The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-09
THE SALT LAKE HERALD: SUNDAY AUGUST o. 1908 =

Tor l swore | would not drink again:
and 1 could not join the clubs and po-
iltical associations, for l was not
citizen any more. and | didn't care
about the dancing with the young folk.
They didn't want me at first, and by
and by. when the old thing was for
gotten, | didn't want 10 go to the
dances an balls any more-for I. was
not young. l found out. So 1 lived
around the lodging houses for good
many years, judge, your honor, until
got tired of that. and then i found
boarding house. That was when got
me steady job as teamster with Mis-
ter Beekman-"
Here the magistrate interrupted: 'T
see the Honorable Mr.. Beekman in the
court room. Danny, how did ye find
McGinnis as a teamster?"
He was all right, but | want to say,
your honor, now that | have the
chance. that what the newspapers said
about me coloniZing is dead wrong. Nc
Ginnis was not told by me TO register,
an as soon as | heard of what he was
up to | fired him on the spot"
'Oh, We did did We. Danny? Politician
all over. aren't ye? Have sinse of duty
too. | misdoubt. All right, Danny-go
on. McGinnis.
We'll in the boarding house IL met
Della Shaw-that's now Mrs McGinnis,
judge. your honor. Her ould sister kept
the boarding house, and Della didn't
have no easy time of it, That was
three years ago. judge, your honor-I
was getting old. getting on to so, your
honor. but-she seemed TO like me,
an
"Ye got married-and a good trick,
too. McGinnis." said the magistrate.
Judge, after | got married we moved
into little fiat. and had our own home,
your honor. that was good enough for
me. ! didn't want no better thing than
that And Del-Mrs. McGinnis-she-l
guess she made il the home it was
judge, your honor. Judge when | went
home at night and found the supper on
the table and the evening paper and
the little lamp with the red shade she
bought so we wouldn't strain our eyes
be the gas-judge@"
Tears were streaming froh the prls-
oner's red-rmmed eyes AS he looked
up at the magistrate. Mrs. McGinnis
sat now with bowed head, softly and
slowly rocking her body to and fro.
''All right. McGinnis," said the ma
gistrate. In softer voice than ever be-
fore II think | can understand how We
felt have a home av me own, bedad.
Go on"
Mrs McGinnis did a lot OF reading.
your honor. and she was interested in
the politics, too. That was our first
trouble, for / had been so long away
from all that, you understand that |
had forgotten all--it was new to me as
to the immigrants, your honor. ! said
as much-not telling her why, for l al
ways knew that if she knew about me
prison record that-Well. judge. there
would have been no home, that's sure.
The Shaws, her family, were very re-
spectacle people, your honor. But me
wife thought il shameful for a man
not to be interested in politics. She |
made trouble when l did not vote at the |
last election-and when this one came |
on-judge your honor. she asked me
as a favor to her to vote, and do me
duty"
Ohio" said the magistrate-"that
was the duty you mean?"
No. judge. your honor" said McGin- |
mis-, 1T was me duty to my wife. I was
ready to do all / could to make her |
feel contented. An. besides. she woke |
me up, judge / began to feel as | did |
years back-ashamed and sorry OF
being cut from the polls. and not TO be |
like the other men in the district. And |
then / said to myself-Wholl remember |
the old thing against me now? I've
been an honest man for thirty years |
I'll register and vote with the others, |
| says to myself. An. judge, your
honor, when il comes right down to il. /
know men with a worse record than |
mine who vote every year"
You are right as trivet, McGin- !
MIS-" said Magistrate Dwyer. And a |
good many of them belong in the jail |
where We never did belong. So We made |
up your mind TO register"
Yes. judge, your honor"
And thin your dear friend Misther |
Pagan put a spoke in your wheel. An !
a.
Yes. | do know. judge, your honor" |
said McGinnis. for the first time
Strengthening up from his shambling |
position and turning glance of SOM |
bre fury on Pagan, who sullenly turned |
his eyes to the floor. He is a blac,- |
guard, and l tell you so. Three days |
ago we were going from the stable to-
gether after work, and I picked up a |
purse in the gutter near Solomon's |
poolroom. There was nigh fifty dol |
lars in it. Pagan was keen to have me |
divide with him. as he had seen it when |
did. and | only got II first by me
quick dive
We'll that was only fair McGinnis. . |
Yes. Judge your honor. but the |
owners name was on a card in the |
purse. and I said. of course, it must |
go back 10 him. Pagan said l was a
fool He said Bill DIVERT was his |
purse. judge-Hayed more than fifty |
on each race, and won, too. and would |
never miss this bit But. judge. sure
could never take home any twenty-five |
dollars 10 Mrs McGinnis that | got |
that way--so | took the purse to BILLY |
Oliver"
''And so that's why Misther Pagan
was oppressed by his sinse of duty to
squeal on you to the deputy. Ell? Fa-
gan. We scamp" Dryers voice rose to
a roar. Make yerself scarce in a hur-
ry," Pagan obeyed.
And so, Judge" continued McGin-
MIS- again relapsing into his humble
pose, Il went to register, and then the
deputy he-he said what he said.
Il went to McConnelrs saloon across
the street and took the first drink of
whisky ] had tasted in thirty years.
And then another-and another-judge.
your honor, | couldn't get the stuff
down fast enough, I wanted to forget
right away l knew ! would be ar
rested And Mr.. Beekman saw me in
the saloon, and came in and bounced
| don't know any more
until I woke up in the cell last night
and | nearly went crazy. judge, your
honor"
Again the muscles in the scraggy
throat convulsively strained and twist
ed. and the parched lips writhed as II
f@,-