Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1904-06-17

A KERRY
COWARD
By M. Louise Cummlns
Copyright, 1905, by T. C. MoClu,

backward and forward rhythmically
between his knees.
His blue eyes, looking straight ahead,
held that blending Of guilelessness and
mysticism which Is the birthright OF a
religious people Down to the end Of
his short nose Mikes face might have
been At 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
| Jig, and the sight Of 1t thus engaged
was sufficient to cure one forever Of
the idea that life was dull.
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 substratum of quicksilver.
"'Tisn't fair, be gobr
| He stood up and faced the brick wall
opposite. as though 1t was the president
OF the wire works himself.
"'Tis chances enough the workin' ma n
has to take anyhow
His voice stopped as II broken.
Cringed into himself. he sank back on
the Stag, torn between the conviction
that twas fair" and the Irlshman's
inherent adherence of Informing"
AN sure, where'd be the user he
sollloquized, his mental attitude seem
body. Don't they know tits done, an
every day too"
But an hour later when the foreman
ordered him to replace large belt
from a shaftlng 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 child's play.
you'll not do itT'
mot while she's running I'll not do
It,"
The foreman's strong young hands
closed and Enclosed at his sides lie
was ten years the Irishmans junior
with his record still to make. The
eyes which answered Mikes narrowed
to points of steel. For a moment the
two men regarded each other with d
peculiarly still. fat 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 a 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 five small
mouths at home to be fed could quell
the fierce satisfaction In what he had
done. For an hour he walked, hug
ging 1t savagely to his breast. Then,
as he assembled the steps of his tene-
ment, II seemed suddenly to ooze out
at his finger tips. Nora's eyes, while
she stood on the small piazza hanging
out clothes, were as mirrors from
which all the grim, bare facts attendant
| Ou DtlilH Jul VI u Jul lOOhtu DHCh Mt
him with cruel dlstlnctness
| 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"
~ know, dear; but. Henry" 80 her
hand went to her heart; Hartman felt
reproached as he watched the added
pallor OF her face--"oh, It was all so
sudden, 30 awful, those mad horses
with the trailing harness and wrecked
carriage, the fearful recklessness OF II,
AZ 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 II any
more" Hartman came around the Ia
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
ut him-he had the kindliest blue eyes
and saw that he was very white.
But when I asked him II he had been
hurt he said no, only bit Of brulse
where the shaft grazed his shoulder
II was the quickness and GOODNESS with
which he did II, Henry, that stunned
me. And no sooner had he grabbed
baby than his mouth puckered In the
funniest way, and he sauntered up to
me whistllng an Irish Jig"
Hartman's brows drew together.
at couldn't be-of course not
"Who, dearT
Carney. my little jig whistler. And
that reminds me that 1 haven't seen
him around since | got home"
The superintendent OF the Letting
ton wire works went quickly into his
library. A moment later his wife
heard him calling up his assistant by
| tolepnOne'
Mike stood In the Hartmann library
two hours later. His sensitive face
worked as he turned a shabby hat
round and round by the brim.
"oh, sure, twas nothing, ma'am.
I've got Ave o. thin meself at home"
he said deprecatingly.
How does II happen that you're not
working, Carneyr The superinteDd-
ent looked at him keenly.
well. sir, you SEQ, twas this way:
Meself an Harrington had bit OF q
disagreement about belt and-a"--
"WellT
Hartman's eyes held his. compelling
the truth.
"Mr. Hartman, Sir''-the words rush
ed from the Kerry coward in a chok-
ing blurt--"I once seen man tore to
1 Il A.. N.fA