The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-09-20

the easier for coming mere. This III
tie helpless woman, with her useless
feet and crippled hands. all gnariej
and twisted with rheumatism. and her |
wistful face beamlng with tremulous
pride, was scarcely a better subject |
for his retaliation than It'd himself |
would have been.
Nettled and Disconnected. but unwlll- |
ing to retreat he demanded, sharply: !
How did you come by that ridiculous |
notion Of training the boy after me? |
Wasn't there any better model 10 be
found?"
Sure, ia want no betther II ia a
hunder' 20 choose FROM" averred the
little woman, stoutly, "but I'd none
other fit to pattern him by but yersilf,
that's the truth. You see, 1t wor this
way. There wor me brothers and me
cousbins in the ould country did be
breaking their heads in their fights;
and there was Mulllgan got so In the
way Of batting people when he wor on
the police that he cudn't lave off the
thrick while he lived, and there was
you with a good Rorrud to the fore.
and a joke when a poor garrul blum
dered, and a gintleman's way, whether
1t was to the high or The low-and It's
the way that comes aisy to Tii, now
that he has We before the two eyes Of
him." said lids mother, proudly,
while Mr.. Kane groaned in spirit.
How could he make these people un.
derstand that their attitude toward
him was both unwarranted and unwel-
come? Why should he consent to sad
die himself with them? It was only
his foolish good nature that had got
him into this scrape. They had no
real claim on him.
at isn't livery fine gintleman that
I'd pattern him by, that's the truth"
went on Mrs. Mulligan. There's thin,
if you'd behave it, wud see but the i'm
| pydince and niver the honor Of having
q poor by thrained afther thin. Like
as If It'd wud be walkin' on the creep
ing things wild no thought for their
hurts, that's how some wud be lookin'
at the poor people that's to do thin
the good turn"
ooh, l assure you that I feel the
honor of it," murmured Mr.. Kane,
ironically; but the struggle to express
herself filed the woman's mind, and
she went on without noticing the in
terruption:
But If he thramped thin all out,
he'd be thrampin' on the good frinds
of him, and thrampin' out the finder
ness as wud make the good man of
hissilf, and niver know that he wor
more hurt by his hadelessness than
Thin That's why I'm thankful to the
Lord that I'd the right kind to pattern
him by" concluded the woman, fer
vently; and no light retort fell from
Mr.. Kanes lips now.
What if this were so? What if he
were crushing the better nature that
was struggling in him when he turned
from them? What If the loss were hi.
rather than theirs? What if these PEG
pie were sent to awaken his conscience
and show him where he was drifting
1t was a new thought to him tina
the claim of humanity might worl
both ways. From this point of view
he might owe something to the Multi
gans instead of their owing everything
, to him. Suppose he turned them out
= foreclosed the Taft mortgage, seize,
the Hope farm, fostered the spirit o
greed and selfshness and thrust asid
responsibility, as his impulse ha
been; how would his gain weigh i
the balance against-what?
Surely, the opening vista held NOR
than he had considered thus far.
n was not only that he would shatte
t their faith in mans goodness by sha
: tering the idol they had made of hin
e There was the hardening of his ow
/ heart, the turning from his chance t
become an uplifting force to the peopl
o about him. He was no better and n
t worse than the majority of careles
n thoughtless men; but did he not hay
L it in him to be either better or worse
n And which should he choose?
n He was still wrestling with Thu
> problem when small shadow fe
,e across the threshold, and It'd stoc
)" in the doorway. He frightened
IS sight of the visitor, and turned to h
Is mother in triumph.
at Didn't l be telling you he won
to come wan day? She wor cravin
r, sight of We, sir, that she wor, but v
to wouldn't be aslzin a busy man lii
ut yersilf to come out of yer way
H. that"
ii Its for the good of We that he
come now, It'd. He's said as mucr
Il. "Snrn he's heen doin' us the GO