The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-30
THE ADVERTISERS # .s M
 ae # DAILY SHORT STORY.N/ /
Copy right 1900. by Daily Story Publishing Co.,,


 not rob me-" was her constant answer Otto sulked and breoded, but Mrs. McPhelan was often with Mamie these days and he had. perforce, to behave civilly. In the spring. when he showed signs os letting down once more Mamie was equal to him, although she never smiled in the undertaking. She moved her belongings from the flat visited with Mre. McPhelan and finally went to the big hospital on the hill for . while. and came out with a child in her arms that reconciled all differ epces for a Ions time. Otto had not appreciated his blessings until they took flight, and was only too glad to reconstruct his home anywhere. So they took possession of the cottage and began again.
 Mrs. McPhelan was sitting at the top of her three pine steps in the state that she kept after her supper dishes were washed. Fergus Blake. his chair tipped against the house was holding his clay pipe and listening with inter- est to something that made Mrs. Mc- Phelan feel very merry.
 "Och, it's a lass Mamie is! A rare lass and bound to win out, as they say. Otto's not dhrank dhrop for six months an it's Q lamb, he is. Fer gus. You shud say their garden. Fer gus. nate an template, an all his wurruk done out of tunin' hours. An the grapes. Fergus, tied up in paper bhags the day to let thim get ripe an not dhrey up. A table in the arbor an Mamie settin' out a swate chiny plate wid burrud on it an piled all oop wid cheese an rye bread an herself sayin', Here's a noice bite. Otto. Afore yees do any more.
 Don't go slingin' that at me-" re- turned Fergus, when she wud nave noane of me. An yees knowih to it,"
 True enough" said Mrs. McPhelan. scratching a match. but yeeg wud have taken some tamin yersilf, meb- be. Mebbe yees niver have heard how Mamie tanned Otto completely. It wal a lob for the wurruld, bekase Otto was lazy an after she got him cured ol thot, he tuk to the drink an wint fine pace whin little Dinnis came tc town. Whin Mamie got oop. pale an | wan, there was Otto comin' home late every night, smellin' bad an stagger- In. says I. Let me get me strength Mrs. McPhelan,' says she, 'an' I'll sho7 yees. You moi I niver'll see the be- ginning ov anither hundred year al I'll be doin' somethin' ter marks thu comin' av this one on Otto. see if don't"" q niver wint down there for n!gl | a month, Fergus, for that bad face ache I had, an I never laid eyes oi | Mamie. So wan day l stud at th' | wondered if Mamie were sick. knocked an knocked an thin I seer | her lukin' out the windy oop stairs | Come down an let in yer frien'e.' say' I. 'Thot I will says she. an kim t | the dure below. Whin I 'got in thu house I chmelt whiskey thet stronei | it wud knock yees, Fergus, if yees ai used so to it. 'Mamie,' says I, 'ai wees keepin' bar on the shly? We'll I'll joost take a good dhrink.' Sh' | looked dead tired and all bate ou an the babies was playing rale dirt! on tho fiure.
 | 17'''I been busy. says:Mamie. I'm a the wurruk of me loife. I have heei I making Otto all over.'
 l Making him over!' says I. woman Mamie, what talk? What air vol | about"
 kim cop the stairs an say sh' said an I wint oop wid her. Fergus l lay OllOt loOhili dCobtiiy OlSh 0Aa thot disgusted he cud die.
 "iFor the love of Heaven, Mrs. Mo Phelan,' says he. make Mamie let m out. I will never drink any again be fore God. I will be all she wants il a husband. I never want to see an! more whisky to the very day of m. 1 death. Mrs. McPhelan.'
 "'An' why don't yees git up yersilf | says I, cur0s like.
 "'She has me tied down. says he 'actooly, an devil bit have l had | eat or drink but there's whisky in and cooked with it. When she let me up, never a rag has she left me i the house. o, Mrs. McPhelan. som water. some plain, cold water and tha to eat which has no whisky with 1t no
 beer. The schmell of 1t makes m sick. Two weeks of 1t, woman, there
 been two weeks of It..
 %'Whin yees gifts up. yees kin he
 the law on her. says l. winkin' s
 Mamie.
 "'On Mamie? Mother of Goodne.
 no! She is only serving me right.
 never come home right for mont
 Mrs. McPhelan.'
 "'Thin stay there says I, If yet carried on thot way. It's not me that goin' again wan that would save yees [ Thin I kim home that tickled [
 Mamie!'
 T niver axed how long she kept r cop. but he's a changed man. Nam , says he won't have whisky in u , house and gets pale like to schmell 1t t which ain't good for jolly fellow I a wake, Fergus. but good enough !. a family man. And Mamie is tn [ much happier she is singin' like la . all the time. That's wife to hay
 Fergus, wan that kin make ye ovt a body an soul, and sthart yees in ( '. a new cintury born agin."