The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-04-13

be Irish. Well forget all but st. Os-
burg's and you, father"
He was generous boy, was Tim;
but he had one great failing; he was
warm-tempered when anything put
him out; he did things for which he
was sorry afterwards. This, as 1 take
it, must have been the cause of his
enllstlng directly us he was Of the re-
quired age. His master, who wasn't
exactly an iceberg himself, flung his
nationality at him as term of re-
proach, saying that "the Irish were
only fit to fight and be shot at"
rs that SOP said Tim; "then it's
fight l will" And straightway Went
and enlisted.
l thought that his mother would
lose her reason.
EVIL will come of it," she said. eff
the stick touches him, he'd break or
be broken. Rather would l have given
him into the arms of the Blessed Vir.
gin when he slept, babe on nv
breast"
consoled her, tried to show her
the bright side; but though she, as
always, heard me with respect, I
could see that she did not see the sill
yer side of the shield.
One night, soon after st. Patrick's
Day, after had given benediction, a
small son of Erin came to me with
mysterious message.
"shure, father" he said, cts the
Wildly Maloney that asks We, in Gods
name, to go to her at once"
us the widow ill, PATTI" asked. He
shook his head and ran off.
put on my hat and followed him.
feeling that something was wrong,
The little shop was, as usual, open
and dimly lit, and some decent women
were buying bacon and cheese; but
little Pats mother was serving them:
Catherine Maloney was not there.
You will find the wildly at the
pack, father" said the attendant:
and passed into the living room. No
one was there, only the cat on the
hearth, fast asleep, and a cricket
chirping.
A voice-a low, hushed, frightened
woman's voice-spoke to me from the
stair head.
Father, is that you?"
YES replied; sis ANYTHING
amiss?"
For Gods sake, come upstairs
softly was the reply.
So I went up the creaking stairs,
and at the top stood woman holding
hand Tampa woman on whose face
was written fear and despair.
1.-THE saints reward We, father Tins
in there lynn dyin'." DR.. Mac-Dermott
(who is safe) is wild him. He came
back yesterday night. 1 was prayn'
for him, when heard voice say.
Mother, mother, mother and when
l opened the door there stood a man in
ttAA ouAu SAOah anu d SiOuC1lcO HIT,
like broken reed, totterin' like a
toddlin' child. 1t was Tim-my Tim
come home to die! The stick had
broken him father No smart red
jacket, no cap perched on one side, like
a magpie's head, no smart cane. Only
shame, illness, disgrace. He wore the
bit of clover on st. Patrick's Day, and
he was reprimanded. He spoke up,
was put in the guard house, was
punished. Then he deserted-ran off
to what he called old Ireland in the
Sassenach land. He laid low all day,
hid in barns, and tramped along O.
nights. An Irish friend helped him,
and he is here. Well ship him off to
America, if he gets WELL"
"Aye, that we WILL" said I, land 1
went into the bedroom. There, on
the bed, lay poor Tim! who used to
come to the sacraments in his thread
Dare jacket, and bring me the first
flowers of spring. Near him sat DR..
MacDermott.
"He is unconscious. father" wills
percd the medicO.
"4All for wearin' bit O. green, they
said. Why, his words stung me like
whips. Take the shamrock out Of
your cap he said. l didn't take it out
and cried God save Irelandv Yes;
I'll 90 hack IN mother yVa will on tn
Galway, and sing hymn to Mary in
the sea-washed streets. It's cold-cold,
here-and they don't love Mary. Yes,
Jesus said to them. Love My Mother
They'll be on my track-I know it.
Mary, take me to Jesus. Hide me un-
der your mantle. have always loved
you; pity me!'
He said 10 more. From the pale.
parched lips there issued a stream of
blood
"He has broken blood vessel,
father," said DR.. MacDermott. "He is
going nOw-fast-fast!"
Aye, he was going fast. 1 admins
tered the last sacraments, and the
dim eyes looked into mine, as he whis-
pered: Pm sorry, soggarth aroon,
sorry" Then came the words: "All
for bit of clover. I'll see Ireland
yet And the spirit fled.
AS he lay there, cold and freed, and
silent, there came a tramping of feet