The Washington herald., 1909-08-29

IS MN. SclAA uAAANh NAA1AAAH
Cecilia smiled forgivingly. looking
through and through dark Michael. as he
leaned against the shoulder OF his old
horse. She was large. young goddess,
red-golden and calm. Twelve years with
the Sisters had merely aecentuated a
gentle self-poise which was as natural to
her as her quiet movements and her slow
smile
1t seemed barbarous and incredible TO
Michael that he had ever dared vigorous
" 70 thump so stately young person.
even at the early age OF FIVE He was all
ignorant even now that he was response
bic for her long residence with the Ladies
OF the Sacred Heart
Cecilia, however. had always held him
strictly accountable. and Patrick McGirr
had kept the grievance fresh in her mind
by rehearsing the tale occasionally when
he visited her at the convent. How the
lean. blackish. scowling youngster had
descended furiously upon her as She
with others. skipped gayly IN the wake OF
the drunken lady" who was Michael
WINS mother.
The life Of the blackish Mickey had
been one long campaign. but girls he
rightly considered outside the pale OF
civilized warfare: He tried to hurry the
staggering woman along, ignoring the
shrill taunts and dramatic prancings OF
the feminine imps in the rear. But when,
looking over his shoulder. he saw Cissy
McGirr. fat, adorable. baby-faced. by
some negligence escaped in her best
clothes from the yard in front Of the junk
shop. saw her join the mocking process
sion a sick shame mingled with his ever
present anger. He held or for a minute
but when Cissy. inspired by the example
of an older girl. began TO reel and stagger
with conscientious realism, Michael fell
upon her.
Cecilia remembered to this day the vio-
lent shaking he had administered with all
the wiry strength OF his eleven years At
the time she had been more frightened
by his face OF tortured anger and It's
dark intensity as he dropped her inside
her own gate
Go tell your father what 7 did" said
Mickey VIM. AN tell him II he wants
20 lick me. I'm working for Slovak
nights"
Cissy fed. shocked and weeping. to the
great arms Of Patrick, who heard the
tale with Unsurpassed chuckles. He did
not forgive Michael's high-handedness,
however. and shortly had a word with
Slovak. That night Slovak told Michael
&c carry big basket Of groceries around
10 McGirr's.
Well" said the grocer impatlently as
the boy hesltated, what's the matter nit
you? You amt taken no stolen junk to
Mr.. McGirr. hey nOt2'
No" said Michael, 7 amt in the
stolen junk business and went logged
ly. but with tagging feet He felt like
very small boy indeed when he swung
open the yard gate and Patrick McGirr
doomed large before him.
"Oh," said McGirr. you're the bye that
bates girls. Why don't We get after some
Of the byes that torment your mother
God save the poor soul. she was pretty
girl, was Mary Guilfoil-and lave little
five-year-Old Childer to their play?"
Micheal set the basket down so that he
could Zee without impedimenta when
Pstrick McGirr's wrath sought physical
expression.
I had to stop her" he said, Offering
his proposition very seriously to the big
man who lowered above him-offering it
reasonably and without self-righteous-
ness. "She was trailing through the mud
after me mother. It made me sick to see
her. You Oughter look after her and not
McGirr instead Of Offering him bodily
violence, stared hard at him. HE had
lost his two little sons. Cissy's elder
brothers.
GO on into the kitchen with your bas-
ket," said he CURLY, "and don't be layin' |
violent hands on other peoples childer |
As far Cesaylia, I'm sending her TO the |
convent tomorrow. so she won't be an |
ncying you nor your mother for many a |
long day, Mickey VIM"
OH" said Mickey VIM, with open
eyes and mouth. for all the neighborhood |
knew how Patrick McGirr chung to his 1
little red-haired daughter.
SO for twelve years the nelghborhood |
saw no more Of Cecilia, for in the sum |
mers Patrick McGirr sent her up on q |
farm in Duchess County to grow more |
like young ceres than ever. For Mich |
ael that incident was closed
Patrick McGirr had taken a strong Tx |
Ing TO him, however, which made him a /
good friend. He watched Micheal plod- |
ding along. working here and there IN /
grocery stores and butcher shops and 1
factories, Keeping his wretched mother /
out Of the streets and watching keen |
eyed for an independent chance At last, |
when Patsy AIcKenna went TO Omaha, |
Micheal was able TO take over patsy's /
-tN+NN RAAA NaAA ullu int sbDQ VIII OF = /
Furnishing route. Michael peddled pota-
toes, he peddled oranges and cabbages
and rubber plants, and had even vended, /
10 large financial advantage. wagon loads /
OF Long Island rabbits, much beloved of !
the Czech element on the Eastern bou-
levsrd
Then Patcirk McGirr. convinced that
this Yves a young man after his own
heart, made him a fattering ofrer, and !
Micheal VIM became first assistant In /
the junk business, and finally, when poor /
Mary Guilfoil died, came to have a room /
in McGirr's house. while the ancient |
horse led luxuriously with McGirr's 1
chunky cob.
The two men kept bachelors hall very |
happily together. and both were some
what aghast when. on her seventeenth |
birthday Cecilia wrote with simple final /
ity that she had decided TO come home.
7 suppose" said Michael tentatively, /
I'd best get me room around the cor |
ner."
McGirr stared, surprised.
What use would We be to me around /
there?'' said he. Keep your room. But |
we'll have to get a housekeeper, for you
couldn't expect convent-bred girl like /
Cissy to know much about runnin' a
house"
They spent the next ten days IN a fury
OF housekeeping and refurnishing, so
that the little frame house next 70 the
junk shop presented a holiday face when
Cecilia came home. Even the mass Of
junk In the shop was piled in more sym
metrical heaps, and the yard was raked
clear OF every chip and rag and rusty
hoop.
Cecilia took it all in with her sweet and
leisurely gaze. She liked IT, the house
and the junk shop and the housekeeper