Warren sheaf., 1910-02-24
mite q q back porch bending over ,ne

u Dennis opened the kitchen Il doc,
with strange sinking at his heart;
Fhe feared Maggie must be isiick. TaVfth
In, the IRE burned brfghtly and the
floor and table were scrubbed to The
last degree Of -whiteness, but Maggie
was nowhere visible: He tiptoed soft
" through the bedroom which was IN
like state Of immaculate neatness
| and on the threshold OF the little
parlor he paused, his mouth falling
open in establishment, 81 For Maggie
sat In the rocking chair and her usu
| ally busy hands were folded, idly in
her lap. A bit of bright colored rib
bon was twisted in her hair, and in
her freshly ironed blue dress and
starched white apron she presented 60
festive an appearance that involun.
tarily, Dennis cast his eyes over the
room in search of the company he
felt sure must be somewhere con.
cealed. But he saw only Molly and
young Dennis, awed into unaccus.
toned good behavior and sitting stin.
ly on the hard little sofa with the
baby between them. 49," A"~.
Maggie greeted him beamingly.
Sure, and I'm on strike, meself,' ~
she explained: TITS eight hours I
want, an I'll do no more Washing,
savin' yer own and the bits o. things
for the children" ,--..|
ITS not eight hours work ye've done
this day, Maggie Murphy" he pro-
tested.
"lndade, then an it is" Maggie in
sisted. Il cooked yer breakfast, Den
MS. and gave the children a
Eath-'
"Ye're never after calling that work.
Maggie, darlin'," Dennis objected in a
tone of deep disgust
"lndade and it was hard work"
Maggie protested. and the three on
The sofa nodded a vigorous assent
Dennis abandoned the argument
I'm after wonderin' where the
moneys to come from while the
strikes on" he said, gloomily. Mag
gle rocked placidly, and smoothed out
the crease in her apron.
There's enough money put by to
last out the week" she said. An be-
like by that time the strike will be
off,"
But Dennis knew that she referred
to the official strike, and his heart
was heavy within him
Three days went by, and the official
strike still -.
ditto.
Sure an it's a grand thing to only
work eight hours" Maggie said. 81
don't blame ye for strikin', Dennis.
An with the washin' of my hands I
feel that aisy and rested like. An
I've plenty of time to see to the chill
dren. They do be the cleanest in the
block these days.
r But. Dennis scowled .fiercely, for
the question of money was becoming
| serious one, and the strike wore
upon his nerves. ~
Nine hours, work amt too much
tor a man. he muttered. mo, nor ten.
either, And Maggie knew, that she
had scored a point. ,...
~ The next day Dennis became diplo-
matte. 1T does, me, heart good to, see
,ye these days, Maggie darlin';r ye're
look1n' so foine an rosy like. But |
am 4wonderin' how: sitHl. be, when the
moneys all gone and. yell have to
stop attn. Yer: good looks will. be
,leav1n' We then, Maggie, ,darlin'."''; =,
Sure an me good looks is all OWN
to the rest that I'm after hayin',"1 Mag.
gle replied with, spirit An If l
must give up the: food. that I'm atm
or, the rest that I'm havin', it's the
food III be after goin'' without, Den.
mis-, Murphy"
And Dennis realized that the unof1i.
cial strike had come to stay.
At supper the next day Maggie
served generous helpings of .5savnory
stew.
" Sure an We must ate all ye can"
she said, for now the money do be
all gone an there's nothin left for
the mornin' but some bread an cold
pertatoes." -. s.:.-.. ..'~...'>
AN it's the hard-hearted woman
ye are, Maggie Murphy, to sit by and
see yer children 60 hungry when We
might aisy be earnin' money by takin'
in bit of washin'." 1''9c -a7"
Sure an they're yer children, too,
Dennis Murphy" Maggie flung back:
I"An' its your place to '"be earn1n'
money" I'll cook for them an wash
their bits of clothes an look after
them good and faithful, but not a
finger will + ever lift again to earn
money e <~1dJ ,ai"'.~..' j12 {
(1GAnd that night Dennis went heavy
hearted to bed, for he knew that the
unofficial strike had won. ~s1@.:nt {
|.@"Hurry up "wid me breakfast, Mag,
gle darlin'," he said the next morning.
Pm after goin' back to me work this
mornin'. An I'l1 lave the union. bad
cess to them: Sure, an its lowerin'
to aman's dignity to be ordered round
by them unions. I'll not be rstandin,
Fit no more:''f2E I JHl': 2E5< nH.TH3I'"
II 'EYe're =; foine man. Tonr;. E.hr..s.