The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-01-08

tliCL ~ ~ III " NV hOkoS Wan
was sitting, clean and uncomfortable,
near the hearth. Mrs. Coyle sat oppo-
site to him; the nine children were
perched on'two wooden benches that
ran along the wall. They made way
for her with many signals and sup
pressed giggles.
"Whishtl BE shtill, there! Yer uncle
is not used to the like av that!'
"God help him then!" said Conn.
can why God help him? Sure, every
man can't marry, an it's we'll they
don't"
"Have yer way, have yer way" said
Conn. "I'm thinkin' Frank Powers a
sad man, that's ALL"
gath, thin. tits the money does It."
"Ye'l harp an that shtring till 1t
breaks!"
"Arrah, Conn, we've niver q good
word for the man, an him me own
brother"
"Sure, ones enough to talk nv i'm.
If n blessed saint were comm, we
couldn't have heerd more noise av IT."
A silence fell upon the party, which
was unexpectedly broken by a shock
headed, frccklc faced boy called Bar
ney. He had been gazing for a long
time Mt Maggie's pretty feet, and the
words were out before he remembered
the solemnity of. the occasion.
maggie, show us the thrick wild yer
toes!" 1t was about the only accom-
i plishment that Mag e possessed and
consisted in q curious feXibility Of the
toes which enabled her to fold them
under almost rs though they were fin.
gers and pick up any small object from
the ground. This trick was a source
Of endless delight to the children, who
practiced 1t themselves with an assidu-
ity which promised great future re-
suits.
mot now, pet" said Maggie, running
her fingers through Barney's hair.
"Whist! There's wheels comm"
Mrs. Coyle was at the door In n mo.
ment, peering out into the autumn twi-
light with hands ON hips and an anx-
ious tremor at the heart. 1t was Uncle
Frank Power at last.
He was not n prepossessing "a The
little likeness to his sister that he had
was. as it were, hidden away in odd
corners Of his face, which only now
and then revealed 1t rs by compulsion.
He was small and spare of figure; neat,
as became his position; dryly concilia.
tory In manner, as a person who has to
| please to live. His face was hard, save
for the mouth, which had an unexpect.
ed %looseness Of lips. His eyes were fur
tive, shooting a sudden glance and then
turning aside rs though to muse on the
impression they had taken. He was a
la who habitually masked himself,
though with so little art that a close
observer saw his small soul bare under
the disguise.
The much debated meal was hardly a
social success. To begin with. Power
had no great appetite, nor did he pour
forth the congratulations which Mrs.
Coyle had confidently expected.
Maggie, poor girl, was as quiet as a
sitting bird. She was oppressed both
by Powers presence and the thought
that for the first time she had n secret
from her parents. Yet under the op.
preston there was n singing current of
Joy that made music to her heart, a
music hardly to be listened to without
bringing the hot blood to her cheeks.
After the meal was over and the two
men had their pipes lit Maggie and her
mother pulled one Of the benches to the
hearth. and the four sat round the fire
with folded hands, each waiting for
some one else to begin. 1t was then
that Uncle Frank Power made q start.
otis long since I've seen We, Ellen,
an We might think I'd forgotten We, but
'twasn't so, faith"
A coorsc not. Frank" She shot q
triumphant glance at Conn.
"Pye been n busy man, ellen, an l
knew ye were well placed with Conn
\ here"
minds change as well as times" said
Conn. Y were black ag'in me vance,
Frank"
Power waved his pipe dcprecatingly.
aye" he said. 'Pd n fancy for FL
len to marry Tom Blake"
"Who's in Jail this two years for as
blagyard a thrick as liver n man play
ed" said Conn.
"Thrue for We, thrue for We. Ellen
did well, an a fine family too. Yell be
proud av thin, Conn.,"
II am, an not wan av thin more
throuble than n bird In n cage"
II sometimes WISH" said Power,
that I'd some nv me own, for It's well
to lave what we have to yer own
blood"
Mrs. Coyle's face epltomized all the
joyful emotions, but Conn was staring
hard into the peats and did not see.
i've bin takin' q partner" Power
went on, nm It's our intintion to IN
crease the business. He's q shmart
man, wild money, an he'll take some av
the work aft me ovid shoulders" He
laughed dryly, glanced round the circle
and replaced the pipe In his mouth.
Its time, sure" said Mrs. Coyle.
NV bin thinkin' We might shpare me
wan nv these childer av yours; mott,
he added hastily, "a young wen, but,
say, Maggie here"
"Mep Maggie called the word out
OF a dream. The dream was broken.
Hush, dearie!" said Mrs. Coyle, lean.
ing forward eagerly and trying to catch
Powers uncertain eye.
She's q fine grown girl, an 'ud do
well In the shop. IT'S q pity to lave her
here. In time she'd be a. grand help
to We. In six months, or say nine,
afther she'd learned the business, I'd
pay her some wages, an In the mean
time I'd kape her free intireiy. THE
thought Just KEN to me-" he added.
"What'd we do widout Maggie es
all?" said Conn. Come here, ashore.
She went to him and sat on his knee.
with her arms round his neck and her