The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-29
SHORT STORY OF THE DAY.
Conn Bremmdm's
- -
maggie.

New York Herald.
Gee, Toms in lucki" said Larry Finn.
as he watched two of the prettiess GIRLS
IN the ward sail by the engine house and
give Tom Brennan, the handsomest fire
man of Hook and Ladder Company No.
=, perfect fusillade of eye alteration.
TO the divil with Tom," said Dooley
Bryan, struggling his brawny shoulders
In downright disgust. He don't be hui
man. What ails him OF dunno. All the
gurrils in the parish crazy over his dom
med black eyes, an he not noticin thin.
be dad, Larry, Oi cud knock his head off
Tor sthupid, onfeelin', craven image"
Was he always SOP" inquired Larry.
He was' returned Dooley, .Iver since
Maggie Harrigan TUX the VEIL
"Oho! said Larry.
"They were engaged" said Dooley, en-
raptured with himself as a gossip, s.whin
KILN Tom. But av course he could do
nothin'"
He couldn't?" said Larry. 'Why
didn't he carry her OFF,"
Murder, you divil, fot do ye be sayin' -?
Tis the bride of heaven she IS It's
ashamed of you Oi am. We baste. No.
poor Tom had 10 submit, but he's nivir
neen the same. Oh suppose now" con-
cluded Mr. Bryan. meditatively. IF wan
were to come by and give Tom the glad
eye he'd nfver tncourage her 'Tis
sthrange thot the nuts al1us fall to the
toothless divils"
With Which sage observation Mr.. Bry-
an betook himself to the furnishing of
the hose cart as a relief to his overcharg-
ed emotions.
All was true. Since the day Tom"
Brennan tore his manly heart out in bid
ding an eternal farewell to the beautiful
girl who renounced him for her intention,
the big fellow had never been the same
All women were like shadows to him.
He had loved one truly, devetedly, and
he had been forced to give her up to
heaven. He could never love another.
In vain were appealing and languishing
glances sent in the direction of this su-
perb young specimen of Irish American
manhood.
Tom" never noticed women He sim
ply went about his business of saving
property and lives as if there were moth
Ing else in the universe for a big, hand
some. athletic~fellow
Often, as he lay in his bunk at the
engine house. as he rode tempestuously
through the crowded streets, as he fought
the flames, he repeated to himself the last
words he had said to his beloved: 81
love you, Maggie. darlin' 1 would live
for you or I would die for you, and since
you bid me tear out my heart, I must
do it,
The Easter morning dawned-the Eas-
ter on which ''Tom" had hoped to lead
his sweetheart to the altar. He thought
of her as he reused from his dreams of
her sweet face. Life was over for him,
he said. He saw again the crowded
church, the white robed novices. He smell
led the incense, he heard the roll of the
organ, the solemn voice of the priest He
shivered and. turning. buried his face in
his pillow.
Suddenly the alarm reused him. He
listened. He sprang from his bunk and a
moment later was down the pole and in
his place on the truck. His face was like
the face of the dead. AS in dream he
heard the cry, Where is it?" and the
answer from dozen lusty throats, 1.-THE
convent"
The convent and the orphans home ad-
Joining were abiaze It was evident at a
glance that the buildings were doomed.
The main business was to save the sisters
and the children.
The bravery of the nuns and their pro-
teges was only second to thatsof the mag
nificent fellows who fought for the lives
of these helpless people. Every one re-
calls the amazing fortitude7 and courage
displayed at this frightful hour The chill
-dren had been drilled for just such a
moment Of peril, and nobly did they now
obey their instructors. Such deeds Of
heroism as were done that bitter morning
are never lost. Their memory remains
as an eternal Inspiration
TON" Brennan thrust a ladder up to
a window of the dornlitory just beneath
the huge gilded cross that surmounted the
roof of the convent.
In this window, serene, calm, her lips
moving in prayer. stood a sweet faced
sister, holding in her arms tiny Grip
of this holy woman that not one Irish
heart in the vast crowd below failed to
respond.
''It is Sister Mary Beatrice!" moaned
the Mother Superior. She knelt upon the
bare ground and crossed herself
When Tom Brennan, his face blackened
with smoke and his eyes blazing with
heroic excitement, reached the window
Sister Mary Beatrice looked steadfastly
at him with her old sweet smile.
He held out his arms.
1.-THE child first, Tom, she said, as she
laid the little boy on the broad breast of
the fireman.
A mighty shout went up from the crowd
below. All had seen that sublime act.
All realized what it meant.
A dozen hands received the child and
Tom Brennan turned back up the ladder.
He hftefd Sister Mary Beatrice from
the window
For one instant he held her on his heart
Then as the frenzied spectators groaned
and cursed and prayed the convent walls
swayed in.
And at the foot of the cross Tom Bren-
nan died for his Maggie darlin'."