Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-08-09
PATRICK'S SURPRISE.
BY LEoRA B. ROBINSON.


we must take things aisy and not
be worritin. But shure my mon
Teddy's been able to support us
both and the pig, and we've never
spent clint of Patrick's money.
The bye's been phromisin' to COON
to see us every year. He says he's
a dimocrat and gettip' on in the
world. And now we're gOin' to
America to shuprise i'm. Oh, l wish
you could see the jye of him whin
! he looks in the face of his ould
faythr and mither again.
"Ain't he niver married ?" asked
Mrs. Malone.
mo! no! He loves his ould
mither too well fur that, Pm think
ing. Iniver saw the girl yit could
hold candle to i'm"
you're blessed with a good son,
Mrs. O'DOnahue. It's the envy
you are of the neighbors. | wish
you a good journey and a happy
mating. Goodbye
The few household goods were
sold. The old cabin was aban-
dOned. and Mr.. and Mrs. O'Dona-
hue, with their things packed in a
chest, came with JOY of heart
across the ocean to surprise their
boy who had been in America u
years.
In the steerage they were friend
ly, and their very happiness made
friends for them. The old folks
going to surprise their son in New
York we're people to know, and
among the aristOcracy of the steer
age none outranked them.
"Shure, Teddy" cried Mrs.
O'Donahue, when they had found
their way to their sons address,
otis a hotel where our Patrick
lives. Did you liver see the loikes
of it? Look! 1t stretches from
strate to strate and from airth
to hivinr
"ShO, now mind your manners,
Bridget O'DOnahue, and don't be
putin the bye to shame with your
ignorance. You better kape the
tongue of We in your head till /
give We a sign to wag it. For if
Patrick lives in house like this,
he must be workin' for quality. I
reckin we'd better be fOindin' our
way round to the back dure and
askin' if we kin sphake a word
wild de bye, if he has tonne to lave
his work."
The old couple with stick and
bag walked round the block, but
it was all alike, sOlid-all front
dor. There was nothing to do
but to return to the number treas
ured in their memories as the place
of the abode of their darling son
A bluecOat, seeing their gazing
hesitancy, approached them with
stOlid face which lightened at the
sound of the brOgue fresh from
the shamrock, and said with al
accent polished by 20 years on the
force: eyes, Patrick O'DOnahuf
lives here. There is his name or
the dure. A great man he is, too
All the boys shout by him"
"Did We hear that, Teddy? How
tickled he'll be to have us see hin
in the glory of it! Coon"
They mounted the long, broad
stone stairway, and stood at the
portal of tiles and crystal bedaz
element, and Teddy with his re
strained big fists knocked softly
There was no response.
ooh, Teddy, don't you remem
Der how Patrick wrote all you
have to do in New York for any
thing is press button and it hap
pens. And he said he'd been press
in buttons liver since he came
over? IshuppOse that's the trad,
of himp
eyes, do remember that same
but where's the buttOn?"
They looked all in vain. The!
saw nothing such as they had eve
sewed on breaches or gown, anC
Teddy knocked again, this time
as loud as ever his fists coulC
pound; but it was only dull thud
lost in the noises of the street.
The policeman who had beer
kppDinU an owe on them came bacl