Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-20

a motley crowd that had gathered from
Meath hills upon the platform of Oldtown
station to see the last of a party of emf
grants bound for the states.
Listlessly I sat watching and waiting,
when of a sudden two yokels broke their
way across the platform, wrenched open
the door, Numbered into my carriage and
took their places in the further corners.
Their boorish ways nettled me: the crash
of hobnails upon my foot reused me; turn
ed in wrath
Permit me to say that you've come to
the wrong carriage L said, in whitening
tones.
This is third class-only third class. The
firsts are waiting for you higher up.
No word came from the cornerS-not a
move or sign, My blood thickened and L
proceeding with brutal reference to
cattle trucks, when right at my elbow a
voice interrupted mine through the open
window.
Ned; I say, Ned. is it you? You hear
me over there? Ned; say, Ned
1t was bent old man, in gray frieze ana
fiercely, he spoke. and sent his voice
through mine across the carriage, caIbng
Ned; | say, Ned
No answer came to him from either cor
ner but silence might not battle his i'm
portunity. Again and yet again he called,
his voice rising fiercer and shriller, and
with that the youth in the opposite corner
to mine turned his heavy face and spoke.
Cant ye see it's me?" he growled. his
voice hard and sullen, his eyes glanc1ng
furtively. What dye want?'
The old man craned further into the car
riage. What are ye doin' there. Ned
Brady?" he shrilled. What divilment are
ye up to now? Where are We so1n? An
swer me. sir
came back. What is it to you what m
dofn'?''
But it is to me. Isn't your mother wild
about ye? Wouldn't she be here this min
ute only for searchin' for We? What are
We doin. l say cried the Ancient; then,
no answer coming, he clutched tighter at
the window and continued: Where were We
all last night? Why didn't ye come nome 10
us waitin' youder an missin' our sleep!
Shame on We, Ned Brady, black shame on
ye, You've been up to no good. You re up
to no good now. Ye blaggard-ye blaggard.
Come out to me-cOme out, say, before L
bring the polls Come out" cried the An
cient in a voice that blent its fierce treble
most strangely with the piteous SOUND OF
the emigrants' wailing that now came from
the platform-a notwithstanding souna
pierced through by that passionate OLD
voice. Come out" it went, come out. we
diviI. before 1 bring the polls to ye.'
It seemed to me, sitting there obserVant,
that at the word the youths face blanched;
certainly he shrank into his corner, cow
cred there a moment, then made as II to
rise.
But even as he gathered IN MS lest HIS
companion bent forward, whispered to him
q word and turned mis- face. 1t was
cruel face, with thin lips and narrow black
eyes: and seeing it the Ancient drew back
and raised his hands. Phil Cara, said
he. Phil o the Hollow! You, too!
"Av. Me too. An what of that, Micky,
me SOM" The voice was thin and hard
cold and satiric. Sure it's not the first
time you've seen me in your life. Why
can't We quit shoutin' there like fool an
go and bid the people gOOd-bye.
Phil O. the Hollow! Coin wi him.
The Ancient drew back STEP raised a
hand and rubbed his eyes. Coin wi
him. he repeated slowly, as if to his inner
self. Coin wi him.
Wen. an what o that? Dye think I'll
ate him body an bones? Be the Lord,
Phil laughed harshly. An, away wi ye
an bid the people goodbye. Away now be-
fore"
Come out Wi ye-come outcome outn'
Again the Ancient Clutched the window and
pushed in his face; again broke into shrill-
ness You'll not go, Ned Brady-you'u
not go. There's some divilment on foot;
you've been at diviiment in the night.
back turned the door handle and made to
enter and just then the whistle sounded,
the engine shrieked, and the last glimpse
/ had of Micky, as the train moved away,
showed him tight in the porters arms,
with his hands raised and clenched "Ye
divil-ye divil." he cried; ''ah, ye divil.
," His voice died out behind a pite-
Gus sound of wailing; there came wild
rush of streaming faces along the plat
form; a quick budding of excited fig
ures by the signal box. skrls. cheers,
mad waving of hats-then a sudden hush
and the peace of the brooding fields.
For a while l sat humoring thought then
settled back in my corner, brought out a
book and across it fell to observing my
companions. The two sat silent and pas
sIve They We're dressed in peasant fash
Nd,
heavy boots and peaked caps, cotton
scarves, leather belts; on him called Ned
a pair of knee straps; on him called Phil
a pair of buttoned feggings. The clothes
of both were faded and worn, odorous also
of stale peat smoke; but whilst Ned's were
patched and mudstained, Phil's We're sound
and clean, nor had they altogether that
quaint ruSticity of cut and manufacture
which stamped his companion as with the
very name of clodhopper. In other ways
also one differed from the other even in
details of aspect. Ned's hands were rough
and clumsy. his skin hard and sun
scorched limbs unganly, face (as 1 had
seen. and saw even now in par) heavy
and boorish; no light in his eyes, no ami
nation in voice or feature; just a yokel
was Ned, who had not slept and whose
! mind was troubled. With Phil, however,
| things were different. His hands and skin
| were those of your loiterer by gate and
| corner, of your poacher and neer-do-well;
| his limbs were supple, face lean and know
| ing, eyes keen and wary, every inch of him
alive with the subtlety of a fox. Ned was
| a tool; Phil seemed instrument. Ned's
| bushes was with spade and dungfork
| Pills with snare and net. Had 1 met
| Ned in lane 1 should have looked across
| the hedge; meeting Phil, 1 should have
g1ipped my stick. That there was good in
| Ned Brady / felt sure; that there was bad
/ in Phil Cara ! knew Observation-Disclosures
maybe, old Micky knew 1t and would
| have plucked the lamb from the wolf.
And to me, as to Micky, something whis-
cd hot Won't of TGn ".
| looked guilty. Their ways bred suspicion
| And just at that they stirred in their cor
| ners and fell to revealing themselves. 1t
was Ned who stirred soonest. Leaning for
| ward elbows on knees and hands clasped,
| he spoke softly:
phil, l say, PHIL
| Cara opened his eyes. moved a little
also bent forward. "Well?" said he, and
| glanced swiftly toward me.
| "Ye heard what he said? Ye seen the
| way he was in?"
| who? Ould Micky?"
| Ned nodded response.
"ro he sure heard 1t. The ould fool"
| "He-he was powerful put out" Ned's
| voice was fearful: his lips quivered. Think
! of him sayin' what he did. Think-think of
Il