
mcnt that shook him down to the waist.
He lit a pipe carefully before he spoke.
"Shurr, Toms got an eye he said
quietly.
And I've Il mind" said tie big man.
'to hlack it for 'uni! Kitty More and
mes been MAXIM it up this TWO months
and the man that says a word Sin
her I'll break"
And me, too" said Tom.
And me. tool" said Mick
"'Tis no business - yours, Mick; tits
hctwixt Tom Condor and me. Tom has
fancy for Kitty, bad c"g-' To 'um. and
wen talk it over raisonablclike!"
John O'Dwyer divcd into the door
way of many oGora, followed by his
companions. "Biddy - he called. some
of the ould stuff, COG bless it,"
The old stuff was poured from
black bottle and placed before the
'iiiN' illlil' W Nv VI AIM IL NllIOul
water
"Shurc and this is the thrue drink"
said O'Dwyer: 'tis like milk; it soothes
the timper-lkc n woman" he added,
contemplatively. Nov. thin. Tom Con-
DON" he went on. lis it to marry
Kitty More Yer afther. or what?"
ITO marry her" said Condor. be
for" Father Rourko, wild livery con-
VainrcnCc for n good wcddin' an all
the frinds there an the world to look
on"
Och he aisy." said John; "the frinds
'uil come afther. Ye've a tongue like a
sthrame."
Didn't ye asst me a question:"
II did
And didn't answer ye?"
eye did; bus it wGsn't how yed do it
7 wanted to know, but whether yed
do it at all"
BE still" said Mick. "and talk snse.
Whatll Kitty say?--that's the thinG." d"
He Wnked furtively at Mrs. Mulcahy
behind the bar, Mrs. Mulcahy returned
the winl; and poured out more whisky.
''Thrue for yer" said John; "whatll
Kitty say?"
I'm thinkin'," said Tom, ''Of asl,in'
her this blessed day"
ne ulN6- SS dIt. NfIl, lHlll, anu
I'll do the same ana here's to my luck,
Mister Condon."
And here's to mine" said Tom.
And here's to th9 both OF yer" said
Mick; and may Kitty forgive us for
playin like this wild her name"
They drank, O'Dwyer's queer eyes
blinking rapidly in appreciation of the
tickling in his throat. "We'll go toEcth-
er. Tom" he said, land put it plain
and swate to her-you, Tom Condor, or
me- John O'Dwyer. That'll be fair to
the girl, and no shame TO any one.
And you, Mick" he went on, "can
come to see alls square and kape Tom
from maxim his long spaches. I'd pity
the Door soul 'ud marry him; shure
he'd talk tho divcl dumb
''As for the talk" said Condor, "tis
you have the gift; and yer father had
1t before yer"
He was "A good man, God rest him"
He was--barrin' the talk"
Come" said Mick, "if it's to Bally-
hinch were Eoin'. lis time we set out
And lave the dhrink be now--no more
Biddy; take thin glagses away. Arrah
would ye want to be dhrunll whin We
sDake 10 tho girl: Come. an, now
while It's light" And Micl. marshaled
lHt llltLilS lillp tHp street,
They turned 10 the left and mounted
a slight hill 10 the barracks, where
they turned into the Ballyhinch road
They gave the impression of men bent
on serious business. and the nearer they
got to Ballyhlnch the more serious they
became. ODwyer'E pace slackened
Condon's fell in with his; and the only
one who seemed in any hurry was
Mick. His backward face, as he turned
To urge them on. was gravely earnest;
his forward expression was indicative
of a budding chucklc, artfully re.
pressed
"Hare We it ali arranged" he asked
What" said O'Dwyer, sharply.
what we're goin' to say
"Av cooras: whatd be comm for al
all if ! didn't know that?"
every Well" said Mick, '"tis some
times hard, I'm told, to manage wher
1t comes to the question. Ye might fee
sthruck like and nervous. All, no doub
yell manage well, John; sure ye'vC
had experience in thin matters Who's
TO asst first?"
The two men stopped dead.
"Bsgorra." said Condor, II nivel
thought q that.
Well" said Mick, "ye must fix 4
mp, for two can't spake to onst. and /
'ud be an ugly thing to quarrel befor,
the girl"
"Tl! begin" said O'Dwyer.
NO. hut 1 will" said Tom.
You shall, thin, an that's settled!'
Condon repented and looked appealing
ly TO Mick