Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-04-20
A KERRY
COWARD
BY Nj. Louise cummlns
. Copyright. 1914, bp r. C. Mcclure
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noon hour. the empty dinner pail which
hung from his locked fingers swinging
backward and forward rhythmically
between his knees.
His blue eyes. looking straight ahead.
held that blending of gullelessness and
mysticism which is the birthright of Il
religious people Down to the end OF
his short nose Mikes face might have
been fit study of fifteenth century
monk, but his mouth belied all that.
apparently having been formed for no
reason on earth but TO whistle an Irish
iig. and the sight of ii thus engaged
was sufficient TO cure one forever OF
the idea that life was duh.
At present his lips puckered more
than once. but only lone note. which
seemed to have gone astray from the
rest of the tune, issued from them.
Something began to grow In his eyes.
burning away their mysticism and re
vealing u suostratum of quicksilver.
"'Tisn't fair. be gobp'
He stood up and faced the brick wall
opposite, as though 1t was the president
of the wire works himself
"'Tis chances enough the workinm man
has to take anyhow
His voice stopped as IL broken.
Cringed into himself, he sank back on
the Stag. torn between the conviction
that twas fair" and the Irishman's
inherent adherence of Informing"
"An' sure, where'd be the useT' he
solloquized, his mental attitude seem
ing to descend despondently with his
body. Don't they know It's done, an
every day tooT'
But an hour later when the foreman
ordered him to replace large belt
from shafting to countershaft
while the machinery was In motion
Carney looked him quietly In the eyes
and refused.
His glance had measured the danger
first 1t was a particularly ugly job.
crammed near the ceiling. compared to
which the belt he had replaced that
morning was as childs play.
You'll not do it?''
Not while she's running I'll not do
It."
The foreman's strong young hands
closed and Enclosed at his sides He
was ten years the Irishman's jnnior
with his record still to make. The
eyes which answered Mikes narrowed
to points of steel. For & moment the
two men regarded each other with Ii
peculiarly still. fiat look.
You Kerry coward!'
The measured words were like the
hiss of escaping steel scalding the
Irishman's face. All the fighting blood
OF his race showed in the one Embossed
shaft of blue light that leaped from
his eyes. Like felled log the fore
man went down.
Very quietly Mike picked up his be-
longings and left the shop. Not even
the certainty that he had lost his job
and the beating thought Of Eve small
mouths at home to be fed could quell
the fierce satisfaction In what he had
done For an hour he walked. hug
ging it savagely to his breast. Then.
as he assembled the steps of his tene-
ment, Il seemed suddenly to ooze out
at his finger tips. Morals eyes, while
she stood on the small piazza hanging
out clothes. were as mirrors from
which all the grim, bare facts attendant
on being ''out of a job" looked back at
him with cruel distinctness.
Margaret Hartman leaned her arms
on the table and looked across the sill
yer and cut glass at her husband. Her
white face and wide open eyes still
held the RIGHTEOUSNESS of one who had
recently been In the darkness of a
great fear.
But the man." Hartman said, fin
gering his glass. II wish you had
found out his name, Constance"
Il know, dear; but. Henry" - her
hand went to her heart; Hartman felt
reproached as he watched the added
pallor of her face-"oh, 1t was all SO
sudden. so awful, those mad horses
with the trailing harness and wrecked
carriage, the fearful recklessness of 1t
as they came down the street! And
then when baby left Anna and came
toddling unconsciously across to where
sat on the piazza
There. dear, don't go over 1t any
uotts 1dTtlidu came fiEOuiiu the IN
BILE and put his hand on his wife's
shoulder.
"The man. she went on after a
pause. "has been hanging about here
lately. have fancied sometimes that
he wished to speak to you or me. When
had baby safely in my arms looked
at him-he had the kindliest blue eyes
and saw that he was very white.
But when / asked him IL he had been
hurt he said no, only bit of bruise
where the shaft grazed his shoulder.
1t was the quickness and GOODNESS with
which he did it, Henry, that stunned
me. And no sooner had he grabbed
baby than his mouth puckered in the
funniest way, and he sauntered I'D ia
me whistling an Irish jig"
Hartman's brows drew together.
ut couldn't be-of course not
"Who, dearf"