The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-02-10

II ulVeF Se6 tlt lthc ~ Aot h0CRAaA "a
flesh. Why, I remember Jewell rs q slipo'
4 girl, before yer blessed babby was born,
an ye were a screed, me dear,-a screed.'
s'Yes, I was always ginteel,H says Mrs.
Moloney, openly cansoled. Still she signs,
and sips her tea with a mournful air. Mrs.
DAILY Is drinking hers with much apprecia-
ton out of her saucer, 1t being considered
%discourteous to offer anything to a guest
without partaking of ths sam ones self.
At this moment q little cooling sound COM
ing from the other corner Of the fireplace
makes itself heard. Instantly the Old wo-
man stopping over the turf embers rouses
herself, and, turning, puts ont her withered
hand lovingly toward what looks like a box
covered with colorcd stuff of some sort.
Young Mrs. DAILY rises, too, precipitately,
and, hurrying across the kitchen, bends over
the box.
SAY, she's awake sure enough!' says the
old woman, who has quite Frightened into
life. "See how she locks at ye, Molly! The
colleen of the world, she Sas ashore mach.
ree-sthig.'
Many another fond name is muttered,
such as pulse O my heart" and such like,
before Mrs. DAILY junior cmerges from the
supposed box, but not empty-handed.
s'Oh, 1t is the bi.by!'' cry Monica and Kit,
in a breath. "Oh! what a darling baby!and
what red, red cheeks, Just like aJune rosew
1t is the only daughter of the house, so
the mother is of course inordlnately proud
of 1t. She places it, with quite a little flour
ish of triumph, In Monice's arms, to Kits
terrible but unspoken disappointment.
'She grows prettler every day. She is
really the sweetest baby l ever saw in my
life y says Monica. enthusiastically, to whom
babies are an endless joy.
- n 49,. --. L., h~.,4y%l IN,,n ~
these compliments, yet a shade of anxiety
in the superstition of these simple folks, Is
to overlook" 1t; and when n child is .'ovcr-
looked" it dies. The smile fades from Mrs.
DAYS bonny face, and her mouth grows
anxious.
'You should say, God bless her. miss
when We give her She good word,' says Mrs.
Moloney, timidlv, who is also bending over
the beloved bundle, and notes the distress
in her neighbours eyes.
God bless her u says Monica, with pref
ty solemnity, after which the mothers face
clears, and sunshine is again restored to it.
II think she knows ye,"she says to Mcni-
ca. "See how she blinks at We! Arrah!
look, now, how she clutches at yer hand!
VIII We come to yer mother now, darlin',-
will yc?: Sure It's starvin' We must be- by
this"
"Ohl don't take her yet" says Monica,
entreatingly.
A little figure with naked legs and feet,
creeping into the doorway a. this moment,
draws near the baby as If fascinated. 1t is
Paudheen, the eldest son Of the house, and
baby's nurse,-save the mark!
Come nearer, Paddy" says Monica, smil-
ing at him with sweet encouragement; but
Paddy stops short and regards her doubt
fully.
Come, then, and kiss your little sister,"
continues Monica, gently; but Paddy is still
obdurate, and declines to hearken to the
voice of the charmer, charm she never SO
wisely. There is. indeed, q sad lack both OF
sweetness and light about Paddy.
AN what dye name be standin' there,
an niver a word out o ye in answer to the
lady, We i%ll-mannered caubogue:" cries his
mother, deeply incensed. The laughter is
all gone from her face, and her eyes are
ailame. 'Nhat brought We in at all, ye ugly
spalpeen, If ye came without a civil tongue
i'll yer head?!'
81 came to see the baby an to get me din
ner,.' says the boy, with hanging head, his
silence arising more from shyness than sui
lenneSs. The potatoes have just been lifted
from the fire by Mrs. Moloney, and are
steaming in a distant corner. Paudheenl looks
wistfully toward them.
Dickens a sign or taste yell get, then, If
only to tache We betther manner Be off,
now, an don't let me see We agin.'
Pm hungry" says the boy, tears coming
into his eyes.
"Oh, Mrs. Dalyw says Monica, In a dis
tressed tone.
"a deal o. harm it will do him to be hun
prN fbin ~ ca&-c fba np1nrit,c mnfI,nr ,s-ifb
an angry voice, but with visible signs of re-
lenting in her handsome eyes. BE off wild
ye, now, / tell ye." This the last burst of
the storm. As the urchin creeps crestfallen
toward the doorway her rage dies, its death
being as sudden rs its birth. Come back
here!' she cries, inconsistently. "What
dye name be takin' me at me word like
thatl Come back, 1 tell We, an go an ate
something, We crathur. How dare we behave
as if l was a bad mother TO ye?0
The boy comes back, and, raising his bon
ny head, smiles at her fondly but audacious-
ly.
Look at him, now, the blackguard,' says
the mother, returning the smile in kind.
WAS there ever the like of him? Go an ate
yer prattes now, and thank yer stars Miss
Monica was here to say good word for ye."
Paddy, glad of his rescue, casts a shy
6thAtSC op AuolliStt, diIu kiLCIl, kOllk OtCl IL
where his grandmother and the pot of pota-
toes rest side by side, sits down (close cud-
died up to the old dame) to fill his little
empty stomach with as many of those escll-
lent roots as he can manage, which, in truth.
is the poor child's only dinner from years
end to years end. And yet it is a remarka-
BILE fact that, in spite of this scanty fare, the
Irish peasant, when come to mans estate,
Is ever strong and vigorous n we'll grown.
And who shall say he hasn't done his queen
good service too, OIL many a battlefield? and
even in these latter days, when sad rebel
lion racks our land, has not his name been
worthy of honorable mention OIL the plains
of Tel-el-Kebir"
81 don't think he looks like a bad boy,
Mrs. Daily says Monica, retlcctively, gaz-
ing at the liberated Paddy.
bad, miss, is lt?s' says the mother, who.
having made her eldest born out a villain, is
now prepared to maintain he is a verItable
saint. you don't know him, faix. Sure
there niver was the like of him yet. He is
a raal jewel, that gossoon o. mine, an the
light of his fathers eyes. Signs on 1t, he'd
die for Dalyl There niver was SIGH a love
betwixt father an son. He's the Joy O. my
life, an the greatest help to me. IT'S he
minds the pig, an the baby, In ould granny
thSlSS vi CNVly tlllhS. ~ NC NiLuUuC INV
right hand if | lost him.
"But l thought you said begins Moni-
ca, mystifed by this change from righteous
wrath to unbounded admiration.
"Arrah, niyer mind what ] said, acushla,"
says the younger Mrs. DAILY, with an emphat-
ic wink. Sure twas only to keep him | n
ordller a bit, l said it at all at ALL Butts
young,he is yet, the crathur."
"Very young. Oh, Mrs. Daily, look at baby |
See how she is trying to get at my J "TRIP
Monica is beginning in a delighted tone,-as
though to have ones hair pulled out by the
roots Is the most enchanting sensation in
the world,-when suddenly her voice dies
away into silence, and she herself stages
with great open violet eyes at something
that darkens the doorway and throws a
shadow upon the assembled group within.
ut is Desmond!
"Ah!eome in, Misther Desmond" says
Mrs. DAILY, Hospitality. "l'm glad It's com
pany | have before We the day. Maybe'twill
coax ye to come again. Where have ye been
this week an more? Faix, We were so long
In comm, l thought twas angry wild me We
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