The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-06-15
A LIFT ON THE ROAD

A LIFT ON THE ROAD.
Save you kindly, Keenan, of 1isma-
nay, and will you give me a ride to
Cork?''
And me, Martini"
Strong farmer as he was. Martin
keenan, was none TOO ready TO give away
even the courtesy that cost him nothing.
And who's to pay my trouble, then,
and the mare's?" said he. He drew up
his cart with crcak and Il jerk, and
he looked hard at the two girls who had
stopped him by the waysidc IL mile and a
bit from Lismanay. Would they pay
him for Il lift? he wondered. Strangers
to him both they were, but soft voiced,
and very fair to see, and Martin keenan,
looked at them long.
The fashion of their clothes was differ
cnt, and even so was the color of their
hair, but themselves were as like as two
sisters. The fair girls gown was of red
color and rich stuff. and the hood on her
shining hair was of quilted silk, but the
dark-haired girl went barefoot in gown
Of ragged green, the red shawl cast over
But it was to her of the bare feet that
Martin keenan, spoke first.
Wanting 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 ! am this hot day. and
footsorc. too said the dark girl, throw
pale as a bramble flower. 'And | thank
YOU kindly for the lift, but it's empty
handed. too, | am. and | cannot pay Won
for it,"
Get up. empty-handed or full-handed,' -
gruntetl the farmer, land no more words
about it. colleen dhu"' Then he turned
to the fair girl speaking ungraciously
Come up with YOU, then, if you're after
wanting 4 ride in earnest, and will pay
for it: colleen dhas. for it's bpggar ON
the high road I'd be if l gave two frc.,
rides i'll Il day"
ION. l will pay YOU for it. man, never
fear: | am like you. for | also do moth
ing for nothing" she said, smiling. :And
like you. Martin keenan,, it's bitter and
ugly and i'll to cross l am. but kind nm I
to them that help me Gu the road. And
like the wandering dust l am, and like
the wind. since far have l gone. and I've
further yet to CO."
He helped her into the cart sulkilv
enough, though even his eyes could not
help but make open confession of her
beauty.
sit fast, then, and draw close the
heed over the face of ye for there's Il
power of dust on the road today, and the
reds wind-had cess to it!-bowing it
up like Il gossip into our faces. And bet
ter would YOU have done to wait for the
car, colleen dhas."
Il like better still to ride to Cork with
frinnH " III cbo 60.
ccmpoSedly. Il wonder, now, how many
angry men have ridden hot-foot down this
same road to meet their sons and their
sons wives? How many before you,
Martin Keenan,"
Il never told it." Keenan, said. his
torid face grown gray. Into the ear of
living soul that my. crazy lad had mar
ried that Madam Fine-airs of Gracey
Rochel nor yet that l and the mare
We're bound for Cork today" Then, edg-
ing nervously away from her. "And what
kind are ye' at all. at all, that know
what I've never spoken?''
An, what are we now, I wonder -
said the fair girl, openly laughing.
But, said the dark girl leaning for
ward and whispering, Il know thing.
too that you never let on to anyone
it kept, company, Martin Keenan,.
Know that your wife Mary learned that
you loved your money better than you
loved her. body or soul: know that she
old not slip, gathering dulse on the Bull
ROCKS cut yGnder. but that it was her own
good viii she went to drown in the sea
that drowned her father"
Drive OH and trust our tongues to
Keep pace with YOU" said the fair girl,
sharply. Drive on while you bark to
us. Drive ON. and drive fast now" NJ
chan'cally the farmer obeyed, shortened
the rcins and drove on, every nerve of
~ Know, Martin Keenan," said the
learned in black and bitter school. and
new there was never kindly welcome
for him to his own fathers home.
Know, murmured the fair girl, 'the
memo he tctk Gracey Roche to and the
home he took her from. And / know.
toe, what mans shadow keeps the door
Of Gracey Keenan's small heart TODAY.
and his name is not Maurice; though he
her a ring
And | know" said the dark girl, sigh
ing and smiling; TINT he knows she does
not love him: but nevertheless he loves
her greatly all the same. And | know
mat these nine welded months have been
uearer to him than the sixteen wears
'h awe ne spent IN his fathers house."
ute IN your breast, Martin Keenan,. said
the fair girl. leaning nearer to him. And
nc does not write to YOU in sorrow et
hunger break his pride little smaller
why should he be broken who has
done no ill?' said the dark girl. ..Fo,
ne did bit of Gods work and lifted up q
woman from the mud-one he knew wher
she was a slip of child, and as clean 81
heart, as the Gamma is clean of color
Now he and the woman have loved great
~, have lived poorly, and lain HARDLY
THESE many months, and held tcgethc,
closely: and because her trouble is nea,
at hand ne has written to you. Martin
Neehan: there are so many mouths yo,
have left unfed: feed these two who are
bone.'' VI !ou'
LET them starve: why not?' the fai,
girl whispered in his ear. "NIary hi.
mother. died of starved heartHu -,
wouldn't he die, too? His will be but on!
mouth the fewer to keep and feed, AM
you'll spend your old age putting coli
on CON- gold and copper with silver, ant
ant, but your ghost will haunt emit,
l.iSmanay. and you'll watch your mone1
still. Martin Keenan," :
Let Mary be-you of the bite
tongue" keenan, said gruffly. "She'
dead ten years back, and today the mar
rel lies between me and her son.
The quarrel will die today, nv siste
Sheila,' the dark girl said. The fail
girl broke into scream of moc],;n.
laughter that put the terror into Marti1
Keenan's face.
will it, Kathleen?'' she cried. evil
it now? l think the quarrel will live
Martin: but | know Maurice keenan, viii
de tonight"
The same fore-knowledge came sudden
~ to Maurice keenan, himself, where be
and his wife sat hungry and cold in thei1
sky parlor, looking down on a by stree
in the city Of Cork. He turned his face
to the wall, that Gracey might not see thu
heavy sorrow in his eyes; and then ht
reused himself from his own trouble OF
human love and fear to touch his wife's
hand. and to smile into the delicate peev
ish face that stopped over her fine stitch
ing.
''I'll go out the morn's morning." thu
husband said restlessly, land see if Mr.
Donnell has any work'that can do. It's
better I'll be the good tomorrow if the