The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-03-11
CASEY's CONVERSION.
BY JOHN H. RAFTERY.

b1 OouN ItaFIEh1s
can how are We this day, Nora Casey!"
asked Mrs. Duggan, coming in with neigh
borly bowl of Cruel for the invalid
Better, Mrs. Duggan; better, an why
not! Sure I've great news for We, but mind,
It's a secret"
"Holy be! l hope It's good news, Nora"
An it is, praise God. Whisper, now"
The worn old woman in the bed leaned
toward her old crony and said: "Malachy's
goin to make his Easter jooty. Amt that
fine! He's goin' to do it, he is, an he's up
stairs at this mint, eNam'nin' his con-
science! There, now, is good news foryezw
This little secret, confled by the cid
mother of Malachy Casey to the old mother
of Ignatius, alias Skinny Duggan, spread
through the parish, as all such secrets do,
and two days before Easter all of the wom-
"Red" Malachy was going, on Saturday
evening, to square himself with Father
Kelly.
Now for three years and more Red Casey
and Skinny Duggan had been the scourge
and terror of the ward. They began by
playing truant from school, and had at tye
age of l6 reached that stage of dignifed
outlawry at which they were the hereditary
prey of every new policeman on the beat.
"The Casey gang was beginning to be rec
ognized as troublesome" and the plain
clothes men from Central who occasional
ly drifted into the district to work out sa-
loon robberies and strong-arm hold-ups had
not overlooked cautious inquiries into the
methods and manners of Red Casey and
Skinny Duggan, the recognized leaders of as
wild a crowd of reckless lads as ever worried
| copper or scandalized parish. Both boys
bol baa, in, tha ,o1ica
both had been accused Of many Jobs that
had never been proved on them, and both
We're sources of excruciating woe and unrest
to their good parents. Father Kelly had
tried his best to win them back from the
path that leads toward Joliet, if not further,
but till now they had evaded or laughed at
him
1--WE news for you this time, Nora, said
Mrs. Duggan to Mrs. Casey on Easter Satur-
day morning. Have guess!"
Not SKINNY" protested the sick woman,
trying to look surprised.
Him an no less!" said Mrs. Duggan.
"Im thinkin' twas your Malachy come over
him, God bless'm, but anyhow Skinny's at
home right now exam'nin' his conscience"
Praise be-" calculated Mrs. Casey, look
ing up, but It's great day for the both av
US. An does Father Kelly know your boy
is comin!"
Not he. Sure 1 didn't know it meself till
this mawrnin' An does he know your
! Malachy's comin'?"
He does, but Malachy don't know that,
| he knows that he's comm. Tn ould man
! whit down this mawrnin' an told Father
Kelly t'be on the lookout for Malachy right.
after supper tonight"
And so it came to pass that when Red
Casey stood under Sklnny's window that
evening to give the old gang whistle that
| summoned his converted lieutenant to the
confessional everyone i: the yard knew
| What was on the taps, and was much edltied
thereat. When Skinny and Red skunk GUS
the alley gate together Mrs. Hennessey came
out on her porch in time to confront tive
OF her neighbors with the announcement: -
There they go, the two av thin, aft T
their jooty, as good as you r me. TIL Lord
be praised!"
/ And within ten minutes there wasian eX-
odus of pious neighbors from the yard all
bound for the church to see Skinny and
Red at their Easter 'jooty." Old man
Casey, the father of Malachy, dressed in his
best broadcloth and holding his head up
with simple pride, was not the last to follow
his boy, and Mrs. Duggan, prouder than he,
was well up in the side aisle when the two
prodigals tiptoed into the church and knelt
in pew near Father Kelly confessional.
Sheepish enough they looked as they
waited for their chance to enter the long
dreaded presence of the good PASTOR but at
/ last came Skinnys turn, and he dived be-
meath the curtain and stayed within, his
cultural whispers of penitence and self-ac-
cusation coming in unintelligible cadences.
to the groups of waiting worshipers. Poor
NIalachy sat down to rest his knees, and at
every tiutter OF the curtain hoped that his.
partner would emerge, and yet trembled at
the prospect of entering the awesome pres
\ ence of the priest. But at last Skinny re-
appeared, his freckles showing brown
against his pale face,
How wuz t. skinny" whispered Red,
behind his prayer book.
ooh, it's turrible," quoth Skinny, gulping
excitement '.he asst me more questions dan
Inspector Shea. Yuh can't hand him no
CON-
Poor Red was therefore in fine futter
when he got into the confessional. Hecould
feel his rebellous red hair standing on end
as he tried to recall the long litany of his
misdeeds and saw the bright eyes of the big
priest twinkling at him through the screen.
1t must have been long story, for after
20 minutes Father Kelly babe poor Red
wait where he was" and left his scared
penitent alone. Skinny saw the priest
emerge from his place and disappear down
the dim aisle. A moment later his partner,
all aghast, darted out of his hiding place.,
leaned for a second over Skinny's shoulder,
and gasped:
Duck, Skinny, duck! Fodder Kelly's,
gone fur de police!"
The hunted look of long habit sprang into.
Duggan's pale eyes, he grabbed his cap and
started after Red and both were ready for
race to safety before they reached TIE,
church vestibule. But old man Casey over.
took them, and, laying a strong hand on
Malachy, said;
whats troublin We, Malachy?'
Il tink de priest is goin' t have us.
pinched," said Red.
Him have yez pinched? Come, Malachy,
ARE We takin' lave o yer senses? Him have
we pinched? Haven't he gone bail for yez.
both nanny time?"
So the boys We're treasured, and, going
| hack Mo1o cJ,, oh, ND