The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-06-07
Reformation of
Daniel O'Beirne
By E. GRAFTON N1ccANTS
Copyright, by Joseph Il. Bowies.)

| night with q friend OF my Irlend, ana
| afterward had gone on again. There
| fore, on account of the distance and
the WEAKNESS of two days fishing, ]
had sent a message to my negro serv-
ant, Jordan telling him to meet me
with my horses at the lower bridge,
where the river intersects what is
known as the Watts ferry road.
1t was still early when we reached
the appointed spot, the wind blowing
out of the south brought to our nos
| trils the resinous smell of the pines,
and faint, sweet odor of jessamine
and bay. Wash Bozeman heaved a
sigh of relief, drew from his pocket
corncob pipe and proceeded to get it
| alight
Come over an set down an smoke,
squire" he invited "Ther Niger an
Their bosses haint got here yit, an,
anyhow, a res'ful man 'ull alters find
time fer res. Come over an set on
root an let there ole worp wag
awhile"
Seeing the futility OF protest
packed up my tackle and came across
| the road. Overhead was the summer
sky, on either hand the lush green of
| the timbered bottoms, in front OF us
the long bridge, with the yellow water
| mounting and muttering against the
| resistent piers.
Across the stream the highway ran
| for space between the overarching
trees, then it climbed hill, upon the
summit of which we could see nett
white cottage with green blinds-a
cottage with roses in front of 1t and
| sunflowers in the back yard. Raising
my hand, motioned toward the
house.
"OBeirne's?" l asked, turning to
Wash.
My friend withdrew his pipe and
| emitted volume of smoke.
Vas" he replied, "that thar is Dan
| ny's house-Danny O'Beirne, what
| married Kathie Fallon here month
| or so back. Looks ruther nifty, don't
| hit?'
| considered a moment. The house
| looked nice enough, but the last time
that remembered seeing Danny I
had been his attorney in the Bellville
| police court, he being arraigned at the
| time on charge of drunkenness. |
knew Kathie Fallon, too-Old man Fal-
| Ion was friend of mine, and Kathie,
a lass of Irish descent, with gray eyes
and long, dark rashes. A good enough
man was OBeirne when sober but
the combination of gray eyes and dark
lashes is fetching one, and the
thought of the man coming home in
his cups and of Kathie meeting him
with quivering lips moved me to i'm
patience and to a subtle discomfort.
WELL" | remarked, affecting res
| ignation that did not feel, "a woman
| will have her way, but wonder If
Kathie is fully content now that she
| has chosen hers?'
Wash answered nonchalantly.
| "Why?" he queried, why shd not the
girl be pleased? Danny's fine-lookin'
"a little reckless bout work, mebbe,
| but yit Their kind NV man at a woman
mostly likes"
"Oh, yes I admitted, "he looks
very WELL and is Industrious, no doubt,
but you know Danny, Wash-he will
get drunk, and Kathie deserves better
| than that"
My friend arose and shook his head
decisively. NO" he objected, ''he
won't git drunk, squire-not now, he
won't. pintedly kyored i'm NV tibet
sort NV foolishness a good bit afore
his weddin' day"
Now, Wash is not naturally meddle-
some-such a disposition would inter
| fere seriously with his attitude of re-
pose-neither Is he averse to taking
"a little for his stomach's sake"
hence the idea of his acting as a re-
former seemed ridiculous one to me.
Your l asked, scornfully. How
did you cure Danny? Did you attempt
to drink all the whisky, so that none
would be left for him.
Wash puffed diligently at his pipe
and then removed it again. so fur ez
| kin tell" he remarked, impersonally,
''thars jest ez much lkker afoat ez
thar ever wuz. You know tibet much,
squire, an eff anybody doubted hit,
look at yo' nose nd be convincin'
argument.
But ter git back ter Danny. I
kyored i'm shore, though l KANT say
at lowed ter do Their job when fust
| started out. Fact is at doubts
right now whe'er either he or Kathie
ever foun out jest who his physician
wuz. Anyhow, in them days Dan wuz
q courtin Kathie an Kathie wuz
holdin off. Nigh ez | c'ud make hit
out she wuz a lovin' him some, but
she wuz pow'ful afeard Nv them drink.
in ways. Ole man Fallon, he lived not
fur FIN me then, an one day some
movers FIN Nawth Kyarlina come
long waterway an gin Their ole man
a little cub bar. Wall, sir, whilst Dan
wuz courtin' Kathie Their bar hit wuz
a CROWN. Like Dan Their little black
vilyun thort heap NV Kathie an.
like Kathie, hit sort NV TUX a likin'
ter Dan. So yer see hit wuz kind Nv