The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-06-17
THE STRIKE OF JOHN KELLY
LOCAL.
(By James Gardner Sanderson.)

ing swing of Johnny's arm failed tC
follow. Instead of this usual maneu
yer, her son caught the hand and held
it, looking angrily and fearlessly into
her eyes. Annie gasped in bewilder
ment and struggled weakly. The sig
nifcance Of the resistance became
suddenly clear, and she cast herself
into the low chair beside the window
"Wurra!" she sobbed "Wurra! Oh
Johnny! Oh, Johnny boy!"
She rocked her body to and fro, and
the walls lost nothing in volume by
reason of the apron over her head
Her son eyed her in disfavor.
"Aw, cut it out" he muttered I'M
easily. "Tm thirteen, and big enough
to be me own boss, guess!"
''Kapin' company wild a cross-eyed
girl in oliver street," interjected An
ME sharply.
"She amt cross-eyed!"
you'd ought to be glad of tn good
home I've give We since your father
died, God have mercy on his sowl! It's
not after cross-eyed girls he'd be 60
in, neither" walled Annie.
"She amt cross-eyedl" snarled
Johnny, stung by the repetition. "If
1 likes a girl likes her, and it's not
even me mothers business, under
stand"
"Me wild my rheumatismatics!
Many's tn time I've stood in tn snow
earnin' living to support you! If
was many tn mother, I'd bat you
acrost tn face for talking back t.
me" reproached Annie.
you'd only bat me once, them" re-
torted Johnny stoutly.
Mrs. Kelly's grief broke forth
afresh. Her son surveyed her sui
lenly and reached for his hat.
I'm goin out" he remarked.
Mrs. Kelly gave no sign of having
heard.
I'm goin down to Oliver street."
he added tauntingly.
Then Mrs. Kelly removed the apron.
'You go down to Oliver street and
you can stay there" she said, tremb-
ling.
"All right" replied Johnny. "Pll
stay there! And you can be getting
some one else to help sell your
papers," he added shrilly. 81 won't"
The slam of the door closed the dis
cussion, and Mrs. Kelly sat by the
window alone. The fountain of tears
evaporated swiftly in the heat of her
gathering wrath.
"Shtruck, has he?" she muttered
aloud to the silent room. "Readin'
thin coal mine stories, it's like. And
he'd be lawn me FIR a red-headed
hussy-th devil sind her joy to him!
All right, let 'em! I'll not take m
back, FIR the president and tn whole
crowd of arbitraries. l know me bust
ness!"
With the final sentence Mrs Kelly
rose and set about her evenings
work. The vigor with which she
banged the iron frying-pan upon the
table beside the kitchen sink spoke
volumes for the earnestness of her re-
solve.
"Me wurrkin me hands to tn bone
an him littin' me! It's on grating
he can sleep this night" she said
savagely, at the end Of two hours OF
unassisted toll.
AS she founced from the kitchen,
outraged motherhood caused her to
lock the door viciously, and to indulge
in the hope that the autumn night
might be cold.
During all the following day Annie
stood at her post in front of one Of
the nswhpaper buildings on Park
Row. Annie had been selling papers
at this particular stand for more than
ten years, and in the crowds there
were dozens whose days would not
have been fully begun or ended with
out a CHEEKY word or a hurried pur.
chase as they passed before her. And
usually as CHEEKY a word had been
tossed back to them. On but one &C.
casion-when Johnny, as a baby, lay
very i'll with diphtheria-could her ]
customers recall such depression.
1t CHANGED that one of the oldest,
who remembered, and who now no.
ticed Johnny's absence, made inquir-
les.
Annie told her woe volubly The
man shook his head.
Better arbitrate it, he said grave
Iy, Seems the only way to do bust
ness nowadays" Then he dashed {
the corner for trolley car.