The evening world., 1911-09-19

~ ponAl1 OF Slf waiter sOOtn-
Ing plant let US look into tho
case Of Martin Burney.
They were constructing the
- Speedway along the west bank
Of the Harlem River. The grub-boat Of
Dennis Corrlgan. sub-contractor. was
to . tree or the bank. Twenty
two men belonging to the little green
island toiled there ct the sinew-cracking
mbor. One among them who wrought
In the kitchen Of the srub-bes. was OF
the race Of. the Cloths.
over them all stood the exorbitant
Corrigan. marrying them like the captain
u 4 galley crew. He paid them 70 little
that most OF the gang. work as they
might. earned little more than food and
tobacco. many Of them were In debt to
him.
Martin Burney was furthest behind Of
all. He was a little man, all muscles
and hands and feet. with a gray-red
stubbly beard. He was too light for the
work. which would have glutted tho ca
pacity OF q steam shovel.
Tit work was hard. Beside that, the
banks OF the river were humming with
mosquitoes. A a child IN a dark room
likes his regard on the pale light OF q
comforting window. these toilers
watched tho sun that brought around
the one hour of the day that tasted less
bitter. After tho shutdown supper they
would huddle together on the river bank
ana send tho mosquitoes whining and
ediying back from the malignant puns
Of twenty-three reekinE pipes. Thus So
cially banded against tho foe. they
wrcnched out Of the hour a few we'll
smoked drops from the cur Of JOY.
Each week Burnsy grew deeper In
debt. Corrigan kept . small stock OF
goods on tho boat. which he sold TO
the men at prices that brought him no
loss. Burney was a good customer at
the tobacco counter. One sack when
ne went to work in the morning and
one when he came In at night: 30 much
wal his account swelled daily.
Burney was something of a smoker.
Yet II was not true that he ate his
meals with q pipo In his mouth, which
had been said OF him. The little man
was not disseminated. lie had plenty
to eat, plenty of tobacco n a tyrant
10 curse: so why should not he. an
Irishman. be well satisfied?
One morning as he vas starting with
the others for work he stopped At the
pine counter for his usual sack OF to-
bacco.
There's no moro for ye.'' said Cor
rigan. Your accounts closed. Ye are
q losing investment. No. not even to-
baccy. my son. No more tobaccy on
account. II we want to work on and
eat. dc no. but the smoke of ye has
oil assembled. IT'S my advice that ye
hunt a now Job"
II have no tobaccy to smoke IN my
pipe this day. Mr.. Corrigan." said Bur-
nsy, not quite understanding that such
Il . sAtuv na,,yA hannap ~ him
Earn IT," said Corrisan. and then
buy H."
Burney stayed on. He knew Of no
othsr Job. AZ first no did not realize
that tobacco had got to be his father
and mother. his confessor and sweet
heart ana wife and child.
For three days he managed TO 6ll
his pipe from the other mems sacks,
and Their they shut him on. one and
al. They told him, rough but friendly,
that Of all thinEs IN the world tobacco
must be quickest forthcoming 20 a fol-
low-man desiring II, but that beyond the
immediate temporary need requisition
upon tho store Of a conrade 10 pressed
with great danger 10 friendship.
Thon tho btackneas of that pit arose
and filled the heart OF Burney. Sucking
the corpse Of his deceased dvdheen hs
o'dk ~ Nh''Ahh hs ~ NiNh His
bsrrowful of stones and art, feeling
for tho nrst time that tho curse OF
Adam was upon him, othar mon beref,
Of = pleasure might havc recourrs
70 other delights, hut Purney had only
two comforts IN NE, One was his pipe
tho other was an ecstatio hope tina,
there would he no speadways to build
on tho other side OF Jordan.
At meAi tlmss no wouid lot tho other
mon 20 nrst into the srub-bost, and
than he would 90 down on his hand,
and knees, Srovsiiing Hereby upon the
ground whore they had boon sitting
trying 10 ma some stray crumbs OF
tobacco, once 10 sncAksd down thu
river bank and nlled hia Pipe with dead
willow leaves, ~ tho nrst Whit Of the
smoke hs spa, In the direction Of ths
boat and put the nnest curse no knsN
on C~orrisan-ons that began with this
rrst Corriuans born on earth u ended
with tho rorrtsaHa that shall hear ths
trumpet OF Qabrisl blow, no BEGAN e
hate CoFr,san with all his shakins
nsFvss and soul Even murder occurred
h h;A IN A vaHns wort n; wa", flVG
DAYS IVA went w,inaut The lastn ~ to
bseso- VIA had smahsi a'l day ana
tasuant tas hisht m'ssPsat ~ watch he
had net awakened sar q plpstul or tYS
VAdN tas ~tsdssihek