The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-02-27

or pleasure. 'once He said: That
fellow has caught my idea," and once:
That's right" but there was no. AMI.
!, nation in hts voice, no interest in his
rallid face. Stealing a furtive scru-
tiny OF 1t, now and then, Rupert Win.
tor was impressed with its mystical
likeness to that Of Cary Mercer.
There was no physical similarity. Of
color or feature; It was likeness of
the spirit rather than tho flesh. Tho
coloners eyes flashed.
Il have it," he exclaimed within.
II have it; they are fanatics, both Of
them; Keatcham's a fanatic Of finance
and Mercer Is q fanatic Of another
sort; but fanatics they both are, ready
to 60 any length for their principles or
their ambitions or their revenge!
J,ai trouve lie mot d'enigme, as Aunt
Becky would say wonder what she'll
say to this sudden psychological
splurge Of NINE"
"The business hour is up"-it was
Miss Smith entering with bowl on a
white .covered tray; the SUN glinted
the lump Of ice in the milk and the
silver spoon was dazzling against the
linen-"your biscuit and milk, Mr..
Keatcham. Didn't you have it when
you were q boy?"
Il did, Miss Janet and Keatcham
actually smiled. II used to think
crackers and milk the incest thing in
the world"
'"rhat is because you never tasted
corn pone and milk; but you are 60
Ing tor
I when you make II. for me. I'm glad
4 you're such a good cook. It's one of
= your ways L like. My mother was .
Z very good cook. She could make bet
lster dishes out Of almost nothing than
Il these mongrel chefs can make with
!. the whole world" @s
II reckon she could" said Miss
/; Smith: she was speaking sincerely.
s When my father didn't strike pay
dirt, my mother would open her bak-
i cry and make pies for the miners;
: she could make bread with potato
yeast or 'salt-emptins'-can you make
4.saltrsing bread?"
J. V0AT W0A0 you HVI00
morrow" II.
4 4ss; 'I'd like 1t. Ny mother used to make
moro money than my father; some
!. finlsI han Swa children were Low In
4 olothss and dad owed bigger lot OF
! money than usual, We had q laundry
4 ct our house as well as q bakery.
] Yet. in spite Of all the work, my
I mother found time to teach all of us:
!. and she knew how to teach, too; for
!. she was principal Of q school when
! my father married her. She was q
i New Highlander; 50 was hes but they
! went west. We're forty.niners. saw
4 the place where our little cloth-and-
board shack used to stand. After the
] big fire. you know. It burned US all
mp: We had saved good deal and
my mother had nice bakery. She
worked too hard; It killed her. Work
and struggle and losing the children"
N They died?" said Miss Janet.
~ "Diphtheria. They didn't know any.
: thing about the disease then. We all
i had it; and my little sister and both
my brothers died: but I'm tough. I
lived. MY mother fell into what they
.scalled . decline. was making lit
{ Tie money then-I was Is; but I
couldn't keep her from working. Per-
haps it made no difference; but it did
make difference her not having the
the right kiAd Of food. Nobody knew
anything about consumption then. l
used to go out In the morning and be
afraid I'd find her dead when / got
back. One night did, He stopped
abruptly, crimsoning up to his eyes
80 don't know why I'm telling you all
|. this" s.f..s
L Il call that tough"-as the colonel
s.blurted out the words, he was con-
sscious of a sense of repetition. When
had he said those very same words
before, to whom? OF all people in the
ssEworld, to Cary Mercer. Mighty
4 tough" murmured he softly.
:-s eyes," said Keatcham, "it was" He
did not say anything more. Neither
did the colonel. Keatcham obediently
ssate hts milk and biscuit; and very
shortly the colonel took his leave.
The next morning after an unevent.
,.ful hour Of sorting, reading and an
.swering letters for Miss Smith to copy
ron the travelling typewriter, Keatcham
gave his new secretary a sharp sensa-
s:tion; he ordered In his quiet but per-
semptory fashion,: Now put that trash
i away: sit down; tell me all you know
s0f Cary-real name is Cary Mercer,
isn't it," $ + Il K b Mi 81
The. colonel said It was: he asked
1 him II he wanted everything. ID iss
4 Everything. Straight. Without .
fhaser," snapped Keatcham.
{ 7; The colonel gave it to him. He be.
gan with his own acquaintance; he
4ofd about Phil Mercer; he did not slur
d detail !; d neither did he undersccre
one; Keatchams got the uncolored
4 facts. He. heard them impassiyely,
making only one comment: "a great
deal Of damage would be saved IA this
world if youngsters could be shut up