Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-04-21
Chaugnessy Changed His Mind.
(By Vinge E. Roe. J

The breast OF Mr. Shaugnessy swell
ed with indignation. His sharp eyes
cleaned.
cit out av me offs" he Numbered.
did We think that daughter av the
Shaugnesseys wud be afther marryn'
wild an 0'Heagan? Think over thot,
Mr.. 0'Heagan. 'Tis the likes av the
paymaster she'll be amin at an'
nothin' else. No lazy, fiddle-playin,
dancin' 0'Heagan for Nora Shaugncs-
sy. Ye've done nothin' but laughin'
mistakes since We wus borrun-'tis
pity for the mother thot bore yez."
Mr.. Shaugnessy waved Diminishing
hand, turning an exaggeratedly atten-
tive ear to the telegraph instrument
on the implanted table by the window.
Cit on to yer various amurs, Mr..
OHeagan, an think no more av Nora
'Tis a mis-al-li-ance," he added lOfti-
ly, land have the weight av an im-
portant event on me mind. The fly
er is comm up wild the prisidint av
the road aboard her, and have me
orders to sthop her here for tie full av
fifteen minutes for the pass:n' av an
exthry from Skytop above. The pro-
fession sh'u'd not be bodderad wild dis
turbin' Influence. Good-day, Mr..
0'Heagan!"
Mr.. ShaugneSsy alwav: spoke of the
work of taking the daily message at
his lost little station in the noun
tains as "the profession The tiny
pine building bore In bis eyes all the
dignity of the universal system and
himself the stamp of important iDfal-
libliity. In fact, the Yast importance
Of his position among the occupants
OF the five houses that comprised the
station was a matter of such magni-
tude that he was exceedingly nifty,
ruling public opinion with a rod of
iron and holding himself in strict line
of precedence at the top.
Nora, his oldest daughter, was the
apple of his eye. And good cause she
had to be, for there was nothing pref
tier in the mountains or out of them
than her sunny gray eyes, her brown
hair and her rose-leaf cheeks.
Torrance O'Heagan thought so. Now
he leaned easily against the railing
which separated Mr.. Shaughnessy
from the common world, and regard
ed the little man with twinkle in his
eyes.
"Shaugnessy," he said deliberately,
"yez are only a blunderin' old brass
Taper. and ye're as full av mistakes
as a dog is av fleas. Oh don't rally
need yer consent, havin' got Morals
but OF thought 1t 'ud tickle thot over
weenin' vanity av yours. Know yer
self for an old peacock thot's a joke
for the community wild his vanity and
his airs, and me for yer son-in-law
thot is to be. Good-day, Shaugnes-
sy."
Torrance, having delivered this as
founding and daring truth, turned to
90 out. But he had not reckoned
clearly about Mr.. Shaugnessy. There
was scramble behind the rail fly
ing leap, a streak in the air, and Wis
ion of bristling Jaw whiskers and
fiery eyes landed all over the big
frame of Torrance with the spirit of
Old Ireland itself. 1t was vivid and
swift action while it lasted. At its
end, Torrance picked up Mr.. Shaug-
messy by the neck Of his shirt and the
slack of his trousers and set him gent
! ly over the railing, where the little in
strument was ticking UNDECIDED. Mr..
Shaugnessy was trembling and there
was dazed look in his eyes that half
hid their anger. Torrance pursued his
first intention of going out Outside
the dingy little structure, he paused a
moment while filling his pipe and cast
humorous eye around at the sorry
group Of houses huddled together as
| II in fear Of the solitude Of the wilder
ness of mountains. Just beyond the
track with its one little flange Of side