The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-03-18
Ey HAROLD W. RAYMOND

found he had left his beloved corncOb
and his bag of painters Delight" in
his other oyeralls at home his despair
was so great that his head swan and
he saw red clouds before his eyes.
Its the curse of the trade" said
punwoodie. Here I've been at the
brush for forty year or 80, and never
the time but ] was painting In the
wrong place. If | worked on red
fence, Il bull was sure to be In the
field; If I'd been off on bit OF a bat
the boss would set me a-painting OF
scrolls and wriggly things till 1t seemed
us If Id got EN- sure; If | was dying
of thirst, they'd give me the steepie
of Il meeting house to eolor-Baptist
ut that. more than likely-with never a
drop to drink 'twixt me and the earth
And now here | be hanging 'twix'
heaven and the East rIyer-and the
river much easier to reach-perlshing
for smoke, and my pipe might as
well be on top of one of them burning
volcanoes for all the good ii Is to me.
It's the curse of the trade"
Dun woodIe laid on with heavy
hand Well for him that his perch
was high and that the eye OF the boss
was not likely to inspect his work crit
lcally!
Just then. az II TO add insult to In
Jury, there came pungent smell
athwart DunwOodies nose. Young
Pat McCabc was smoking in his com
Portable perch five strands to wind
ward of Dunwoodie~ young Pat Me
Cabe. the impudent fellow who had
dared ask Dunwoodie for his only
daughters hand In marriagel
Dunwoodie's daughter, the peerless
Pearl the girl DunwoOdie had been IA
Their and mother to since that sad day
when her own mother was laid be
meath the sod In the Cemetery of the
Eyergreens and Of whom the old man
WAS as jealous as hen with one
chicken, need more be saidt Dun
woodie looked upon young McCabe, a
likely fellow enough and rs handy
with his brush as old Michael Angelo
himself, with keenest detestation. lie
hated him all the worse because deep
down In his soul he knew that Miss
Pearl favored the handsome lrlshman.
McCabe's pipe was considered the
dirticst in the gang. lie had the love
of his race for well cOlored dhudeen,
and he smoked tobacco so strong
that 1t would draw tears from the eye
of a potato. Dunwoodie had often
east aspersions upon 1t. But now
now the odor which the winds waited
TO his hungry nostrils WIS sweeter
than the spicy breezes OF Araby the
Blcst
He glanced darkly across the chasm
of twisted cables and dizZying heights
of air which separated them aud re
mcmbered some of the hard things he
had said about McCahe and his pipe
and his pretensions. Now 1t seemed TO
him he would willingly barter his
chances OF heaven for u smoke of the
same.
Il swan" said nunwoodie, overcome
by Il craving which made him desper
ate. "it would be pleasure to muir
der you, young man. IL could get pos
scssion of thnt chimney by the doing
The thought of murder seemed to give
the painter much temporary JOY, for II
sprung from the heart of Il father Jeal
Gus of the child who was his all IN all
of life saving and excepting the pipe
of which he was deprived.
Murder, however desirable, being out
of the question, Dunwoodie resorted
to strategy instead 1t was hard work.
But after clearing his voice few
times he managed TO say:
Il say, Mac, could you lend me your
pipe and bit OF tobaccy? I'll return
them up at the house tonight. Swing
IL across on string; that's good
lad"
McCabe looked up In Amusement. II
was many a day since he had heard
such friendiness In Dunwoodie's
voice.
The fact Is" said the old man. 81
left my pipe Mt home, and I'm dying
for a smoke"
"Oho" said McCnbe to himself $50
that's where the winds are blowin'."
And then he said loudly; But We can't
smoke my pipe, Daddy Dunwoodle.
Sure, We said l put II 10 soak In the
tannery." Dunwoodie coughed and
looked uncomfortable "Ye said II
would be afther maxim dog sick, so
II would II | reckomember correctly,
Mr.. Dunwoodic. ye said l smoked
scrap leather an tndln's"
Hard blows. these. Dunwoodie
WINGED
II was only joking. Mac. my boy"
he said, with a feeble laugh.
WAS We Jokin' when ye said I
couldn't marry the darllnt OF me sowlf
Ye know whom name. Mr. Dun
woodic"
"No"' shrickcd Dunwoodie. II was
hot joking, I'd rather see the girl ly
ing in the cemetery with her dead
mother than marry tnrricr Ike your
"Oh All right. Mr.. Dunwoodie
guess ye were right. My pipe would
make "A dog sick. and It's not lit for
the likes of ye." McCabe's brogue
grew broad when his anger was high.
He lit another pipe and whistled
zone Girl" As the odor saluted Dun
woode's nostrils he grew frantic lie
must have that pipe aud tobaccol II
was hours before lie could descend for
the incoming lie looked at MeCabe
who was smoking away as II uncon
scious of his presence. and II occurred
to Dunwoodie for the first time In his
life that McCabe was not bad sort
of man after all. lie was clean. sober
that is, reasonably so industrious
and he had the best and sunniest ma
ture In the world. Besides that. be
loved Pearl, and Pearl loved him. And
If 1t was not McCabe IL might be
worse very likely would be.
Dunwoodle cleared his throat.
"Mac" he said.
"Wellw
Lend liz your pipe-do. I'm perish
ing"
"Will ye Fave ME marry yer daugh
ter, MIR. Dunwoodiep
"fll Fave you anything" said thu
suffering one.
Put 1t down on paperf'
Anything, anything, If you'll only