New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-28
A LIFT ON THE ROAD.
BY NORA HOPPER.

Save you kindly keenan, Of Lismanay. and
VII you give me ride TO COrk?"
And me. Martini
Strong farmer he was, Martin keenan,
was none 100 ready TO give away even the
courtesy that cost him nothing.
And who's 10 pay my trouble then, and the
mares" said he He drew up his cart with a
creak and q jerk, and he looked hard at the two
girls who mad stopped him by the wayside a
mile and Q bit from Lisnanay. Would they pay
him Tor z Ltr2 he wondered. Strangers to him
beth they were, but soft voiced. and very fair
70 see and Martin Keenan, looked at them long.
The fashion Of their clothes was different and
even SO was the color Of their hair, but them
selves were as like as two Sisters. The fair girls
gown was OF red color and rich stuff, and the
hood OF her shining hair Of quilted silk, but
the dark haired girl went barefoot in a gown of
ragged green, the red shawl cast over her head
faded and patched
But il was to her Of the bare feet that Martin
Keenan, spoke first.
w antIng q ride down the Cork road are
you and you knowing my name, colleen dhu?'
But Up with ye first, and answer after, for it's
tired ye look"
Tired indeed I am this hot day, and footsore
too said the dark girl, throwing back her
shawl from q face that was pale a bramble
mower And l thank you kindly for the lift
but it's empty handed, too, am, and cannot
pay you for il"
Get up empty handed or full handed" grunt-
ec the farmer, and no more words about il.
col cen dhuI" Then he turned 10 the fair girl
Speaking ungraciously, Come Up with you then,
Il you're after wanting ride in earnest, and
VIII pay for Il, colleen dhas. for it's beggar on
the high road I'd be if I gave two free rides IN
e day"
ooh viii pay you for it. man never fear I
ike you for also do nothing for nothing"
she said, smiling And Ike you, Martin Keenan,,
It's bitter and ugly and III TO cross am but
kind an I 70 them that help me on the road.
And ike the wandering dust I am. and like the
wind since Jar have gone. and I've further
yet 70 GO
He Helped her into the cart suIkiIy enough,
though even MS eyes could not help but make
open confession Of her beauty.
"Si- fast then and draw close the hood over
the face Of ye, for there's power Of dust on
the road to-day, and the red wind-bad cess 10
L.-D-2"iEg II Up ike a gossip into our faces
Anc better would you have done TO wait for the
car, colleen dhas'
= like better still to ride TO Cork with you
friend said she Of the fair hair, cOmpOsedly.
y wonder now how many angry men have rid
cen hot foot down this same road to meet their
sons and their sons wives? How many before
you. Martin Keenan,"
Z never told it," Keenan, said. his ford face
grown gray, into the ear Of living soul that my
crazy LAD had married that Madam Fine-airs Of
Gracey Roche; nor yet that I and the mare
were bound for Cork to-day" Then, edging
nerVously away from her, And what kind are
spoken"
"Ah. what are We now wonder?" said the
lair girl, openly laughing.
But" said the dark girl. leaning forward and
whispering. 1 know thing, too, that you
never Jet or u any one-nOt even your own soul
when you and II kept company. Martin keenan,
know that your wife Mary learned that you
loved your money better than you loved her
Icy Ct SOUL know that she did not slip gath
erlng cu-se on the Bull Rocks out yonder, but
NAT II was her own good viii she went to drown
u the sea that drowned her father
Drive on and trust our tongues to keep pace
WIN you said the fair girl sharply. Drive on
mnle you bark 10 Us Drive on. and drive fast
now Mechanically the farmer obeyed short
ened the reins and drove on, every nerve of him
listening
! know, Martin Keenan," said the dark girl
whispering on now your son learned in a black
ana bitter school, and how there was never a
A-nc-y welcome for him to his own fathers
= know" rnurmu-ed the fair girl. the home
ne look Gfacey Roche 10 and the home he took
L@f rom ana know too what mans shadow
keeps Lhe door u Grac-y Kecnan's small heart
Lo-cay, and his name Is not Maurice. though he
ring" e0'7 Li0I g
And know sad the dark girl eigbiny and
smiling, that he knows she does not love hin,
but nevertheless he loves her greatly al The
same And I know that these rine zrra57a5
months nave been dearer to him than the eiv
zen years i1at De spent In his fathers house .
You nave ms letter carried this Tri-r7+a r.,
yt-I breast Martin keenan," said the fair Girl
.-@hiLs nearer 10 him And he does nor write
70 you ID s9-roT. Let hunger break his rri6e
& little srlauer-r MS Pii4S
Why should he be broken yvbo has 5o,o no
- sai1 the dark girl For he did a hit oF
1Oos work and lifted Up a woman frr-77 10
Lrs one Ae knew when She was a slim Of a
$50 - as clean ~ heart as the Gamma j.
lov,aS l23-Dr. Now he and the woman have
49, 5e11gs nave lived poorly and lain Far51,y
49, many months, and held toegatt-e- ,I - ~
yvr5.+- IS her trouble is near al md h. 10 9
r-arv - you Martin keenan, +re-a a. -
~ mouths you have left urfa5- 80 80 50
bone" -- u your flesh and bone Of YOUR
yrL1-T - l1eIn starve; why not2. tba ..t- ,,i-1