Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-09-08
DENNY
nx LANDS MILLS
ocopyrisht. 1891, BIZ the Short Story Pub. Company
All Rights Heserved.)


engineer with the Golden Crown Min
ing company. at Red Dog. At the time
il raised by several notches, in my opin-
ion. those rough miners with whom
was so constantly associated; and in
later years have often recalled it when
the course of events has brought me
face to face with the hypocrisy OF a
large city.
Il was told me the eve before st. Pat
rick's day, for remember having start
ed for ball given by the Irish element.
The night was clear and cold, but the
wind was so sharp that was chilled
through, and stopped at the Travellers
Rest for warming glass Of stimulant.
pushed open the door-the old bull
let-searred door. with its heavy hinges
and entered the bar-room. The usual
crowd was not in evidence, and OF the
five occupants, four were in the act OF
taking their departure. They carried
their shoyels with them and as they
passed me and went out on the windy
street they wished me a good evening.
The door closed behind them, and was
left alone with Parson Sam.
walked to the big stove, and while
warming my hands asked if the boys
were going to work that night.
Sam pulled at his pipe, and replied:
mo-"
| remarked the fact that they had
their shovels with them, and asked for
what use they were intended. Sam
took the pipe from his mouth, expec-
torated in the direction of the base OF
the bar, and replied: Coin TO give
Denny an airin'."
"And what is the matter with Denny,
and where is he?' | asked.
'Nothin' at present" he replied;
'he's in the cemetery on the hill"
'Dead?" l asked.
YES" he replied.
"And who was Dennyr
A look of surprise came over his face
as he asked: You haven't heard of
Denny. Mr.. Hopkins?" and then. after
a moments pause. he added: We'll,
maybe that amt so strange, after all.
You've only been in Red Dog some
six or eight months, and Denny died
just five years ago, comm tomorrow. .
And why do they remember him so
we'll now?" asked.
Sam removed his arm from the back
of his chair, rested his elbows on his
knees, and. gazing through the open
door Of the stove at the Pickering flames,
told me the story of Denny.
"You see, Denny was sorter mild like,
awfully gentle and quiet spoken, you
know. SO the boys didn't pay much at
tention to him, 'cept when they were
in bad humor, and wanted some one 20
take it out on. He took ii all in quiet,
good-natured sort of way, never thinkin'
of hittin' back, so we all thought he
didn't have no sand. Atleast that's what
we thought until that st. Patrick's day
about which I'm tellin' you.
There was a good deal of drinkin'
goin' on the night before, and four
patriotic Irishmen kept it UP until they
were regular blind. They were sorry
lot when they showed up for work thu
next day, and the boss gave them a
regular raking down.
THAT mornin' was the first time I
ever saw Denny show any temper. He
was mad clear through at the thought
of workin' on ST. Patrick day, and re-
fused to take his pick out of the tool
shed. When the boss comes up to
him. and asks what's the matter,
Denny Just points to the green rib
bon pinned on the front of his shirt.
and says: It's st. Patrick's day. ard
I don't work
Amy other man would have beea
given his walkin' papers as quick rs
shootin' but somehow or other, the
boss always made an allowance for
Denny.
"'But we can't stop work, Denny.
he says.
Denny stood sort of stubborn-like,
and replied: Well. you oughter have
some sort of celebration, or, at least.
run up green flag over the office
"The boss was for humorin' him.
and says: And we are goin' to ceis-
brate. At ten o'clock we be a-goin' to
fire of blast, in honor of old ST.
Pat, that will blow all the snakes out
If Ireland
At ten?' says Denny.
+" Yes. at ten.' replies the boss.
THAT sort of satisfied him. With
out another word he grabbed his pick.
and went after the boys, a-singin'
some Irish song.
''The boss wasn't jokin'. for Just
about the time he said. he called all
hands TO quit work. and the engineer
came in. and placed the dynamite
cartridge and the machine for settin'
il off.
I'VE all got at a safe distance, aEe
stood there awaitin' the explosion.
Denny was almost beside himself with
delight. and, steppin' out a little dis
lance in advance. he called ont for
his pal. Jim. TO join him and see the
snakes come wrigglin' out of the shaft
But Jim didn't answer. for he wasn't
there.
s'The engineer. who was a-holdin' his
watch, seem that things went OF On
time, turned round when he heard
this. and got awful white. 1t didn't
take no time for us to find We Were
four shy, and them four the ones tina.
had been so drunk the night before. Not
a man spoke, 'cept the engineer. and
he said: My Cod We all knew thenl
fellers were still in the mine.
Then it was that Denny made tbs
60 of us out TO TO towards, and him
hero. Without q word, he ducked
his hsad a'tween his shoulders aud