The Washington herald., 1909-08-29
$50 you were the bye that fed him. ?"

bic Of inventing a suitable explanation
Of Michears departure. for he himself
appeared TO be the only person interest
ed. The little household went on quite
smoothly without Michael. Mrs. Keefe
accepted the news without her usual fire
OF comment AS for Cecilia, McGirr. re-
fectIng bitterly on the ways % women.
judged that there had been small need 10
drive Michael out for the sake Of a girl
who was amusing herself ioyously with
/ half dozen young men. and most OBJ
viously with the son OF the very Slovak
who had once employed Michael
Otto Slovak was not Of the grocer type
His father had started him in a small
DRY goods store on First avenue and the
young fellow was making an astonishing
success Of IT, He was a few years older
than Michael, slight, graceful, and lively
and he entertained Cissy vastly.
Night after night for weeks after MI
chaeTs withdrawal Patrick McGirr found
Slovak In the little parlor. Sunday after
Sunday Cissy went walking with Otto in
the afternoons until the sight OF the Vi
vacious Czech began to get on Patrick's
nerves Then, too, Cecilia worried him
She was losing her sweet. slow ways
She chartered and giggled necessarily
with Slovak and tossed her read hair
into higher crest until her beauty
glowed almost angTily. One day she
laughed in her fathers sour face.
Don't you like Otto. papa?"
McGirr grunted something noncommit-
tai
Don't you think he'd be a good match
for me. pop with his store, and his good
education, and Mr.. Slovaks row Of
houses?"
Sure" said Patrick McGirr. sourly.
''ye don't need the store and the good
education and the row of houses. we've
got ali that. Why don't you look for
mann"
Cissy laughed. loudly cheerfuny.
"Oh. I'm looking" she said. You
haven't any one in mind for me. papa? %
mo. haven't" said Patrick McGirF
heavily
He had been keeping an eye out for
Michael these last few weeks, and won
dered where the new route lay. He felt
that he could not humble himself TO make
inquiries, hut as the winter days passed
without a sign Of the old horse and cart
he concluded that Michael had dropped
out Of the neighborhood FOR good
Usually Patrick kept out OF the way OF
Cissy's company, but that night he was
in the little parlor when Otto called.
Michael and he had felt that they had
furnished that parlor in a manner worthy
Of Cissy and credftable to their own
taste. but secretly both men preferred the
dining-room, where there was plenty OF
room on the table for the lamp and the
newspapers and the checker board after
the red cloth had been put on.
Otto. never at a loss, kept up a cheerful
conversation with the old man while he
waited for the girl. But McGirr had one
point In view. and he got to It Just as
Cecilia came in.
"You used to be great friends with
Mickey Winn. Don't you see nothin' Of
him ncwadays7"
Otto stared at him in frank astonish-
ment.
What Didn't you know, Mr.. McGirr7''
Patrick MeGirr scowIed at the dapper
young man angrily.
Know? Know what?"
That Mickey VIM has been in the
hospital three weeks
He has pneumonia. but he's doing
pretty WELL" said Cissy. so calm and
kindly that her father could cheerfullv
have shaken her. 'Otto's been very
good. He's been round TO see him twice "
Twice." growled McGirr. Il should
hope so. What about Daniel OConnell?"
Daniel O'Connell?" The gentIemanIy
Otto turned bewildered TO Cecilia.
Daniel O'Connell." Cecilia explained
Is that queer old horse Michael had"
oh" said Otto. Il don't know what
became OF 1t. he had a stall for It round
N an old stable on Seventy-fourth street
/ guess they looked after It.
Looked after IT." exploded McGlrr.