The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-12
The Sympathizer.

town, where the road slopes up toward
the priests house, two figures were com
ing along in opposite directions. both
evidently in a hurry.
When they came near enough ne rec
ognized her as the girl who assis sed Mrs.
/ AlcGrata. the priests house keeper she
knew his face wei, having seen him III
chapel but had no speaking acquaint-
ance with him.
"Wm Father Dan be left home yet,
can ye tell ne knly2" he called cut
she came 10 10 him and they stood to
gether.
III it's a sick call" she said, "un,ess
it is pressing wan. twin be a PITY
to huster him he mas a second mass
to say yet and a weddin after"
Hell have no weddin, 10 my saTtin
I knowledge" saIu the young man
An how'll that be now?" she asked
Twas my weddin'. and It's bruk
Dear. dear: how's that2 Have you
rued the match or disagreed about the
{ fortune?'
The whole countryside u know IL
/ soon enough" said ne, so don't keep
me here talking. Tel me, is the priest
in OF out?"
It's out he is" said she. AN yon
need be in no hurry for bit. Sit down
I here at yer aise Yen see him drlvn'
up, an if you went TO the house like
as not you'd miss him"
She seated herself on the bank
''Ye're ali in heat an worry"
In heat and worry 1 am" he
( agreed. IAN no wonder. sure I've been
run off my feet. An to be made a
/ laughin stock at the end of it all"
! Twas Annie McCusker I heard tell
We wor for marryin. A pretty girl but
! q wag-b y-the-bush from all they say of
her"
Wei, ye may see it. A sore dance
/ she Led me following her here an there,
I up an down the parish. at wakes an
| weddin's an fairs an hirin days, spend
+ I'm an givin' continually an standin'
/ tTates at all seasons and holidays TO T
/ whole tribe Of brothers. cousins and I'M
cles. A fine penny it cost me. An was
it dacint tratement. I ask ye, for any
welI-doin' wel-meanin' boy to pitch him
/ over at the long run when he had her
courted uD 10 the point of marryin' an
/ the priest bespoke and alI?''
| The colleen agreed that it was most
shameful treatment and added, shaking
/ her head dolefuliy: Twill be a sore
/ disappointment to Father Dan"
lay" said he, lit VIII in troth. I had
( a dacint bit Of marriage money ready
/ for him. An twill be added 10 her ac-
I g
/ God fearin priest o. her own parish out
/ Of his honest days pay"
That's just what I'm thinkin' Of
/ said she gravely. Mrs MEG attn was
sayin' he seemed in fine feather about
it. for weddin's is scarce these times
Softened by her sympathy he had fall
len into q discussive mood He went
over the story of the courtshiD
1T was up beyond the Tough side
first met her the night of ole Wo SHE
Wards wake. Annie was the purtiest
girl there, an more nor me wor dancin
attendance on her. There were others
/ too, that she tried to put her soft
sawther on, but not a wan O. them
/ spoke up for marriage but myself
though they were willin' enough to pass
the joke with her. It was Shrove when
I asked her an the match was made
! An Oh. dearH she said, as if she was IN
/ great distress about it, "Weu have to
wait till Lent is over. an why didn t
! We spake sooner. Patrick Dohertv?' And
, now" he went on, swapping a twig be-
tween his fingers with sudden ferceness
| "the time has come. and
'To my mind twas too soon We
! spoYe.' said the sympathizer "An' we'd
I beet wiser he'd ye never spoke at all"
Her kindly eyes were gazing at his
with deep concern, and she gave from
tune to time little EXPLANATIONS of pity
as he proceeded. Looking al her soft
young face he could not help bur think
that there was a girl who would not
have played with a poor boys feelings
Tt was evident TO her that he was no
longer I'm a hurry to be gone. He push
ed his hat further back on his fair head,
1 crossed his legs comfortably and clasped
his big. brawny hands about one knee
AN to think" he continued, "Of the
way I've toied an moiled an scrape5
an saved this while back to have things
well gathered for her coming to me A
young horse bought at Gentles' fair SO.
that she might aride to market I'm her
cart like the, best O. them An another
mich cow. forbye the two I had in the
byre for 7 heerd tell always that she
had a nate hand to the butter
AN how does she think I'm to han
die for myself an mind the house with
no woman body in it, for my mother.
may tell We had words with me about
bringing the wife Until her, an I told
her, plump an plain, that IL she couldn
thole it she'd be to let e alone. SO
she up an away with her to Rarna1
geeha where my sister Kittys married
to a man o. the MacGtnleys How am
7 10 have The face to ask her back now
when she took a CARLOAD O. her being
IUES with ler. an VINO N IKE 10 Know,
is 10 milk them COWS p
She laid one hand upon his arm. and
patted it consolingly. Don't take on.
She said. kindly Don't take ON so bad
There's a way out O. every wood. an On
answer to every riddle Yen find MANY
am able an smart woman glad o tie
work. Maybe there's some poor desc
late widow up your side that he wee
bit o. the wage would be welcome TO for
comm an dom the like.
'Divil q vida d. 7 know said he,
"but ] know c is ike a lone widd -man
meseIf VIII be up there on the brae-sije
Ay in troth. am q wdda-man without
the credit O. bein' married"
She gave q gay little laugh and looked
at him auchly.
well If SO ye be. itl be yer own
VIII am wish that re be So
He me- her bright eyes and his face
relaxed INTO a smile. II suddenly dawn
cd upon him that Nellie Haughey was
prertier than he had ever thought her
bow was il that he never noteeI th's
before nor ever exchanged a word with
her when she came ln bis way? Ee had
had ewes for none but fckIe annie SIC
Cgsker. and words for her alone
But now that he cou.6 look az -atE
other colleen w5th dish usioued ewes he
had u admit that there was charm
and air or good humor about her That
mad been totally lack l2 in Aauies more
regularly handsome face Ana Na'H
fresh co.ored and robust she would
make "a rare worker. ana wcr.d have
tijy and tasv WAYS wa her after
She ra5 learned az Father Dams
How dare 10 ask ans er asan
af-sr rle way I've been afrouted. exc
ca1 r. added. and looked her
II might Uer Er